Interval walking can improve endurance and aid you get fit faster.
Photo: © Thomas Macdonald
About interval training
Interval walking is a type of interval training, which describes any type of exercise during which 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 may also burn more calories, and aid you get fitter faster. For example, a small observational study published last 12 months 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, be certain your doctor gives you the go-ahead, especially if you've got 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, you must 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 it's essential 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 number of weeks.
How fast do you have to 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 have to worry about trying to achieve a certain heart rate, unless your doctor instructs you to, he added.
Gradually add more intervals to your routine, with the final word goal of walking 50% of the time at the next intensity. There is flexibility in how this will be done — one minute on, one minute off, or two minutes on, two minutes off. Play around with it, and see what works best on your body.
The right way
The route you're taking shall be especially necessary whenever you're running intermittently, because if you happen to'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 may also 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're walking. Find out by driving the route and using your automobile's odometer, if the route is along neighborhood streets; Using a pedometer; Or call the management office at a shopping center, if you happen to'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 might probably be difficult to count silently whenever you take heed 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 (if you happen to're walking in a neighborhood), or stores (if you happen to're walking in a shopping center).