WALK YOUR WAY TO A WOW BODY
Family Circle, Fitness, November 2002
Almost anyone can walk. But walking's biggest rewards-weight loss,
healthier heart and strong bones-only come to those who challenge
themselves. Of course, what's demanding for one person may be a breeze for
another. That's why Greg Tymon, M.Ed., owner of Advanced Personal
Training in Stroudsburg, Pa., has created a three-month walking
program exclusively for Family Circle readers. ''You can drop a dress size
with this routine," says Tymon, "along with a sensible diet, strength
training and drinking 64 oz. of water a day.'' The plan includes three
different walks to increase your fitness ability and helps prevent injury
by alternating more challenging walks with moderate-paced ones. At the end
of each month, you'll be ready to progress to the next level. All of these
walks can be done outdoors, at the mall or on a treadmill.
THE WOW WORKOUT PLAN (chart)
Month 1
Monday: Power Walk
Tuesday: Metabolism Booster
Wednesday: Power Walk
Thursday: Rest
Friday : Metabolism Booster
Saturday: Cardio Stride
Sunday: Rest or Power Walk
Month 2
Monday: Power Walk
Tuesday: Metabolism Booster
Wednesday: Cardio Blaster
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Power Walk
Saturday: Metabolism Booster
Sunday: Cardio Blaster
Month 3
Monday: Power Walk
Tuesday: Metabolism Booster
Wednesday: Cardio Blaster
Thursday: Power Walk
Friday: Metabolism Booster
Saturday Cardio Blater
Sunday: Power Walk
POWER WALK
Make fitness inroads by focusing on duration over intensity. For an
extra hit of calorie burning, hit a few stairs or walk up a steep incline.
Here, the pace is purposeful yet comfortable enough to carry on a
conversation. You'll progressively add time, but also vary your workout
length from day to day. (WE'LL ADD A POSTURE NOTE HERE)
Month 1: Walk for a total of 60-75 minutes each week, for example, two
30-minute walks or three 25-minute walks. Strive for 50-60 percent of your
maximum heart rate. (To determine, see ''How to Monitor Your Heart Rate''
box on page tk.)
Month 2: Make your goal 75-100 minutes each week.
Month 3: Strive for a total of 100-125 minutes.
ONE STEP FURTHER: Make your power walks 125-150 minutes each week.
METABOLISM BOOSTER
Reach another fitness level with intervals. Using this marathoner's
tool, instead of keeping a steady pace, you alternate timed segments at
moderate and brisk paces to boost your intensity without burnout. You'll
gradually whittle the slower part and expand the fast part of each
interval, till you're walking 20 to 60 minutes nonstop at the speedier clip
by month's end.
Strive for 200-plus minutes weekly, with your heart rate at 50-60
percent of its maximum during the slower phase and 65-70 percent during the
faster one.
MONTH 1: Start with 5 minutes at your regular pace, followed by 10 minutes
at a brisk pace, another 5 minutes at a casual pace, 10 minutes at a clip
and finally 5 minutes of a slower pace for your cool-down.
MONTH 2: Do a 5-minute warm-up at a leisurely pace, followed by 15 minutes
at a brisk pace, 5 minutes at a slower one, 15 minutes at a brisk one and,
finally, 5 minutes cool-down.
MONTH 3: Start with a 5-10-minute warm-up, followed by 30 minutes at a
brisk pace, 5-10 minutes at a slow one, and another 30 minutes at a fast
pace.
ONE STEP FURTHER:: Begin with a 5-10 minute warm-up, followed by 45 minutes
of brisk walking and then a cool-down. By week's end, strive for a
60-minute brisk walk. Continue to alternate with days in which you walk 30
minutes at a casual pace.
CARDIO BLASTER
While jogging is a high-impact activity, you can safely add it to
your regime. You'll do so with intervals. Progressively add time to the jog
portion and cut the walking portion of each interval. For the ''power''
walk phase, walk more briskly than usual, but not so fast that you break
into a run. Each workout will begin with a 5-minute warm-up, followed by a
10-minute fast walk and end with a 10-minute fast walk and 5-minute cool
down.
MONTH 1: Do five intervals of a 30-second jog followed by a 2-minute power
walk. Perform this walk-run workout 5-7 times this week, adding intervals
till individual sessions total 65 minutes.
MONTH 2: In the quick interval phase, work up from 5 intervals to 10-12
intervals of 30-second jog and 2-minute power walk.
MONTH 3: Cut your number of intervals to five, and increase your
run time, with 1-minute jogs followed by 2-minute power walks.
ONE STEP FURTHER: Increase the number of 1-minute runs followed by
2-minute power walks until you reach 12 intervals. At this point, you can
continue alternating interval days and steady-walk days - or begin jogging
regularly if you prefer
.
SIDEBAR: CHECK YOUR HEART RATE
Perspiration won't prove you're getting results. Your heart rate will.
That's because while some people may get drenched, others won't break a
sweat doing the same workout. But everyone's heart beats faster to meet the
demand for more blood and oxygen by the muscles being exercised.
To determine how fast your heart should beat per minute to reach Tymon's
suggested target ranges for each walk, subtract your age and your resting
heart rate from 226. [For example, to calculate the 50 percent rate, if
you're 40 and your resting heart rate is 85: (226-40-85) x .50 = 50.5+85 =
135.5.]
Another way to determine if you're working out hard enough is the perceived
exertion scale, in which you strive for the feeling of ''moderate'' or
''strong'' effort, a 3 to 5 on a scale of 10, says Suzanne Nottingham, a
spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. At this rate, you'll be
walking briskly enough so you can talk, but with some difficulty.
For greater precision, measure your heart rate with an electronic
heart-monitor, sold at most sporting goods stores. Once programmed, the
device (strapped to your chest or wrist) will chime to alert you when
you're out of your target zone so you can alter your pace accordingly.
SIDEBAR: 7 WALKING DO'S:
''It doesn't matter how fast you walk, it's HOW you walk,'' says Suzanne
Nottingham, a Mammoth Lake, Calif., spokesperson for the American Council
on Exercise. The following techniques will boost your performance:
1. Stand up straight, lengthening your spine, Nottingham says. ''Visualize
lengthening from the tailbone, as if a string through the top of your head
is pulling you upward.''
2. Land on the heel and roll to your toes for lift-off on each step, made
easier by the curved soles of walking and running shoes.
3. Protect your back from the common overtilted pelvis. Imagine your pelvis
as a bucket of water, if tilted, the water would spill out the front.
Counter this by tightening your abdominal muscles and keeping your lower
back's natural curve. ''The goal is to walk with your bucket of water
level,'' Nottingham says.
4. Want speed? Move your feet faster instead of lengthening your stride. To
pick up the pace further, bend elbows to a 90-degree angle and keep them
close to your body. Your hands never should rise above mid-chest level or
fall past your hips. Nor should your arms move across your body.
5. Gaze upward, tipping your chin a half-inch up, to improve your balance
and posture. Your ears should be directly over your shoulders, hips, knees
and feet.
6. Both Tymon and Nottingham agree that the mirror is your friend when it
comes checking posture. Standing tall in front of a full-length mirror,
take notice of your body stance. Is your head centered? Are the shoulders
rounded? Is one hip higher or rotated forward? Are your toes pointing
forward? Turn to your side and check to see if your spine has a natural
curve. Your pelvis should not be tilted or tucked too far in one direction.
Knees should be soft, not locked. And the ears, shoulder and ankles in one
line.
7. Gina Allchin, a certified personal trainer in NYC suggests this posture
check to take on the road: Stand about a foot from a wall. Keeping knees
soft, lean back and press shoulders and hips into the wall. Your spine
should have a natural curve in the lumbar region. Now, bend the arms at 90
degrees, drawing the elbows back toward the wall. Stay here for 30 seconds,
release. When walking, call on the same posture to keep you striding high.
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