[Harumanbo Harucheonja] "Everyone becomes healthy when infected by walking"... Visiting the place that trains 'Walking Instructors'

“Stand upright with your face slightly looking upward. Place your feet in an 11-shaped position, balancing your left and right feet.”

“Engage your core and straighten your back. Swing your arms naturally, take steps with an appropriate stride, land on your heels first, press down with your feet, and push forward with the front part of your foot.”

On the morning of the 5th, at 9:30 AM, in Eungbong Neighborhood Park in Seoul, where the autumn atmosphere was in full swing, about 50 adults dressed comfortably gathered near the park’s lawn plaza. After warming up with exercises in sync with the instructor’s commands, they began the main ‘practice’ session.

Some had hunched postures, misaligned foot angles, and sloppy foot movements. When walking, arms and legs should move naturally and separately, but some people moved their arms and legs together.

“There are people who have walked their whole lives without rolling properly or with sloppy and incorrect postures. But after about two weeks of training, they change completely. They experience a new world of walking.” (Im Hoe-jin, Officer and Exercise Prescriber at Hwanghak Health Center, Jung-gu)

Everyone knows that walking is good for health. However, it is ironic that many have never properly learned how to walk despite walking their entire lives. There is a place that systematically teaches this and trains instructors.

Jung-gu, Seoul, is running a ‘Basic Health Leader Training Course’ until the 17th of this month. It started in 2019 and this is the 5th session (5th term). Over two weeks, seven sessions of 2 to 3 hours each, totaling 16 hours, participants study warm-up exercises, correct walking posture, strength training, and stretching methods.

Participants gathered in the park are practicing healthy walking under the guidance of an instructor from the Korea Walking Association. (Photo by Minjin Kim enter@)

Jung-gu, Seoul is focusing on systematic health walking education and its promotion through the 'Health Leader Training Program.' Park Eung-gyeong, the program coordinator at Yaksu Health Center (left in the photo), and Im Hoe-jin, the program coordinator at Hwanghak Health Center, are explaining the program. (Photo by Minjin Kim enter@)

The training is practice-oriented. It is conducted by exercise prescribers from health centers in Jung-gu and instructors from the Korea Walking Association, a nonprofit organization collaborating with the district. Those who complete the basic training qualify to volunteer as health leaders in Jung-gu, but those who want to advance can apply for a 9-session advanced course for more systematic study.

After completing the advanced course, participants have the opportunity to obtain the Korea Walking Association’s ‘Level 2 Walking Instructor’ certification, separate from the district’s programs. According to Officer Im Hoe-jin, this means being reborn as a true ‘walking master.’ Those selected after completing the advanced course and subsequent practice sessions (5 sessions) can also work as instructors for programs such as Jung-gu’s ‘9988 Senior Center Exercise Program.’

Park Eung-kyung, Officer and Exercise Prescriber at Yaksu Health Center, explained, “Jung-gu’s walking program consists of three stages: basic, advanced, and practice courses. To master all, you need to study and practice continuously for two months. Participants can choose based on their will and ability, and those selected based on their skills are given opportunities to work as instructors.”

Choi Seon-hwa, an instructor from the association who conducted the walking training that day, said, “There is no other place nationwide that operates such a systematic and continuous education program like Jung-gu. Because the schedule is intensive and focused, the density and quality of the training are very high.”

Accordingly, Jung-gu has active small groups by district and neighborhood, such as ‘Walking Good Day,’ and large-scale walking competitions. Over the past five years, the 48 ‘walking masters’ trained through this education have formed their own health leader groups, continue to train walking instructors, volunteer, and create a walking boom.

The basic training that day was attended by a diverse age group ranging from people in their 40s to the oldest at 84 years old. About 80% of the trainees are women in their 50s and 60s.

Yoon Young-ra, a 58-year-old housewife living in Jung-gu (pictured), said, “I used to have frequent back pain and sciatica, but after doing walking and strength exercises taught by walking instructors and exercise prescribers, I now live without painkillers. I want to study more, share healthy walking with my friends, and enjoy volunteering as a health leader.”

Kim In-ho (left in the photo) and Yoon Young-ra (right) participating in the 'Basic Training Course for Health Leaders' in Jung-gu, Seoul, are discussing the importance of walking. (Photo by Kim Min-jin enter@)

Kim In-ho, 61, who runs a small business after retirement (pictured), said, “I joined the Saturday walking group ‘Saetbyeol Club’ through acquaintances and met people who teach systematic walking methods, which led me to participate in this training. I thought it’s better to learn properly than just walk aimlessly, and I want to help improve the health of those around me by learning correctly.”

Officer Park Eung-kyung said, “Many people find it difficult to correct their walking posture after being used to their own for a long time, but many say they are glad to learn something they never knew and feel healthier, which is very rewarding.”

Jung-gu will conduct a 9-session (24-hour) advanced course starting from the 24th of this month for residents who completed the basic training, and after the advanced course ends, a 5-session, 10-hour practice course will be held from November 21. All training is free to apply for but only available to Jung-gu residents. Participation in the advanced and practice courses requires meeting certain conditions.

Meanwhile, Jung-gu, which held the ‘Namsan Flower Road Walking Competition’ in April, will also hold the ‘Jung-gu Residents Walking Competition’ at Namsan on November 4.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.