Walking instead of consuming: Shopping centers are the new sports fields. Here you can find out what this global trend is all about – and what brisk walking really brings.
An almost empty shopping center, a shady lawyer and seven sprightly senior citizens in pink and mint green training clothes – in this setting, millions of series fans have become acquainted with a strange-looking sport: mall walking. Walking in groups in the shopping center, usually outside of business hours.
During this activity, the fictional lawyer James McGill, who later becomes Saul Goodman, the money launderer of “Breaking Bad” drug cook Walter White, lies in wait for his victim. He plans to outwit Irene Landry – and wants to collect a million dollar fee thanks to a less than ideal court settlement for her. He plays the walker himself, complete with jargon: “I mean, it’s great for the cardiovascular system, the thighs, the glutes, the iliotibial band. I’m a big mall walker. Was out of the game for a while. Developed this damn plantar fasciitis. Hurts like hell.” And he sounds pretty fitness-manic.
Step by step through the big cities
But what’s really crazy is that Jimmy, as his friends call him, is right. Because what seemed strange to German eyes on Netflix and ZDF in “Better Call Saul” is a scientifically recognized and growing health trend worldwide. People move – but not in the great outdoors or on treadmills, but through consumer temples, on escalators, through passageways, around pavilions, in front of illuminated shop windows. But why?
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
