Let's WALK through

 

Let’s WALK through

In our day-to-day life whenever we think about starting our fitness journey, the first thought in our mind comes is WALKING. We often say let’s go for a walk or let’s roam around and take a quick walk. But have we ever thought about what a simple walk can do? Do we even know what’s walking and what benefits it gives us or how and how much or how long we should walk? How many types of walks are there? Do too much-walking cause any damage to our body? Or how can you lose weight and get sexier just by walking? How do you feel after taking a walk? Yes, these are all the important questions that we should know the answers and then we should start our fitness journey through walking. Let me walk you through walking.

What is WALKING?

If we ask Google, it answers like this “move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once.”

The power of walking

We all have dreams of becoming fitter, leaner, and stronger and bursting with health and energy. Walking can bring you all these benefits. The different techniques provide a simple yet effective way of giving your whole body a thorough workout. You may also discover, as many others have, that walking opens you up to new experiences, and that it brings mental well-being as well as physical health.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

                                                                                                                                        -MARK TWAIN

 

Categories of walking

1.  The Stroll walking – Casual pace, slower than the average walk. Takes 20 minutes or more to walk a kilometer.

2. The average walking – It depends on an individual’s daily walking speed but the average is considered to be approximately 3mph. This would mean 12 minutes to walk a kilometer.

3. Power walking - A power walker can reach speeds of up to 5 mph, which means a kilometer in less than 8 minutes.

4. Speed walking - The pace of a speed walker is in excess of 5 mph.

5. Race walking - g Also known as Olympic walking, this is the ultimate pace with regard to speed. racewalkers reach speeds of 9 mph or more and are mainly concerned with speed and competing.

 

In all of the above categories of walking Power walking is the most useful technique. Let’s jump on to power walking.

 

What is Power Walking?

 Walking is the most natural and fundamental of all human conscious movements; by putting one foot in front of the other and moving your arms in opposition, you can propel yourself forward at approximately 3 mph (5km / h). Add the “power,” change your focus, adjust your technique, and the pace can increase to 5 mph (8km / h) or more. All the muscles in your body are used to create a dynamic aerobic activity that helps you to achieve optimum well-being and fitness.

 The stroll and the average walk are defined simply by speed because the technique is not much of a consideration. You will naturally swing your arms in opposition to your legs to aid your balance and to help you to move forward. However, with the next pace, power walking, the technique is specific and important. A power walker can reach speeds of up to 5 mph (8km/h), which means walking a mile in 12 minutes (a kilometer in less than 8 minutes). To propel forwards, a power walker pushes off each stride from the toes with a straight back leg for extra strength and stability. This is where the power comes from and why the push-off is so important. The arm movement is also vital to a power walker’s speed and drive, with both elbows at a 90-degree angle, arms punching back and forth in a piston-like action.

 

Why Power Walking?

 Researchers in the field of sports and fitness have described walking as “the activity closest to perfect exercise.” It seems far too simple to claim that a basic skill that most of us do without a second thought can be so significant, but as you begin to learn more about your body and the benefits of walking, you will realize that it is true; the action of walking may be simple, but the results for your health and daily living are far-reaching.

 

How Power walking benefits us?

 

·       Reduces tension, stress, and anxiety, and enhances mental well-being.

·       Tones and strengthens your muscles.

·       Improves muscular endurance and flexibility.

·       Helps manage body weight and reduce body fat.

·       Boosts your immune system.

·       Relieves the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

·       Increases bone strength and prevents osteoporosis.

·       Reduces the risk of cancer.

·       Improves cardiovascular fitness, which can help reduce the risk of coronary disease and strokes.

·       It is socially enjoyable.

·       Detoxes the body and improves skin texture.

·       Improves sleep patterns. Eases the pain and stiffness of arthritis.

·       Reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

·       Boosts the level of HDL (healthy cholesterol) in the blood and reduces high blood pressure.

·       Helps you stop smoking and promotes healthy eating.

·       Improves energy levels and self-esteem. Relieves and prevents back pain.

 

How to Power walk?

1. Begin with a strong, upright posture, your torso lifting from your hips and midsection, eyes looking straight ahead. Check that your shoulders are relaxed and your chest is open. Stand with arms in the neutral position, with elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and hands lightly cupped.

2. Stride forward with the left leg, the left ankle well flexed, and ensure that the right, back foot is firmly planted. Start to move the right arm forward and the left arm backward, in opposition to the feet. As the left heel strikes the ground, begin to transfer your weight from the right foot onto the left foot.

3. At the midstance position, your weight is evenly distributed between the ball of the right foot and the heel of the left foot. Continue to move the arms toward their optimum positions. Make sure that you are looking ahead.

4. Transfer the weight fully onto your left foot as the right foot lifts onto the ball, the toes ready to give you a good push-off that will generate your speed. Feel a strong extension in your right leg, your body leaning forward slightly. At the same time, work your arms to propel you forward, the right arm punching forward and the left arm “elbowing” backward. Watch that your front hand doesn’t go higher than shoulder height and that the backhand doesn’t dip below waist height.

5. Lift your right foot and keep it close to the ground as you begin to transfer it to the front. Start to move your right arm backward and your left arm forward, again in opposition to the leading foot.

6. Extend the right foot forward, the toes raised, heel ready to strike; remember to keep your feet pointing forward as if walking an imaginary line. Swing the arms through the neutral position and into the next cycle.

So what are you waiting for?

Let’s get started.