We sorted it out with the academician.
Walking is extremely beneficial for health, it maintains muscle tone and normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.
There is a theory that for maximum benefit a person needs to measure at least 10 thousand steps per day. This technique is widespread all over the world, it is recommended by fitness instructors, and in Russia it is perhaps even more popular than Nordic walking.
Nordic walking - fashionable fitness: twice as effective as running, works 90% of muscles
But questions always remain: is this scheme effective? How long does it take to walk? At what pace? Does heart rate matter?
Pavel Evdokimenko , academician of the Russian Academy of Medical and Technical Sciences and author of 12 books on health (1 million subscribers on YouTube).
Is walking really beneficial?
Of course, and not only for the legs, but for the body as a whole. Here are just the main bonuses:
• strengthening joints and vertebrae;
• cardiovascular system training;
• activation of blood flow and enrichment of internal organs with oxygen;
• normalization of pressure;
• stress relief;
• maintaining and losing weight.
Researchers from the USA came to the conclusion that people who regularly walk are 25% less likely to get ARVI, lose weight faster and suffer less from vascular diseases.
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The main advantage of walking is its accessibility. There is no need to buy equipment, special clothes, even a pedometer can now be easily installed on any smartphone.
Pavel Evdokimenko: “Walking is very useful, the best remedy against stress. I always tell patients that they need to walk - this is natural for a person who, by evolutionary nature, is a hunter and gatherer. The more you walk, the faster you recover from any illness.
If you are sick or have high blood pressure, your blood pressure will go down. Heart problems - go. Prostatitis - all the more walk. This is also the release of certain hormones, for example, cortisol. Ideal for maintaining health."
Functions of the gluteus maximus muscle.
The gluteus maximus muscle is very important in performing activities such as standing, walking, and running. The function of the muscle in these activities is to participate in straightening the leg, bringing the torso into a vertical position, abducting and adducting the hip in accordance with our body, rotating the hip from and to the center of the body and stabilizing the pelvis. This muscle may also play a role in stabilizing the knee during extension.
During standing up, for example, the gluteal muscle plays an important role in hip extension and pelvic stabilization. During running, this muscle provides stabilization to the torso and helps extend the hip when accelerating and slow down the leg when stopping.
Thus, weak gluteus maximus muscles reduce the ability to perform many of our daily activities effectively and safely. Muscle weakness can make it difficult to perform certain movements that require these muscles, such as standing up, sitting, walking, or running. Sometimes weakness of the gluteal muscles can be associated with back, knee and hip pain.
Why exactly 10 thousand?
The figure appeared after the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. At that time, a sports boom arose in Japan, and a year after the Games, new Manpo-kei pedometers - translated from Japanese as “10 thousand steps” - went on mass sale. Their creator, Dr. Yoshiro Hatano, calculated how many steps per day bring the number of calories burned to approximately equal to the number consumed.
This stereotype was firmly entrenched first in the minds of the Japanese, and then throughout the world.
The Japanese doctor was right in many ways: 10 thousand steps (about 8 kilometers) is the most accurate guideline. For example, it was confirmed by the British Heart Foundation.
Pavel Evdokimenko: “10 thousand is truly the optimal number. In a person, especially an elderly person who walks more, the joints are overloaded. But, of course, there are no strict restrictions - you don’t need to count strictly 10 thousand and not a step more.”
How far can a person walk?
For most healthy people, walking at a speed of 5 km/h is easy, and walking for 2 hours without stopping is usually not difficult. But how many kilometers can a person cover in a day?
Only a trained person can walk without stopping all day long, and for the vast majority of people, a continuous walk for 4-5 hours will be very difficult. There is already a high risk of injury if there has been no preliminary preparation with a gradual increase in volume.
In a day, with proper physical shape, you can walk 100+ km. For example, every year in Novosibirsk the Club of Tourists and Mountaineers of the SGUPS (NIIZhT) organizes the so-called “Sotka”, the participants of which complete a 100 km hike in 24 hours.
How to walk correctly?
Pavel Evdokimenko: “The main point is that to achieve the maximum health-improving effect, you need to walk at a brisk pace.”
There are a few more important rules:
• it is best to overcome 10 thousand in one go. This way the body and cardiovascular system will receive the necessary load, and the muscles will warm up.
If you divide the route into segments with frequent breaks (walk a little to the stop, then to work, back in the evening, stop at the store on the way) - the benefits will be much less. But this option is also suitable if it is not possible to move 8 kilometers in a row.
• the technique works if you use it every day - without consistency it is almost useless;
• it is better to go on an empty stomach;
• you can’t slouch – when walking, your back should be straight, your shoulders should be spread to the sides, and your arms should be swinging freely;
• correct breathing – inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. There is no need to talk while walking - it will disrupt the rhythm.
Teaching Methodology
Before starting classes, you should study the analysis and basics of race walking techniques under the guidance of a trainer. The training methodology will include the following points:
- Introduction to technology. At this stage, the coach shows at a slow pace what the race walking technique is and explains the features of this sport. Then the beginner will have to independently repeat the correct body movements, and the coach will analyze the errors and determine a training program.
- Methods of teaching the movement of the legs and pelvis. During slow walking, the beginner is taught how to correctly turn the body and move the arms at the moment when the feet are placed on the ground. This uses counter-rotation analysis and technique: the shoulders rotate to the right as the pelvis rotates to the left. In this case, the leg lowered to the ground remains straight until the second leg is lowered to the ground. Workouts are usually done in a straight, drawn line - this allows the legs to move close to each other.
- Methods of teaching the movement of the arms and shoulder girdle. The arms should bend at an obtuse or right angle, not intersect and move strictly in a straight line. You need to relax your shoulders, do not strain your arms and move them freely. If the range of movement of the arms is not wide enough, training is carried out with the arms down.
- Methods of teaching proper breathing. It is necessary to inhale and exhale deeply and evenly. Breathing should not be shortened - if this happens, you need to stop training.
- Methods of teaching individual elements of race walking. To hone the technique, various exercises are used for the body, limbs, and head. The trainer analyzes the length of the step, the method of planting the foot, and moving the legs.
- Improving technology. This stage involves combining the skills acquired in the process of learning and analysis, and long-term hard training to achieve coordination of movements.
This sports discipline has a number of its own methods and standards that are taken into account during competitions. In addition to technique, great importance is given to speed, which can be increased by lengthening the stride or increasing the frequency of steps. In the second case, there is a risk of switching to running, which may serve as a reason for disqualification from the competition, so it is recommended to use this method of increasing speed only for experienced athletes.
Are there any contraindications?
There are restrictions. Age doesn’t matter, but health status does. Walking for a long time at a fast pace is a serious load that must be adequately applied.
It is important to monitor your condition while walking. If shortness of breath appears or your pulse goes off scale, you should rest or even stop exercising. Over time, the body will get used to it and begin to accept the load more calmly.
Of course, do not go out for a walk if you have a cold or immediately after an illness.
Pavel Evdokimenko: “If a person has sore joints, then you need to put them in order (for example, with therapeutic exercises) and only then load them with long walking.”
Walking is the simplest and easiest way to improve fitness, health and slow down the aging process. It is not difficult to find time during the day for walking, so you get used to this exercise very easily and quickly.
Do you want to immediately start extending your activity and health? Then walk more! Physical exercise is attractive because by performing it, the body immediately begins to fight old age. Therefore, even if until now you have led a sedentary lifestyle and, accordingly, are far from in the best physical shape, once you start exercising, your chances of living longer and more prosperously will increase significantly. But you need to do them constantly and not give up. (You shouldn’t count on your previous athletic success: no matter how fit you once were, after five years of sedentary life you have the same physical shape and biological age as a person who has never played sports.) That’s why walking is such a great way to prevent the body from aging.
Of course, you can argue that walking cannot be considered full-fledged exercise and that, although you already walk a lot, your physical condition is far from athletic. Well, let's clarify that very fast walking, when, for example, you are late for something, increases the heart rate by 60 - 80% of its maximum, that is, the level of activity necessary to strengthen the heart and lungs is guaranteed. And it does this without putting unwanted stress on your joints—essentially, brisk walking helps strengthen your bones and prevent the development of osteoporosis.
Regular walking not only reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, stomach cancer and arthritis, but also psychological conditions such as anxiety, stress and depression. Recent studies have shown that regular walking has a positive effect on brain activity and helps prevent Alzheimer's disease. It also helps you lose weight. One study involved a group of people who walked 5 kilometers along a mountain road three times a week. In three months, each of them lost approximately 6.5 kg - and this without a special diet.
Want an easy way to monitor your walking to make sure you're getting enough time and effort into your exercise? Buy a pedometer - a small and cheap device that you can attach to your belt and count all your steps. Try to walk 10,000 steps a day (equivalent to eight kilometers). Experts believe that this is the minimum necessary for losing weight, which, in turn, prevents aging. But that doesn’t mean you have to go for walks every day—the device counts every step you take during the day—at home or on the street, slow or fast.
Do you feel like you walk a lot and still don’t feel fit and strong? You won't get the results you want if you crawl like a snail while walking your children to school. You need to walk at such a speed that you become hot, sweat, and have trouble breathing. Ideally, you should set aside consistent time for walking three to five times a week and try to gradually extend it to one hour. On other days, try to walk for ten minutes at least three times a day.
For better results, buy yourself high-quality sneakers and comfortable clothes - not necessarily sportswear. Wear a T-shirt and a sweater that you can take off and tie around your waist if you get hot. And also a windbreaker that will protect you from rain and wind and will not burden you with weight.
To begin with, be sure to warm up for five minutes by walking slowly and only then increase the pace. Finish your walks with light walking and some bending and stretching. As you walk, pull in your abdominal muscles to support your spine. Stay straight, don't go limp. Relax your shoulder muscles and move your arms without tension. Maintain your normal gait—don't try to lengthen your steps—and touch the ground with your heel first, then gently shift your weight to your foot and push off with your toe.
For beginners, it is better to start with short, fast distances, interspersed with rest. Walk briskly for five minutes, then slow walk (or stop) for three minutes, then walk briskly again for five minutes. For the first two weeks, do these exercises three times a week, and then add a minute to the brisk walking period. When you feel that your muscles are strengthening, begin to reduce your rest time. The ultimate goal is to walk at a fast pace for thirty minutes.
And yet you are not convinced that this will give the desired results? When one of the most respected anti-aging scientists, Professor Jay Oslansky of the University of Illinois at Chicago, was asked what single product he would recommend for someone looking to slow down aging and improve their health, he replied, “A good pair of running shoes.”
Is it possible to start with 10 thousand right away?
Only with an eye on health. If you can’t cover 8 km right away, then it’s better to reduce the load and add steps gradually. The main thing is to focus on your well-being.
Pavel Evdokimenko: “When you are young and healthy, you can start with 10 thousand even tomorrow. But if your knees are ruined, it's not very healthy. In this case, you need to start gradually.”
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The leg muscles are tired when walking, how to quickly restore them?
To relieve leg fatigue, it is recommended to perform the following set of exercises:
- Rise on your toes and stand there for 30 seconds, then return your foot to its original position and repeat the exercise 5-10 times.
- Place your right foot upright and the toes of your left foot on the floor, hold for 30 seconds, then repeat the same on the other leg.
- Place your palms on the wall, take your right leg back and press your toes into the floor, try to lower your heel, hold for 30 seconds, repeat the same for your left leg.
- Place a tennis ball under the arch of your foot and roll it from your heel to your toes, repeat the exercise 50 times for each foot.
- Lie down near a wall and lift your legs up onto the wall at right angles to your body. It is recommended to lie in this position for 15-20 minutes.
Where to go?
The ideal option is a park or green area. But there is not much difference in the route, the main thing is the load.
Pavel Evdokimenko: “Of course, breathing exhaust fumes along the roads is worse than breathing clean air in a forest or park. Sea air is an ideal option, but it is clear that everything depends on the existing conditions.
Asphalt or soil? There is also a difference, but the main thing is to choose the right shoes. For example, I walk 30 kilometers a day on asphalt, but in good shoes: sneakers with the right soles and soft arch supports. When running, the choice of surface is more important, but when walking, its hardness is not so critical.”
Comfortable, lightweight shoes with flexible soles are best for walking. Running shoes or hiking boots are more likely to cause discomfort.
Preparation rules
We have studied the main characteristics of race walking, and now let’s talk about the preparation process.
- First of all, as mentioned above, you should buy good equipment that does not restrict movement, is comfortable and convenient. Particular attention is paid to high-quality running shoes;
- Secondly, think about where you will study. A park with a lot of greenery is ideal;
- The last meal before training should be 2-3 hours;
- Buy useful gadgets to receive your body’s signals on time. For example, buy a running watch, it will be very useful for this type of activity.
To avoid getting bored, take a player with your favorite tracks with you. It has been proven that an athlete's endurance increases by as much as 20% if he exercises to music!
So, now you know how to properly do race walking for weight loss and are well acquainted with the technique. We hope that the workouts will be enjoyable for you, because unlike running, they are a little easier due to less stress on your legs. Remember about the phases of race walking - start slowly, gradually speed up, and towards the end of the distance, slow down. If you learn to organize your classes correctly, strictly follow the schedule, and give your all, the results will not take long to arrive. Have fun on the treadmill!
