HALTONhikes

More Information on your Footsteps for Trees Pedometer

The Little Computer You Wear on Your Belt
A pedometer measures the number of footsteps a person takes by sensing the body motion associated with each step. This is done by a sensitive pendulum located within the pedometer. Most pedometers convert this step count into the physical distance walked (in miles or kilometres).

Pedometers should be worn in a horizontal position, clipped to your belt or waistband.

There is no need to change gait, stride, pace or rhythm just because you put on a pedometer! It is important to maintain your natural walking behaviour, as this will provide a more accurate measurement of your abilities and performance. Some users wear their pedometers all the time resulting in a cumulative daily step count. Others only wear their pedometers during “significant walking events” such as most of the hikes detailed in Halton Hikes. A “significant” walking event generally includes walks greater than 10 minutes.

Pedometers can be used during many activities beyond simply walking.

Most stepping-type activities lend themselves well to pedometer use. These types of activities include: cross-country skiing, stair climbing, social dancing, hiking or inline skating. On the other hand, activities such as cycling, downhill skiing or swimming are not conducive to pedometer use as they do not involve a clear stepping motion.

Stride Length
Before putting a pedometer to use, it is important to input your proper stride length. Stride length is measured as the heel-to-heel distance covered by consecutive right and left steps. Inputting a correct stride length allows the pedometer to accurately calculate your walking distance. To make this calculation, the pedometer multiplies your step count by your stride length. The pedometer will also calculate caloric expenditure but the two most important features of any pedometer are step count and walking distance.

Stride length is measured as the heel-to-heel distance covered by consecutive right and left steps.

While pedometers are useful tools for measuring steps, distance and/or caloric expenditure, it is important to recognize that pedometers will exhibit some degree of error. Other elements of error are more difficult to manage. For example, leg-muscle fatigue and terrain variations can both alter stride length during the course of a significant walking event. With uphill walking, stride length decreases approximately one per cent with every one per cent rise in the grade. Alternately, stride length increases approximately one per cent for every one per cent decline in the grade. If a person is walking roughly equal amounts of uphill and downhill terrain, there is no need to recalibrate stride length as the rises and falls in the grade will balance each other out. Recording Your Footsteps

One of the best ways to maintain your physical activity regime is to keep a record of your activities. This helps to develop a deeper sense of both accomplishment and commitment. The way you record your footstep count or distance will depend on whether you wear your pedometer all the time or only during significant walking events. If you wear your pedometer all day, your step count will include many random footsteps as well as more meaningful ones. It has been determined that walking 3,000 steps per day (about 2 km) significantly reduces mortality rate. Increasing to 10,000 steps (about 5 km) reduces mortality rate to a near optimal level.

Increased walking results in a decreased risk of heart disease, blood pressure and body fat.

Walking also results in increased quality of sleep and has been shown to promote thinking skills in seniors. To use a pedometer for cardiovascular training, stride length needs to be calibrated to the wearer’s fast-paced stride length. This allows the wearer to undergo a cardiovascular workout by walking his fastest while the pedometer accurately measures the distance traveled. It is common knowledge that the longer you walk, the more distance you cover and the more calories you burn. Therefore, if walking to lose weight, your goal should be to walk gradually farther and farther each week. With regular use of your Footsteps for Trees pedometer, you will experience some great natural areas close to home and help the environment by activating tree planting while becoming more fit at the same time.

How far have I been walking?
If you want to know the distance you have hiked based on your footsteps, you can calibrate your pedometer. The simplest way is to wear it while walking a known distance, such as a one-km- long hiking trail, at your normal walking speed. Keep in mind it’s just an estimate, because the length of your stride increases as you walk faster. So, on faster walks you’ll be underestimating the distance somewhat, and on slower walks you’ll overestimate a bit. The pedometer also allows you to enter your step length to automatically calculate your walking distance. Each trail description includes the approximate number of footsteps based on an average stride.

Wearing Your Pedometer:
Clip the Footsteps for Trees pedometer to your belt or waistband. For best results, place it on the front of your body, close to the centre of your thigh. Your pedometer should fit snugly against your body and not hang loose.

Using the Settings::
Press the MODE button to switch between the TIME, STEP, MILE and KCAL modes.

Setting the CLOCK:

Press MODE until the time appears on the screen.
Press and hold SET until the hour begins flashing.
Press MODE to input the correct hour (you can choose between am/pm or 24-hour time).
Press SET and the minute will begin flashing.
Press MODE to input the correct minute.
Press SET to finish.

Setting Your WEIGHT:

Press MODE until the word KCAL appears on the screen.
Press and hold SET until a weight in LBS begins flashing.
Press MODE to input your weight in LBS.
Press SET to finish.

Setting Your STRIDE:

Press MODE until the time appears on the screen.
Press and hold SET until a stride length in INCHES begins flashing.
Press MODE to input your stride length in INCHES.
Press SET to finish.

Resetting the STEP counter:

Press MODE until the word STEP appears on the screen.
Press and hold RESET until the counter reads zero.

Resetting the DISTANCE counter:

Press MODE until the word MILE appears on the screen.
Press and hold RESET until the counter reads zero.

Note: Your pedometer only measures distance in miles. To convert your distance to KILOMETERS, multiply your distance in MILES by 1.6.

Resetting the CALORIE counter:

Press MODE until the word KCAL appears on the screen.
Press and hold RESET until the counter reads zero.

Using the SENSITIVITY switch:

While wearing the pedometer, begin exercising at your normal pace.
Count the number of steps you take and compare with the value on the pedometer.
Adjust the SENSITIVITY switch accordingly.

Replacing the Batteries:

Lift off the front cover of the pedometer using a small screwdriver.
Slide old batteries out to the right and replace with new batteries.
Snap the cover back in place.