The workout that will boost your low-impact routines

Low-impact training routines are perfect for those who are low in fitness and looking to improve through each workout. On the other hand, they also work very well for those who have suffered some kind of injury and who cannot do very strong exercises.

The most common low-impact workout is going for a walk, a great form of physical activity. A daily walk can help you lose or maintain weight, lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and strengthen bones and muscles, among many other benefits.

If you want to know more about the subject, know the best Power Walking workout that will make you boost your low-impact routines .

Entrenamiento de Power Walking para una rutina de bajo impacto

What is power walking?

When it comes to your basic level, power walking is a viable low-impact alternative to a regular walk. But unlike jogging, walking at the pace of power walking is much easier and more comfortable for the joints.

For example, if you place two “walkers” next to each other and tell one of them to move at a moderate pace with his arms at his sides, and the other person to increase speed while simultaneously pumping the arms, it would be much easier to see the difference between the two walking styles.

Brisk walking speed is somewhere between an average walking pace and a running pace. It should be noted that this range will be different for everyone, but to get a general idea of the pace, walking at 5.5 km / h will allow you to complete 1,600 meters in approximately 17 minutes. Increase your pace to 7 km / h, and you can complete the same distance in just 13 minutes (approximately), which is closer to power walking (Mayo Clinic, 2004).

On the other hand, if you keep track of calories, a 70 kg person can burn approximately 149 calories in 30 minutes walking at 5.5 km / h. Increase the pace to 7 km / h and now you can burn a total of 186 calories for 30 minutes.

Beneficios del Power Walking

Benefits of a Power Walking workout

Since power walking requires a much faster pace while pumping your arms, it will raise your heart rate to a higher level than walking at a slower pace. This leads to an improvement in cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

According to the American Council on Exercise , you can burn about 100 calories by walking 1,600 meters. By changing your gait from a moderate pace to a much stronger one, you can cover a greater distance in less time, which means a higher calorie burn (American Council on Exercise, 2015).

If you need yet another reason to power walking , a study published by the European Heart Journal found that the faster you walk, the lower your chances of dying from heart disease compared to slower walkers. The study emphasizes that brisk walkers have a lower risk of cardiac death (Yates et al., 2017).

Beneficio de un entrenamiento de Power Walking

Tips for practicing power walking

When practicing power walking it is recommended to take into account some tips, especially when it comes to technique.

  1. First, you need to make sure your posture is upright with your head up and your neck relaxed, while pulling your shoulders down and back.
  2. When you walk at a faster pace, use your arms considerably, so make sure to pump them freely with a slight bend in the elbows.
  3. Engage your core muscles and keep your lower back straight.

Some people do this training with ankle weights or small hand weights. This may sound like a great idea, but it is not always advisable to introduce a weighted resistor. If you have problems with your joints, adding weight to your workout can cause stress or increase your risk of injury.

Instead of using weight, consider increasing your walking rate, distance, or incline or simply doing some bodyweight exercises, such as lunges and squats, every 10 minutes during your workout.

Like any other exercise, it is very important to warm up before training and do some stretching to cool down the body after the walk. To do this, start by moving your arms, but at a much shorter range of motion, working your way up to the full pumping motion (for 10 minutes). To cool down your body, you should reduce the pace of your walk and the range of motion of your arms. Lastly, don’t forget the stretching exercises.

¿Es recomendable caminar con pesas?

conclusion

Power walking consists of a much more intense walking training , but it is useful for people who seek to improve their physical conditions, lose or maintain weight, or who seek to keep moving.

It is a very easy training, the important thing is to maintain a good technique when walking and perform a good warm-up before the exercise, as well as cool-down exercises once it is finished.

References

  • American Council on Exercise. (2015). 7 Benefits of Walking. American Council on Exercise. doi: 2 (6).
  • Mayo Clinic. (2004). Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health. Healthy Lifestyle Fitness. doi: 1020046261
  • Yates, T., Zaccardi, F., Dhalwani, N., Davies, M., Bakrania, K., Morales, C., Gill, J… Franks, P. (2017). Association of walking pace and handgrip strength with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: a UK Biobank observational study. European Health Journal. doi: 10.1093 / eurheartj / ehx449