Shadowing Practice: Walking vs Running – Which Is Better for You?| Easy English Conversation for Beginners | 03 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Do you think you must run very fast and sweat a lot to be healthy?
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Do you think you must run very fast and sweat a lot to be healthy?
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Or is a simple, relaxing walk in the park just as good for your body?
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Welcome back to Everyday English Talk.
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I'm Ben.
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And I'm Anna.
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Hello everyone.
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Today we are talking about a very interesting health topic.
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It is a big question for many people.
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Exactly.
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We are looking at two popular ways to exercise, walking and running.
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Which one is actually better for you?
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I see everyone on the internet running marathons, but I really prefer walking.
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Are you team walking or team running, Ben?
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Oh, I love running, but the truth might surprise you.
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Let's get into it.
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so let's talk about the problem first running is a huge trend right now when I open social media I see everyone running and showing their medals and cool running shoes yes it is very popular everyone wants to run a five kilometer race or a long marathon it looks very impressive and cool it It does look cool.
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Because of that, I feel a lot of pressure to run.
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I feel like I must be a runner to be truly healthy.
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But when I actually try to run outside, it is so terribly hard.
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What happens when you try to run, Anna?
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Well, after just five minutes, I am completely exhausted.
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I cannot breathe well.
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And the absolute worst part is the pain.
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The next morning, my knees and ankles hurt so much.
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Ah, your knees and ankles.
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Those are your joints.
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Joints?
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What does that word mean?
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Joints are the important places in your body where two bones connect.
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Your knees, elbows, and ankles are all joints.
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They help your body bend and move.
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Oh, I see.
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Well, my joints are definitely not happy when I run.
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Because of the pain, I much prefer walking.
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I love walking in the park and listening to music.
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Walking is wonderful.
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But how do you feel about it?
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I feel great, but I also feel a little guilty.
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There is a big misconception about walking.
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A wrong idea that many people believe.
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A wrong idea?
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What do people say about walking?
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People say walking is just too easy.
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They say it is not a real workout.
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They believe in the phrase no pain, no gain.
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They think if you do not feel terrible, you will never lose weight.
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Yes, that is a very common misconception.
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People think exercise must be painful to be good for you.
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Exactly.
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My friends always tell me, Anna, you are just walking.
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You are not pushing your limits.
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That is useless if you want to be skinny.
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So I feel like I am completely wasting my time and energy.
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Many beginners feel exactly that way.
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They try to run, their joints hurt, so they just quit and sit on the sofa.
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That is the real danger.
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If people think only running is good, might stop exercising completely that is exactly what happens i hate running so sometimes i just stay home and do nothing you are absolutely not wasting your time by walking we need to look at the science of the human body let's compare walking and running fairly and find out the truth Welcome back everyone.
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Let's look at the facts.
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First, what do walking and running actually have in common?
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Well, they both make my legs tired.
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True, but scientifically they are both excellent cardio exercises.
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Cardio?
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I see that word at the gym a lot.
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What does it actually mean?
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Cardio is short for cardiovascular.
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It means any exercise that makes your heart beat faster and pumps blood through your body.
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Running, walking, swimming, and dancing are all cardio.
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Oh, I understand.
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So both walking and running are very good for my heart.
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Exactly.
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Your heart is a muscle.
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Cardio exercise makes that muscle very strong.
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So, both exercises help you live a longer, healthier life.
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That is great news.
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But Ben, if they are both good cardio, why does running hurt my body so much?
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Why do my knees cry the next day?
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That is because running is a high-impact exercise.
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High-impact?
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Impact means when two things hit each other very hard, right?
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Yes.
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Let me explain it simply.
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When you run, you actually jump from one foot to the other.
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For a short second, both of your feet are flying in the air.
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That is true.
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I am flying for a moment.
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But then, gravity pulls you down.
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Bam.
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Your foot hits the hard ground with a lot of force.
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That strong force travels up your leg.
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It hits your ankles, your knees, and your hips.
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That heavy shock is why it is called high impact.
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Ouch!
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That makes perfect sense.
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So every step is a heavy shock to my body.
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No wonder my poor joints hurt so much.
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Exactly.
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High impact exercises burn a lot of calories very fast, so they save time.
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But they put a lot of stress on your body.
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If you are a beginner or if you are a little bit heavy, running can easily cause painful injuries.
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So what is the solution for people like me?
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I want a strong heart, but I want safe knees.
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The perfect solution for you is walking, because walking is a low-impact exercise.
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Low impact.
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So it is very gentle on the body?
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Yes, very gentle.
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When you walk, one foot is always safely touching the ground.
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you never jump into the air.
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So, there is no heavy shock when your foot steps forward.
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Ah, so there is no bam.
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Against the road.
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Right.
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Because it is low impact, your knees and ankles stay safe, happy, and pain-free.
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Anyone can do it, at any age.
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I love that.
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But Ben, we still have that big misconception.
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People say walking is too slow to lose weight how can I walk and still burn fat walking does not mean walking slowly like you are shopping in a mall if you want to burn fat you need to do power walking power walking how do I do that you walk very fast you swing your arms back and forth you take big quick steps your heart will beat very fast and and you will start to sweat.
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I have tried walking up a steep hill before.
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Let me tell you, that was harder than running.
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My legs were burning, and I was breathing very heavily.
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Exactly.
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Walking up a mountain, walking upstairs, or walking very fast is a fantastic workout.
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It forces your muscles to work hard, but it is still totally safe for your body.
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You can burn just as many calories as a short run if you walk fast for a longer time.
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This is wonderful news.
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I feel so much better now.
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I do not have to force myself to run if I hate it.
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Exactly.
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So, Anna, what is the final verdict today?
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Which one is the absolute winner?
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Walking or running?
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The scientific truth is there is no best exercise in the world.
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There is only the best exercise for you.
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How should our listeners choose?
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Ask yourself some simple questions.
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Do you have strong knees?
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Do you want to push your physical limits and finish your workout in 20 minutes?
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Then choose running.
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And if you are just starting out?
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Or, if you want to relax, listen to a podcast, and protect your body from pain, then choose walking.
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Exactly.
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But the most important secret of all is consistency.
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Consistency.
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That is a beautiful word.
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What does it mean in fitness and health?
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Consistency means doing something regularly, again and again.
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It means building a daily habit.
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not just exercising one time a month, but showing up and moving your body several times every single week.
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So, walking every day is better than running once a month?
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A million times better.
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A person who walks 30 minutes every day with great consistency for 10 years will always be much healthier and much happier than a person who runs very fast for one week and then quits forever because their body hurts.
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Wow.
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So it does not matter how fast you go or how cool you look on social media.
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It only matters that you do not stop moving.
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You got it.
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Your heart does not know if you are running or walking.
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It only knows that you are working hard and taking care of your health.
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So pick the exercise that makes you happy and do it often.
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So let's quickly recap today's episode.
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Running saves time but can hurt your body.
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Walking is very safe, easy, and completely effective if you do it fast.
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Pick the exercise you actually enjoy so you can do it every day.
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Now, let's review 5 important words from today's talk.
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Ben, what is number 1?
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Number 1 is cardio.
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This is short for cardiovascular.
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It means any exercise that makes your heart beat faster and makes your heart muscle very strong.
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Number 2 is high impact.
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This describes an exercise that causes a strong shock or hard hit to your body when you step.
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Running is a high-impact exercise.
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Number three is low-impact.
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This means the exercise is gentle and safe.
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One foot is always on the ground, so there is no hard shock.
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Walking is a wonderful low-impact exercise.
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Number four is joints.
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Joints are the places where two bones connect, like your knees, elbows, and ankles.
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You must protect your joints.
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And the last one, number five, is consistency.
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This means doing something regularly and building a habit.
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In fitness, consistency is always better than speed.
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That is all for today's episode of Everyday English Talk.
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We hope you learned something new and useful for your health and fitness.
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So what about you?
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Tell us, are you team walking or team running?
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What is your favorite way to exercise?
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Leave a comment below and let us know.
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Thank you so much for listening.
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We will see you in the next episode.
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And always remember, keep moving, keep smiling.
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Goodbye.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing English speaking can often feel daunting, but this video on "Walking vs Running" offers a relaxed and engaging context for learners. By participating in easy English conversation about health and exercise, you enhance your english speaking practice in a light-hearted manner. Communication in everyday situations, like discussing hobbies or fitness, is essential for building fluency.

Engaging with dialogues similar to those in the video can help boost your confidence in speaking. As you listen to Ben and Anna, you’ll pick up useful phrases and improve your ability to express opinions. Aside from language skills, understanding different perspectives about exercise—whether team walking or team running—encourages critical thinking and the ability to navigate diverse topics in conversation.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

This video features several key structures that are beneficial for learners:

  • Questions for engagement: Phrases such as "Do you think...?" and "How do you feel about...?" encourage open dialogue, essential for effective communication.
  • Present continuous: The use of the present continuous tense in sentences like "I am completely exhausted" not only communicates current feelings but also adds immediacy to conversations, making them more relatable.
  • Contrast with opinions: Expressions like "I prefer walking" versus "I love running" showcase how to present contrasting opinions clearly, a valuable skill for IELTS speaking practice.
  • Common expressions: Phrases such as "no pain, no gain" denote popular beliefs about exercise, providing insight into cultural attitudes that learners might encounter.

Common Pronunciation Traps

When shadowing the speakers in this video, pay attention to specific words that may pose pronunciation challenges:

  • Exhausted: The word "exhausted" can be tricky. Ensure you emphasize the second syllable: ex-HAUST-ed.
  • Joints: This term is important in health discussions. Pronounce it as JOINTS, focusing on a clear 'o' sound.
  • Misconception: Practice saying "misconception" with emphasis on the third syllable: mis-con-CEPTION.

By improving your pronunciation and ability to express opinions, you'll not only enhance your shadow speak skills but also prepare yourself for real-life conversations. Engaging with this type of content on a shadowing site will bolster your confidence significantly in both casual and formal settings.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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