Interval walking can improve endurance and make it easier to get fit faster.
Photo: © Thomas Macdonald
About interval training
Interval walking is a type of interval training, which describes any type of exercise wherein you deliberately speed up or decelerate at regular intervals throughout the session. The advantages of interval training have been well studied in athletes and other people in cardiac rehabilitation. Interval walking hasn't been studied as much, but she believes the identical advantages apply, Dr. Bagesh says. “Something about vigorous exercise is good for the body. It improves endurance, lowers blood pressure, and helps with weight loss,” he explains.
Interval training can even burn more calories, and make it easier to get fitter faster. For example, a small observational study published last yr Plus one suggested that three 20-second sprints during a 10-minute cycling exercise produced similar advantages to a 45-minute cycling exercise.
Master the fundamentals.
Before trying interval walking, ensure your doctor gives you the go-ahead, especially if you might have heart disease or arthritis. You'll also need a solid running program in place. “A well-established routine would be at least two or three months of being able to walk 20 to 30 minutes a day without restriction,” says Dr. Bagesh. Ideally, it's best to walk at the very least five days per week.
Also necessary: Walk together with your partner for safety and encouragement, and produce a mobile phone in case you might want to call for help.
Remember to devote five minutes to every warm-up and cool-down as a part of your walking routine. This can simply involve walking at a snug pace.
Work your way up.
When you're able to add interval walking to your routine, start slowly. Introduce a brisk walk or two into your 30-minute walk. Each segment should last a minute or two. Try this during every walk for a couple of weeks.
How fast must you pick up in the course of the interval? “Walk as fast as you can, at a pace that you can do briefly, but not forever,” suggests Dr. Bagish. You don't must worry about trying to succeed in a certain heart rate, unless your doctor instructs you to, he added.
Gradually add more intervals to your routine, with the last word goal of walking 50% of the time at a better intensity. There is flexibility in how this could be done — one minute on, one minute off, or two minutes on, two minutes off. Play around with it, and see what works best to your body.
The right way
The route you're taking shall be especially necessary if you're running intermittently, because in case you're steaming you won't have as much time to avoid potential hazards.
Look for smooth terrain in public areas. Neighborhoods, busy parks, and shopping malls are all good candidates for walking. “Soft surfaces like dirt or grass are easier on joints than asphalt or concrete,” says Dr. Bagish.
You can even decide to walk at intervals on the treadmill. Simply crank up the speed or incline for a minute or two to work your heart, lungs and muscles harder.
It also helps to understand how far you might be walking. Find out by driving the route and using your automotive's odometer, if the route is along neighborhood streets; Using a pedometer; Or call the management office at a shopping center, in case you're getting into.
Final suggestions
Adding fast 60-second intervals to your routine shall be difficult without keeping track of time. This is because it could possibly be difficult to count silently if you hearken to the rhythm of your footsteps and respiratory.
Save yourself the difficulty; Wear a watch with a second hand, or a digital watch with a stopwatch feature.
Another idea is to make use of signs. Allow for several mailboxes (in case you're walking in a neighborhood), or stores (in case you're walking in a shopping center).