Walking workout series, week 3: Powerwalking
Well done for finishing the second part of our walking series. In this third week, you'll probably find that you're feeling less out of breath than before, and those sore, aching muscles have grown stronger and - possibly - even leaner. By now, you should feel like you can walk for 30 minutes at a challenging pace. If not, don't worry: do this week's powerwalking routine designed by iVillage fitness expert Josh Salzmann for as long as possible - you'll still reap the benefits.
Powerwalking (walking at an intense speed) takes more effort than normal-paced walking and provides a more challenging workout. You will be using your whole body to walk, pumping your arms to propel yourself forward and taking longer strides than before. This more vigorous movement will help you go faster and increase your heart rate, giving you a thorough cardiovascular workout that will burn more calories off than in the first two weeks.
This is also the week you'll be tackling hills. By taking on more challenging terrain and walking at a faster speed, you'll get a tougher workout. Walking on hills will also engage the larger leg muscles like your hamstrings and glutes (or buttocks muscles), as well as the core muscles in your torso. Salzmann notes the important thing to keep in mind when walking on hills is not to slouch. He recommends leaning forward a bit from your waist, and keeping your back straight to engage the abs; try and step smoothly from heel to toe.
This week you'll do two kinds of powerwalking workouts. For the first, you'll walk for 30 minutes while doing interval training. Once you've warmed up for around five minutes, pick up your pace even more for three minutes (aim for a seven out of 10 on a scale of intensity), then slow back down to your previous pace for another five minutes. Then, pick up your pace again for three minutes, trying to go slightly faster than you did during your last fast-paced interval (aim for an intensity of eight or nine out of 10). After this, slow back down for another five minutes, then do your last fast paced interval for three minutes at your highest possible pace. For the remainder of your workout, stay at a comfortable pace until you've walked for 30 minutes, leaving at least three minutes at the end to cool down. According to Salzmann, even during the most intense spurts, you should never feel completely winded or out of breath. If you feel very uncomfortable at any time, slow down.
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