Speed Walking Benefits
If you’ve seen a speed walker when you’ve been out and about, you’ve probably wondered what are the health benefits of walking at speed with all the grace of a drunken duck. The truth is there are many health benefits and the ease you can adopt speed walking into your workout regime adds to its appeal. It’s surprisingly easy to get healthy not just in body but also in mind. That has to be worth a few minutes of anyone’s day to develop that familiar waddle and reap all the benefits you can.
Benefits Of Speed Walking
Speed walking is a form of exercise that is an intermediate stage between walking and running. Some people refer to it as short jogging although it is actually walking at a high intensity or speeded pace while pumping your arms. Although speed walking does not yield the same benefits as running or jogging, it is more beneficial than simple walking at a normal pace.
Some benefits of speed walking are discussed here:
1. Increases Strength
Speed walking increases your body stamina and strengthens your muscles. It is a basic exercise which can be performed by people of all fitness levels. For people who don’t have an exercise regime or people who are not physically fit, it is advised to begin with speed walking for just 2 to 4 minutes at a time and repeat it a few times a day then gradually increase the duration as per their stamina. Increase your stamina and strength until you can do a good half hour of speed waking at a time.
2. Controls Weight
Speed walking, also known as power walking, is beneficial for people who want to shed extra pounds or maintain a healthy body weight. An average speed walker can burn around 236 to 345 calories while walking at the speed of four meters per hour which makes it an effective workout for weight watchers. Speed walking not only helps burn calories but it also strengthens your leg and arm muscles. Thus, it assists both in shedding weight and building muscle.
3. Enhances Cognitive Abilities
Along with physical benefits speed walking also has a positive impact on your cognitive abilities. Walking at a higher pace increases blood and oxygen supply to the brain which enables it to function more effectively. Speed walking enhances your problem-solving abilities and boosts creative thinking. It also increases your concentration and focus and has a positive impact on memory potentially saving your brain from degenerative conditions such as dementia.
4. Boosts Performance
Speed walking strengthens core muscles and enhances cognitive abilities which increase performance and productivity. It boosts stamina and increases mobility which assists in coping with stress to overcome challenging situations. Overall health improves with speed walking keeping you more active and increasing productivity.
5. An Easy And Convenient Workout
Speed walking does not cost a single penny and can easily be a part of your daily workout routine. It is a convenient workout that you can do any time, anywhere.
6. Build Bones
Speed walking is good for your bones too. Walking daily at a faster pace encourages stronger bones formation without exerting pressure on your joints. This allows you to walk more frequently and for a longer duration without stress on bones and joints.
7. Reduces Stress
Speed walking freshens up your mind and helps you get rid of day to day stress. If you are stuck on a project or unable to cope with work stress, a power walk will help clear your mind and settle your thoughts.
Correct Posture For Speed Walking
Your posture has an important impact on the results you get from any workout. You cannot get the benefits of speed walking if your posture is not correct.
- First of all, stand straight with arms on your side.
- Next, pull your navel towards your spine.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed while bending your elbows at a right angle.
- Keep your eyes focused on the field ahead of you. Approximately five to six meters of running track should be under focus.
- Never clench your fists but only cup your hands lightly.
- While walking move your arms in the opposite direction. This means when you move your right arm forward move your left arm backward and so on.
- Lastly but essentially, attain a pattern for your breathing while speed walking. Count number of steps while breathing in and out and follow the same pattern throughout the walk.
What Makes Speed Walking Different From Running
Running helps your body burn more calories than walking a shorter span but whilst you cannot run for a longer duration, you can easily walk for a stretched period. Walking at a steady pace is more beneficial for your body than running and helps you efficiently burn more calories.
- Running exerts a lot of pressure on your joints and bones while walking does not and is good for bones.
- You can quickly resume your daily tasks after walking but you need a rest period after running.
- Your breathing becomes uneven during running while you can easily control your breathing pattern during walking.
- People of all fitness level can begin walking but running is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Speed walking is a universal exercise anyone of any age can enjoy with minimal expense. As you are burning the calories and developing strong bones, muscles, and stamina, it is priceless for clearing the mind and reducing stress levels. As you are speed walking through the park and getting those curious glances and being pushed aside by sweaty out of breath runners, you can be safe in the knowledge that you have discovered an easy and convenient way to keep yourself fit and healthy.
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