The fat burning power walk
To burn fat and shed pounds, you need
speed- just walking briskly for 45 minutes a day, four times a week, you can
lose 18lb over a year! Nina Barough of Walk the Walk recommends power walking-
walking at up to five miles an hour (that is a mile in 12 minutes), with your
elbows at 90 degrees pumping back band forth. The pinhping helps propel you
along and provides a good upper body workout. You need to push off each stride
from the toes with a straight back leg for strength and stability. Or you can
buld intervals into your walks. Walk at a normal, brisk pace for 10 minutes,
then increase your pace to as fast as you can without breaking in to a run for
30 seconds, before returning to normal for five minutes.
Gradually increase the length of the
intervals to a maximum of three minutes with 10 minutes’ brisk walking between
each one. Or try walking one fast mile followed by one slower mile. To walk
fater, take more steps rather than lengthening your stride, which can increase
the strain on your feet and legs.
The workout walk
Adding toning moves and pushing yourself to
work harder will help turn your walk into a total body workout. Try these
simple additions to impove the toning effect.
Vary the terrain- walking on soft surfaces
like grass, mud or sand makes leg muscles work harder and burns more calories.
And hills to increase calorie burning and
help tone your hips and buttocks. When walking uphill, watch your posture,
keeping the spine long walking downhill can be harder on your bady (especially
knees) than walking uphill, so slow down sightly, keep your knees slightly
bent, and try to pull in your abdominal miscles to keep your pelvis stable.
Use trees en route to do an upright plank:
lean forward at a 45- degree angle against the tree, arms straight out, weights
mainly on balls of your feet, and pull in your stomack muscles as though you
were fatening a tight pair of trousers. Hold for 20 seconds then rest for 10.
Repeat four times. Do it every 10 minutes as you walk, gradually increasing the
length of time you hola your tummy in.
Before you go out walking, pull in your
stomacj muscles, then tie a thin piece of string around your tummy so it fits
snugly. It will help strengthen your core by keeping your stomach pulled in
because as soon as you relax it will pinch!
Use Nordic walking poles- a bit like cross-
country skiing without the skis or snow- which help work the muscles of your
chest and arms as well as your core muscles.
The walk ‘n’ talk
What could be better- fresh air, friends
and an opprtunity to boost your fitnees. If you are worried about your staying
power, walking with a friend is the way to stay motivated. And whether your
preference is for long country rambles or a quick stroll locally, there are a
host of organisations who can match you up with other would- be walkers in your
area. If you are struggling to find someone, check out www.go4awalk.com,
www.walkmate.co.uk (aimed at aspiring hill walkers), the Ramblers’ Association
(500 local groups) or SoleMates (the Facebook page for www.walking.org)- all
can help you find an individual or a local group to walk with. If you are
aiming for the Moon Walk you can also find a training partner via Walk the
Walk.
