Fitness Book

Also referred to by many as speed walking, power walking is a unique for of aerobics that is done at a fast speed.  People who get involved with this form of walking have to push the body to reach the upper end of what they would normally consider fast walking.  In other words, if you typically walked about two to three miles per hour but the fastest speed you could reach was four to five miles per hour, then you would push the body to the highest possible speed for you.

Although you might think that power walking is hard on the body, especially the joints, the truth is that it is far easier on the joints that with other types of aerobic exercise such as jogging and running.  Because of this, if you love to run but find that your knees simply cannot handle the impact, this type of walking would make an excellent alternative.  Then, you also want to reach a maximum heart rate of 60% to 80% for the highest benefit.  Remember, this type of walking fast is not just that but a form in which one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times to qualify.

Many health benefits can be connected to power walking, as shown:

• You will find that you have far more energy
• Your overall attitude and mood will improve
• Confidence and stamina are greatly enhanced
• With this type of walking, you also have the opportunity to make new friends, which helps to boost confidence
• Sleep patterns are much better
• Power walking also cuts back on the risk of potential health-related issues to include obesity, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even various types of cancer.

If your goal with power walking is to lose weight, first know that it will work.  Second, to make it the most effective, common mistakes should be avoided.  For example, although this form of walking is fast, you can still over stride.  The goal is to find the fastest but also safest speed you can handle but nothing more.  By reaching your gait out too far, you can throw the body off balance, causing problems with the shins and potentially missing a step, followed by falling.  Remember, the power comes from pushing with the back leg and foot so always roll through and push off with walking.

Another common mistake is not investing in good shoes.  For power walking, or any type of walking for that matter, you need at least two good pairs of shoes designed specifically for walking.  Then, you should alternate the shoes every other time you walk.  Proper shoes will fit your fit right and provide needed support.  Additionally, good shoes will help you avoid painful shin splints, a common condition often seen in walkers and runners.

Many people swing their arms while walking, allowing them to flop along the side.  For one thing, with power walking and any walking, this creates unbalance.  You may also notice that after walking, your hands tingle or become swollen.  The proper way to hold your arms when walking is with bended elbow at waist high.  This will help to balance the leg motion while also adding more power and speed.  If you were to watch professional race walkers, you would notice they carry their arms this way, which makes walking more effective and efficient.

Posture is also an important factor associated with power walking.  The way you should walk is with your back straight, stomach muscles pulled in, and your eyes looking straight ahead.  In addition to making the walk more comfortable, it will also reduce risk of shoulder, back, and neck injury or strain.  You will also find that good posture with walking actually helps you breather better, which increases your endurance.

Even the way you dress while power walking is important.  Although choices would depend on temperature and weather, you want to make sure you stay safe.  For this reason, always wear light-colored clothing at night, preferably with reflective strips so traffic can see you.  Then, be sure you are not wearing too much or too little.  The best solution is to dress in layers.  Unless the weather is warm, have an insulating layer, which could be a shirt that could be removed if you become too warm.  Then, a windproof jacket on the outside will keep the body warmed up but not overheat it.

Do not worry if people look at you - just enjoy the things you are doing for your body.  Once you get the hang of it, chances are you will find it difficult to return to the standard way of walking.  Power walking is fun and it is great for toning the body.