As the weather cools down, I have added walking to my weekly routine. To keep it interesting, I found some great advice from the Berkeley Wellness Letter: www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwFit04Walking.html
How do you vary your walking routine?
A few things I've done, and the website also suggests, is to walk backward and vary my walking pace. When runners add a short sprint into their running routine, it is called a fartlek, and walkers can add a similar technique into their workout. I don't usually wear a watch when I walk, so I make up "games" for myself, such as, "I am going to walk as briskly as possible to the end of the street", and you can add these mini "walking sprints" four times in one walking session for good results.
For comparison of slow vs. brisk, "slow walking" (or "strolling", more of what I do when my toddler is in tow) is about 2 miles/hour. Brisk walking, on the other hand, can be upwards of 4 miles/hour.
I also walk backward (on sidewalks I am very familiar with), which helps to work different muscles. It's fun and does not feel like "exercise" (probably because it feels silly!), but this variation is best tried with a friend who is walking forward for safety.
And, if you need some motivation to get walking, here is a great article from Runner's World
Eight Reasons To Walk:
According to Runner's World, "A study done at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that walking four times a week for 45 minutes each time, resulted in an average weight loss of 17 lbs. a year without any form of dietary changes!"
Tell us about your walking routine, I would love to hear new ideas!
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I'm a Galloway Graduate! Plus, I personally trained with Jeff Galloway over the summer. The method works.
He developed the run/walk method 30 years ago out of a selfish need to train without injury, plus to keep people he trained injury-free. We use a modified Galloway method in our marathon training program - I blend it with another technique that works well.
The difference between a runner and a walker is that the walker already knows what she'll be doing - hehehe!
September 9, 2008 - 4:21pmThis Comment
Had a friend tell me about a training program that incorporates both running and walking to complete the race. To find out more, click here. Has anyone tried this program before? Or know anything about it? Have you heard of similar programs?
September 9, 2008 - 9:06amThis Comment
Yes, it can be done. In fact, the number of walking participants in distance events has grown over recent years, so much so that it's hard to call them "races," anymore.
Walking is free, convenient and natural. It's a shame that it's "more natural" in Europe, and in U.S. cities where public transportation is readily available. Driving forces us into a sedentary lifestyle.
"Fartlek" is Swedish for "speed play," and runners incorporate them into their training programs to build speed and endurance. Fartleks include a warmup and cool down, with bursts of race pace between intervals of slower pace, repeated several times. Design your own fartlek routine for your walks: Speed Play
If you're fortunate enough to have a park along your route, find a bench and stretch, do pushups and squats, incorporate some other strength exercises. The more you challenge your body, the greater the benefits.
September 8, 2008 - 7:55pmThis Comment