Jewish World Review April 30, 2003 / 28 Nisan, 5763
BODYLESSONS: The next step in fitness walking
By Judi Sheppard Missett
http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com |
The popularity of walking has never been greater, and as the ranks of fitness
walkers have grown, so has the desire for new challenges. If you've been hoofing it
for a while and want to step up your program, here are some ideas:
-- Increase your speed. You can do this two way, either through interval or tempo
training. Both will increase your speed, stamina, strength and calorie burn.
Interval training involves timed bursts of speed, usually for one to five minutes,
followed by timed recovery periods that are also one to five minutes in length. As
your fitness level increases, you can increase the length of your speed intervals
and decrease the length of your recovery intervals.
Tempo training calls for a sustained increase in speed, usually 15 to 30 minutes at
a pace faster than your ``normal'' workout, but not as fast as you may walk when
doing interval training. Experts recommend adding one to two speed workouts to
your weekly schedule, but be sure to schedule easier workouts them.
-- Head for the hills. There's nothing like a good incline to tone your thighs and
glutes, but use good form to get the most from your efforts. Shorten your stride,
quicken your step, and tighten your abdominal muscles as you tackle each hill. Be
sure to maintain good posture.
Bend your elbows and swing your arms in a forward motion while holding them
close to your body. As you roll from heel to toe, use a strong push off to propel
yourself forward. (These form techniques are equally important when walking on flat
terrain.)
-- Try race-walking. Aficionados swear by it, saying it provides an unbeatable
workout for the glutes, quads, abs, shins and calves, without subjecting the body
to harsh pounding.
Race-walking has a technique all its own. While it may feel awkward at first, once
you master it, you'll find it to be both efficient and graceful. First, your knee should
be straight when your foot makes contact with the ground and must remain straight
until your body passes over it. Second, one or the other of your feet must always
be in contact with the ground. There is no ``flight'' phase as with running. Your hips
should move forward in a swiveling motion, and your stride should be controlled,
with the movement centered beneath your torso where you can get the most
benefit from a strong push-off.
According to one expert, race-walking is like gliding on ice. It should be graceful
and fluid. Top race-walkers can do a mile in under seven minutes.
The following side-kick exercise is a great complement to a walking program. It
targets the outer hip muscles, which help support the body as you stride. It also
works your ``core'' muscles that support your spine, keep you standing tall and
tighten your waistline.
Lie on your side with your body in a straight line. Bend your knees without sliding
them forward so that your feet fold behind you and your body maintains a straight
line to your knees. You can keep your upper body on the floor, or for an added
challenge, press up into a side plank on your elbow, as shown. Place your elbow
directly below your shoulder, pressing it into the floor as you press your shoulder
down away from your ears. Use your back muscles to support your upper body.
Think of squeezing the same muscles you'd use to hold a newspaper under your
arm on a windy day.
Lift your top leg a few inches, making sure that your body remains in a straight
line. Do not bend at the hip or waist. Next, exhale and press through
your heel as you extend your top leg straight out, keeping it parallel to the floor.
Repeat the movement eight to 10 times. Roll over, and repeat the
exercise on the opposite side.
Remember, if this side plank position is too challenging for you, practice the leg
extension while lying on the floor. Then, practice holding the side plank position as
long as you can until you are strong enough to perform the leg extension and the
plank position simultaneously.
Judi Sheppard Missett is CEO of Jazzercise Inc., an international
aerobic-dance instruction company.
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