I’m a big believer in functional exercise and there’s no doubt that walking is “the” fundamental expression of human movement. Though it’s an activity most of us take for granted, it requires a complex synergy of subtle interactions working in just the right sequence.
Taking The First Step
Walking is an excellent first step to becoming engaged in fitness as well as an ongoing adjunct to a well rounded fitness program. However it is important to note that walking alone won’t dramatically “re-shape” your body (for lack of a better term). Proper nutrition and progressive resistance training are key components for accomplishing that goal. Still, once you reach a certain level of fitness you may find that you walk just for the pure joy of it.
Now let’s speak more specifically about how you can use walking as part of a fitness program. Certainly the longer that one walks the more general aerobic “endurance” they will gain. However continuing to increase the length of the walk isn’t necessarily a very efficient approach from a fitness perspective. Rather the key to increasing the benefits of walking is to ultimately increase the “intensity”. This can be accomplished by increasing the speed and/or resistance of walking.
It is important to note that if you have had any cardiac related health issues you should consult with your health care professional for any specific guidelines you should follow. In some cases a Heart rate monitor may be advised to ensure you maintain a safe heart rate range when increasing the intensity.
Increasing the speed
Once someone can easily walk at a steady pace for about 25 to 30 minutes on relatively flat terrain then the most effective way to gradually increase intensity is to use interval training. Interval training uses different periods of work and recovery. In the beginning you will want to use shorter periods of work with longer periods of recovery.
Here’s a way you might implement interval training into your walking program using a 30 minute template.
Start with a 5 minute warm-up, walking at a gentle pace. Then increase the speed to a moderately challenging intensity and maintain that pace for 1 minute (the “work” interval”). Follow this with 4 minutes of recovery at a reduced speed. You may repeat this pattern as many times as appropriate until you reach the 25 minute mark. At this point allow at least a five minute cool-down to allow your breathing and heart rate to return to a comfortable pace before stopping completely.
Over time, continue to gradually increase the length of the work interval while reducing the recovery interval until you have an equal work to recovery ratio. As your fitness level continues to improve you may eventually have a longer work to recovery ratio.
Over time, you can also continue to increase the intensity of the work interval. Note also that as you create higher levels of cardiovascular fitness it should take less and less time for your heart rate to recover from the work intervals.
Increasing the Resistance
This can be accomplished by the terrain you walk on. Walking up hills increases the resistance and therefore the intensity. Increasing the angle on a treadmill platform creates a similar effect. I would avoid using ankle weights to add resistance to walking because of the loading on the tendons and ligaments plus it may also negatively affect one’s gait. To more effectively “load” the lower body, resistance training (i.e. weight training) would be more effective and safer.
Proper Form
Awareness of proper body mechanics is very important. Make sure your feet do not collapse inwards at the arches or rotate out to the sides. Try to keep your knees in line with your middle toes making sure they don’t buckle inwards. Your arms should swing alongside your body rather than in an arc in front of your torso. You also want to make sure your torso and neck are in good alignment as well. Maintain your pelvis in a neutral position rather than allowing the top of it to rotate forward which would create an exaggerated curve in your lower back (i.e. lordosis).
Scott Fishkind
http://www.time4youfitness.com/
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