WALK TALL (AND FAST)
Adding some extra speed to an average stroll will help burn calories
Upping pace has benefits
With gyms, pools, courts and other recreational facilities closed, more and more Canadians are turning to walking for exercise. And why not? There’s no easier way to work off the calories we’re all packing on while pursuing our second favourite pastime during this period of social isolation: baking.
But a good walk can be more than just a way to keep your waistline in check. Picking up the pace can turn a walk into a workout, improving cardiovascular fitness and letting you reap the physical and mental health benefits that come from being physically active. Yet the seemingly simple mechanics of putting one foot in front of the other — something you’ve done since your first birthday — change when your walk goes from leisurely to brisk.
Not sure how brisk is brisk? Find your normal walk-around-the-block pace by counting your steps for one minute. A leisurely stroll is 60 to 79 steps a minute, moderate pace is 80 to 99 and brisk is 100 to 119. Admittedly, 100 steps a minute seems downright slow compared to the 190 steps per minute Canadian race-walker Evan Dunfee — who placed fourth in the 2016 Olympic Games 50-kilometre race walk — maintains during an average race, but we all have to start somewhere.
Besides, once you cross into the brisk walking category it’s considered a moderate-intensity workout, which means your walk is brisk enough to reap health and fitness gains. (If you’re interested in a more vigorous walk, try maintaining 130 steps per minute.)
How do you reach and sustain a pace of 100-plus steps a minute? If you ask most people to step up the pace, they’re likely to lengthen their stride. But an efficient walker does just the opposite, shortening their stride as speed picks up. You don’t have to change your natural stride — just speed up your turnover, which will get you closer to that magic number.
That said, it’s likely that your stride and walking technique could use a tune-up if your goal is to look more like Dunfee and less like you’re out window-shopping.
Here are a few head-to-toe tips to take with you the next time you’re out for a quick walk around the neighbourhood — along with an app to help you stay motivated and on track with your goals.
POSTURE
Look ahead, not down, keeping your chin parallel to the ground. Line up the ears directly over the shoulders and roll the shoulder blades down so they sit flat on the back. Stand tall and keep the upper torso quiet as the arms, hips and legs move.
ARM SWING
Keeping the arms close to the body, swing from the shoulders (not the elbows) moving front to back, not across the body. As your speed increases, so does the bend in the elbow, flexing to 90 degrees as your step rate gets closer to 130 a minute.
STRIDE
Land heel first and push off the ball of the foot, taking care to roll through the foot rather than slapping the forefoot down on the pavement, which can lead to sore shins. Make contact with the ground just forward of the hip, with the knee slightly bent. As speed increases, so does the push off from the back leg as the foot rolls through each step. Let the hips roll naturally to accommodate your stride while staying strong through the torso. Keep your head level, don’t bounce, as your stride and pace pick up speed.
FOOTWEAR
Walkers don’t need the raised heel or extra cushioning found in shoes designed for people who are running. What they do need is a shoe with enough flex in the toe box to facilitate a rolling foot motion. The shoes also need to be breathable, as a walker’s feet heat up quickly.
MORE TIPS
As you perfect your technique, limit your speed-walking to short intervals in the middle of your walk. Use an app (see below) that monitors your speed and step rate so you can see how effective you are at matching your stride to your desired speed, moving between a comfortable, brisk and vigorous pace. Find a route close to home and repeat it, monitoring your speed to check for improvements. As your walking technique gets better and your speed intervals lengthen, you should see your time per kilometre decrease. You’ll feel faster, have more endurance and will be able to cover longer distances with less effort. If you’re really ambitious, try the Couch to 5K workout featured in this column a few weeks ago. Substitute the running intervals with brisk walking, and you’ve got yourself a workout plan.
App recommendation:
Map My Walk. One of the most popular walking apps, this gives you all the stats you need: pace, distance and calories burned in real time. It also allows you to set goals, stores your stats for review, suggests nearby walks of interest and allows you to share workouts and progress with friends.