About the great health benefits of walking. Which is better, running or walking. Cheap and angry method

From this article, you will learn what type of walking activity is most effective for solving a particular problem, how to calculate the number of calories burned, how long the walk should be. We will also answer main question – does walking help you lose weight.

The effect of losing weight is achieved due to the breakdown of fats during a walk and accelerated exchange substances after exercise. But for this process to begin, walking time should be more than an hour.

In addition to losing weight, walking solves other problems:

• develops the cardiovascular system;
• stimulates muscle activity, forming a correct and beautiful leg shape;
• gives the body elasticity and tone.

Which is better: walking or running for weight loss

No matter how strange it may sound, it has been proven that proper walking and running give approximately the same results. The following experiment was carried out: for several months, one group of women was engaged in walking, the other - running. As a result, the group that worked out at a calm pace lost one and a half times more weight than the “runners”.

During the experiments, it was found that about 550 calories and 50% of fat mass are burned during running per hour, with brisk walking during the same time, about 350 calories will be spent, but 65% fat.

Hence the conclusion: walking helps to lose weight faster than running. The conclusion is simple: you need to train regularly and in correct mode. Ideal in this regard is walking with moderate intensity.

The advantage of walking is that even with a small physical training you can easily overcome 20 km. Only a few can run the same distance.

Walking, unlike running, has no contraindications (except for fast and uphill). According to doctors, it is this type of cardio training that is completely safe for health and the most effective in terms of losing weight.

Walking with a load is contraindicated:

• for any heart problems;
• with respiratory failure;
• with kidney disease;
• with diabetes.

How much do you need to walk to lose weight

The daily minimum is 10 thousand steps, which equals 5-7 kilometers. Less is also good, but to start the process of burning fat, you need to walk continuously for at least an hour.

Another effect on weight loss important point: walk in the "fat-burning" heart rate zone- this is 60-70% of the maximum (MP). To determine the working zone, you need to calculate the maximum threshold of your own heart rate. For example, if you are 30 years old: 220 - 25 = 195 - this is the maximum heart rate (MP) for you.

Pulse at the correct rate gives a higher result - walking in the "fat-burning" heart rate zone allows you to burn up to two times more fat.

It should be understood that a one-time walk will not bring results. To lose weight, you need to walk regularly, at least every other day, gradually accustoming yourself to daily walks.

Not only the short-term result of losing weight depends on how you walk. Below we present the most important tips how to walk correctly in order to lose 100% weight.

1. The duration of your walking for weight loss should be at least 1 hour.

   Fat reserves do not begin to be consumed immediately. First, the body receives energy from glucose, which comes from the digestion of carbohydrates. Energy is then taken from glycogen (a source of glucose stored in the liver). And only when all energy reserves are exhausted, the body takes on fat. This moment comes around after 45 minutes of continuous walking.

2. Walk in the morning.

   Study better in the morning, but not on an empty stomach, but after light breakfast. Then fat reserves will begin to be consumed earlier. Another benefit of walking morning time- This is an acceleration of metabolism for the whole day. Thus, during the day you will spend more calories than on a day without exercise.

   Hence the conclusion: morning walks contribute to better fat burning.

3. Choose comfortable clothes and shoes.

   Of course, if you practice walking for weight loss only on the way to work and back home, it is enough to wear comfortable shoes. If walking has become a full-fledged workout, do not be too lazy to choose comfortable loose-fitting clothes and sneakers with good cushioning.

4. Think over the route.

   For walking to bring maximum benefit, exercise in a park or in places away from vehicular traffic. Ideally, lay out your route over rough terrain, where you have to constantly overcome ups and downs.

5. Don't forget to warm up.

   Especially if you walk in the interval mode or are engaged in walking up the stairs. A fast pace and power load on an unheated body can lead to injury. Therefore, start walking at a slow pace, and before climbing the stairs, it is advisable to perform a series of warm-up exercises familiar from physical education classes. The same goes for the end of the workout: walk for 5 minutes at a calm pace, let your heart beat calm down.

6. Follow the tech.

   While walking, land from heel to toe, pushing off with force for next step. When increasing speed, watch your step - it should not be too long, it is better to move through short, frequent steps. Hands should also not hang around idle - be sure to actively work with them. Bend your arms at the elbows and move them in the direction from the waist to the chest.

7. drink water.

   For any physical activity the body loses a lot of fluid. Therefore, before and after, drink a glass of water, and if walking is more than half an hour, then take a couple of sips during training to avoid dehydration.

Without following the correct balanced nutrition nothing will come of it. It is impossible to lose weight by walking, even with long and daily walks, if you exceed the daily caloric intake. You should also give up any diets that are an example unbalanced nutrition. They give only a short-term effect of losing weight - the weight quickly returns.

To adhere to proper nutrition, it is enough to refuse fatty foods, semi-finished products, pastries, sodas, sauces and sweets. If you can't imagine life without sweets, replace milk chocolate on bittersweet, candy and cookies on nuts and ice cream.

We talked about proper nutrition for weight loss and its principles in this article.

It is also important to understand: the less we move, the more carefully we need to approach the preparation of the menu. For example, if daily rate calories is 1500 calories, and the duration of walking is 60 minutes (200-300 calories are burned), but 2000 calories are consumed, then you will either have to increase the walking time by an hour, or reduce the number of calories by 300 units.

How many calories can you burn while walking

You can walk quickly, up the stairs, at a walking pace, and even on the spot. In each case, burning calories, including fat, will be different. Let us consider how the energy costs change with varying degrees activity.

This type of walking is recommended for absolutely everyone, including people with low level training and those for which another type of physical activity is contraindicated. The speed of movement is small - 4-5 km / h. An hour of walking can burn about 200 calories. Such training strengthens health, maintains muscle tone in the legs, and also promotes weight loss.

In this case, all muscle groups are involved in the process, since walking involves active work with the hands. The technique is as follows: while walking, the foot changes its position from heel to toe, pushing off with force at the last point. The steps are quite short, but frequent. The arms are bent at the elbows and move in the direction from the waist to the chest. Speed ​​not less than 6-7 km/h. At this pace, you can burn up to 350 calories or more, depending on your own weight.

This type of activity is designed for advanced athletes and is completely contraindicated for people with health problems. The number of calories burned depends on weight, on average, up to 500 kcal can be lost per hour climbing and descending the stairs. The exact energy consumption when climbing stairs at a frequency of 60-70 steps per minute is 0.14 kcal per kilogram of weight. When descending, the number of calories burned decreases markedly. different ways ascent and descent allow you to achieve different goals. For weight loss, walking up and down at an accelerated pace is better. At a calm pace, you will strengthen the muscles of the legs and buttocks.

4. Nordic walking with sticks. This type has no contraindications and is suitable for people of any age. While walking with sticks, up to 90% of the muscles of the body are involved in the work. Accordingly, calories are burned faster compared to a regular walk. An hour of exercise can burn up to 400 calories.

Recall the technique of Nordic walking:>

• the foot during walking changes its position from heel to toe;
• one arm extended forward and slightly bent at the elbow;
• the second hand is located at the level of the hips and stretches back;
• repeat the positions, changing the position of the arms and legs.

From early childhood, we are taught that we need to walk a lot. Walking is the most universal remedy physical load on the body. She has practically no contraindications, she does not need special clothing and devices.

You can walk at any age. This lesson can be successfully combined with work, leaving 1-2 stops earlier than necessary. If you are a young mother, then there are no problems at all, take a stroller with a baby, and go for a leisurely walk to the nearest park. And the child is walking, and you are resting! Many mothers with strollers just sit on the bench, although walking is much more beneficial for the body and more interesting for herself. If you are determined to do such a simple thing as walking, you can not do without counting steps. For this there are special devices called pedometers. They allow you to count the number of steps. If you do this every day, you can gradually increase the number of steps and, accordingly, improve the result you are striving for. If it is not possible to purchase this device, focus on your body, on the feeling of tension in your legs and gradually increase the time and pace of walking.

Types of walking

Walking is of several types.

• wellness
• Scandinavian
• Energy
• Sports
• For weight loss

Wellness walking available to everyone. Depending on the tempo, it can be slow, medium, fast and very fast. Does not involve the use of special equipment.

nordic walking involves the use of special sticks, which can be purchased at a sports store at a price of 1000 to 2000 rubles apiece. There are also more expensive options. The sticks are very strong yet light. This is a less traumatic sport that allows you to avoid unwanted injuries. Sticks take on up to 1/3 of the load, which during normal walking falls on the arms and back. This type of walking is very popular in recent times. It has no contraindications, evenly distributing the load on all parts of the body. At the same time, the spine straightens, does not overload, remains in good shape. Sticks allow you to increase the length of the step and transfer part of the load to the upper shoulder girdle. With such walking, they first step on the heel, then on the toe. The body leans slightly forward.

During energy walking hands participate very actively along with the body, activating the whole organism. At the same time, the work of the hematopoietic organs improves, energy arrives to the whole body, more energy is spent. This walking is similar to running. In this case, special sticks can also be used, but not the same ones that are used for Nordic walking.

Race walking - fast movements at a speed 2-3 times higher than health walking. At the same time, the hands are also involved, the steps are made more often and longer than usual. Main principle such a walk consists in the fact that all the time one leg is in the air - the right, then the left. Both feet must not be on the ground at the same time. One leg is kept straight until the weight is transferred to it. At the same time, a person works with his hands and shakes his pelvis. This type of walking is olympic view sports. The only limitation is flat feet, with which the load cannot be redistributed correctly and you can get injured.

Walking for weight loss is walking at a fast pace. In order to lose weight, you need to move fast enough and on long distances. But at the same time, the pace should be fast, not slow. Otherwise, you will just walk around, and excess weight dropping it doesn't help.

When trying to lose weight by walking, the average walking speed should be around 6 km/h. Walking time is at least 30 minutes. The longer you walk, the faster you can lose weight. At the same time, you should feel how the muscles tense up. You must be thrown into a sweat, then you can achieve desired result. At the same time, it is useful not only to walk, but also to do physical activity. And of course proper nutrition nobody canceled.

Benefits of walking for the body

Walking is beneficial for the body in many ways, it rejuvenates, prevents the appearance of chronic age-related diseases, normalizes blood pressure, mobilizes strength, helps keep strength and thoughts in good shape, and helps to lose weight.

Walking helps to activate the whole body as a whole. Even at an average pace, the body will feel incomparable benefits. See the video below for the health benefits of walking.

The effect of walking on the spine

First of all, walking is good for the spine, strengthening it and massaging the vertebrae, which, when walking, strengthen and take their place. Blood begins to be supplied even to hard-to-reach places, the swaying of the vertebrae creates a massage effect.

Walking saturates all organs with oxygen, removes toxins from the body. The work of the heart is activated, the level of cholesterol in the body decreases, and the pressure decreases.

Walking is available to absolutely everyone, it does not require extra costs in the form of a suit and equipment. Walking trains the muscles of the legs, being the prevention of osteoporosis, trains breathing, the heart muscle, the blood begins to pump from greater strength. This type of load allows you to get rid of shortness of breath.

Half an hour of walking can lower blood sugar levels, strengthen bones and muscles, improve your well-being, increase resistance to stress.

Harm and contraindications

Walking can cause harm only if you have neglected the safety rules: put on uncomfortable shoes or clothes, have not removed jewelry, you are building up the pace too quickly. It is also important to control your breathing. Wrong breathing when walking can cause more harm than good. When walking fast, there is a risk of harm knee joints so watch your knees. If they start to hurt you, then it is better to postpone classes for a while and consult with a specialist.

There are very few contraindications to this sport. Let's list them:

• Viral infections
• Recent surgeries
• Chronic diseases in acute form
• High blood pressure
• flat feet
• Hand and joint injuries
• Deviations in the development of the musculoskeletal locomotive system
• Heart disease

In all these cases, you should consult your doctor about the possibility of walking at a leisurely pace over short distances. With flat feet, the load during walking is distributed incorrectly, and you can harm your condition even more.

What do you need for walking

Before walking and after you need to drink a glass of water to make up for the loss of fluid. You can take a bottle of warm water with you for a walk. hot water and drink during breaks. Clothing should be comfortable, not restricting movement. A sports suit and sneakers are best suited for this. Heeled shoes should be excluded. You can take the player for a walk, combining business with pleasure. After class, when you come home, you can have a snack, but do not overeat. When you get into a rut and classes become a habit for you, the pace can be increased. Walking is useful to combine with morning exercises.

Norm of steps per day

It is believed that in order to feel good, you need to take at least 10,000 steps per day - which is 6-8 km, depending on the length of the step. It is estimated that the average person takes about 3,000 steps a day, including walking at work and around the house. Therefore, in order to dial right amount steps - you need to try hard, and additionally devote about an hour a day to walking.

True, many experts believe that only “pure” steps are taken into account here, i.e. walking around the house or on business has nothing to do with it. If it's cold or raining outside, replacing walking will help Treadmill. On it you can not only run, but also walk at a hasty pace. It is important to control your breathing and your condition and do not forget about mileage.

When, how much and at what age can you walk

Walking is the only type of exercise that is indicated at any age and in any weather. The main thing here is not to overdo it. Even very heavy people can walk.

The optimal time for walking is in the morning, because. the body will be able to wake up better, the metabolic processes will start, the body will begin to break down fats after an overnight fast, helping you lose weight. Such a walk can be done in the evening, but not just before bedtime.

If you are just starting to walk, then you do not need to chase the results right away. At first, it is better to walk at a slow pace, gradually increasing the time of the lesson, then increase the pace of walking. You need to start walking with short walks, increasing the time of classes to 1 hour.

When walking, the back must be kept straight, the shoulders should be pulled back and spread apart, it is impossible to slouch. Also, don't forget about correct breathing: inhale through the nose, exhale only through the mouth. Breathe better in proportion to the steps. When walking, it is better to be silent so as not to choke your breath.

At the beginning and at the end of the workout, the pace should be unhurried. After 5-10 minutes at good health pace can be increased.

Elderly people can and should also walk, while controlling their breathing and heartbeat. If you feel short of breath, just slow down your walking pace. With the normalization of breathing, the pace can again be increased. For the elderly, walking time should not exceed 1 hour in good health. Older people are better off walking on level ground, you need to start at a pace of 70 steps per minute, after 2 weeks the pace must be increased to 110 steps per minute. It is useful for older people to take a walk in the evening, relieve daytime fatigue.

Hiking is the easiest and most affordable form of physical activity, moreover, suitable for almost everyone. When walking, not only muscles work, but the body is also saturated with oxygen if the walk takes place on fresh air which is doubly beneficial.

You can choose any route, be it a city sidewalk, forest or park paths. For people with a lack of time for sports, it is enough to replace part of the path that they traveled by transport with walking.

Each person is engaged in walking in one way or another, someone overcomes hundreds of meters a day, someone walks long distance. Of course, short walks from home to transport or from car to work can hardly be called sufficient. physical activity. However, you can do it if you wish.

It has been noticed that during walks a person becomes more relaxed, emotionally balanced, focusing his attention on his surroundings and own feelings in the muscles. It is good for vision as the eyes finally rest from the monitor. Walking gives you the opportunity to be alone with yourself, thanks to which nervous system becomes stronger and more stable.

For example, jogging, which many choose to keep the body in good shape, lose weight, or just exercise in the morning, is not suitable for every person due to health conditions, age restrictions. But walking has much less restrictions. If you organize walks correctly, you can achieve good results.

The essence of walking is the work of several muscle groups at once, and the legs move in the transverse, longitudinal and vertical planes. Due to the activation of neurochemical processes, walking has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole.

Walking has the following positive effects on the body:

• lungs begin to work in full force;
• improves blood circulation;
• the heart and vascular system are strengthened;
• oxygen delivery to all cells of the body is activated;
• the respiratory system works better;
• thanks to the increased blood flow, varicose veins are prevented;
• the process of fat burning is activated;
• beneficial effect on psychosomatics;
• immunity increases;
• endurance improves;
• is the prevention of diseases of the joints, osteoporosis.

With regular walks, congestive processes of the small pelvis also disappear in men, and this leads to a decrease in the risk of such unpleasant disease like prostatitis.

If the goal of walking is to improve health, then it is suitable for any age and gender. The guideline for whether the load is sufficient for you personally should be your well-being. It is it that will tell you whether the route is chosen correctly, the complexity of the route, the duration of the walk, its speed. Hiking is especially indicated for:

• reduced immunity;
• lethargy;
• prostration;
• general weakness of the body.

However, walking is contraindicated for some people, namely, if they have such signs:

• elevated arterial pressure;
• arrhythmia;
• pulmonary insufficiency;
• previous stroke or heart attack;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• chronic kidney disease;
• glaucoma;
• the threat of retinal detachment;
• diabetes;
• SARS, acute respiratory infections, influenza.

It is also worth noting that walking is not better than running or vice versa. Just running requires a more serious level of physicality, as well as endurance. But on the other hand, regular walking can sufficiently prepare the body and be preparatory stage to run. In addition, people who are overweight should not run, as it can damage the joints, so it is better for them to give preference to walking. However, according to doctors, an hour-long walk is more beneficial for the body than a half-hour run.

How to walk correctly

To receive you need to good result, you need to take walks according to some rules. For walking to be beneficial, observe the following conditions:

• moderation. After all, the level of intensity and duration of walking should directly depend on your well-being. You need to listen to what the body says, do not overstrain, do not allow pain, do not go through force;
• gradualism. No need to immediately set yourself insurmountable tasks for the duration, speed or mileage of the walk. Increase both one and the other gradually, without sudden jumps;
• regularity. Perhaps this is the basic rule for all types of physical activity. Only with regular classes can you count on the expected result.

Make it a habit to walk for at least half an hour three to four times a week. To walk regularly, use every opportunity to make them.

For example, get off a couple of stops earlier, especially if the path to work is not close. You need to accustom yourself to walking, but for this you will have to change the mode of the day, going to work earlier. Replace taking the elevator with walking up the stairs.

Of course, the ideal option would be long walks in the fresh air without any haste, when walking is the goal. By choosing to walk in the morning, you get an extra charge of vivacity. And walking in the evenings, you will be guaranteed a good and sound sleep.

In summer, on hot days, choose morning or evening hours for walking so that the body does not have negative impact heat, fever air, because of which the effect of the walk will be clearly undesirable. In winter, make sure that the temperature does not approach a critically low mark; in other cases, walking is useful. In addition, cold weather stimulates a faster pace of walking, which increases the load on the muscles.

The duration of a walk depends on the individual abilities of the body.

Low-intensity walking at a speed of 4 kilometers per hour is good for people with a low level of physical fitness. Watch your pulse, it should reach 80 beats per minute. Over time, the intensity can be increased, but this should be done gradually. Walk twenty minutes a day in the beginning, increasing to thirty to forty minutes. Based on the abilities of your body, the process of increasing the length of the walk can last several weeks or even months.

If the goal of walking is to improve the body, the duration of the walk should be at least half an hour, given the speed of seven kilometers per minute with a pulse rate of 65-80 beats. At first, walking up to 10 kilometers at an accelerated pace will be tiring, but over time this will pass, usually this happens after a few months or a year. When you stop being very tired from accelerated walks over fairly long distances, this will mean that the goal has been achieved. In this case, walking should be continued, but a different load should be added to them.

By walking at high speed:

• reduces the likelihood of cardiovascular disease;
• accelerates the process of weight loss;
• blood pressure returns to normal;
• increases overall physical endurance;
• the body perceives aerobic exercise better.

You can take walks around the city, in the park, on a treadmill, on the spot, up the stairs. Even using special poles similar to ski poles. This type of walking is called Scandinavian.

On site

If you do not have the opportunity to walk on the street, you can walk at home in one place. The load exerted by this method of walking on the body is similar to an ordinary walk, the absence is only the movement of the body forward. To begin with, walk in place for about ten minutes, then bring it up to an hour and a half. Watch your speed, with half an hour walking in place, you should do from fifty to seventy steps per minute. To keep track of their number, just install a pedometer on your phone or get a special bracelet. And in order not to be bored, you can turn on the movie, then the time will fly by unnoticed.

On the simulator

When walking on a moving track, that is, on a special simulator, the effect of walking is also preserved, except that the load will be slightly less due to the fact that additional obstacles to walking are not created. For example, in vivo on the walking path there may be rises, uneven surfaces, etc., which somewhat increase the effect on the muscles. You can set the track at a slight slope to achieve the best effect.

On the stairs

A form of walking accessible to everyone. She does not need to be equipped a special simulator. A simple staircase is enough, which is in every house. You should start by replacing the elevator with stairs. This is the easiest option. Next, you should complicate it a little, passing two floors above the desired one, then go down to your own. Next level- reach the top, then go down to the lower floor.
You need to walk at the beginning, stepping on each step. The calf muscles will react painfully, as the load will be unusual for them, plus shortness of breath, heart palpitations will be added. Once these symptoms subside and your calves get used to working this way, make walking more difficult.

Now stand on the steps not with your feet, but with your toes. Then start walking through one, and then two steps. As soon as you feel that the muscles are not working enough, combine walking options, increase speed, sometimes switching to running. You can even pick up some weighting agent.

Walking up the stairs well develops and strengthens the muscles of the legs and hips, stabilizes blood pressure, and allows you to successfully deal with overweight. In order for such an occupation to give best effect, it should last at least half an hour. What's more, climbing flights of stairs burns far more calories than even running on flat ground! And this means that the process of burning fat is much more active. Of course, you won’t immediately be able to walk so much time up and down the stairs. It all depends on the personal abilities, patience and endurance of each person.

nordic walking

Kind of walking with sticks, something similar to skiing. A distinctive sign from a regular walk is that not only the muscles of the legs and hips are involved here, but also the upper body. That is, the load is distributed to almost all muscle groups. You can increase the load without adding pace. Such walking is great way lose weight, because it allows you to burn almost twice as many calories as a regular walk.

Walking is good because it does not require any additional efforts and costs, it does not have strict requirements. For people who have certain joint problems, who are not allowed to run, but need a load, this is perfect option. To make the walk enjoyable, pay attention to the following details:

• shoes should be comfortable, athletic, preferably for walking. The foot and especially the heels should absorb well when in contact with the surface, otherwise the spine will fall too huge pressure, and this can lead to a number of problems with it;
• clothes should also be comfortable, give up jeans in favor of comfortable sports trousers, do not forget about a hat in the cold season, gloves, because health comes first;
• choose places convenient for walking, roads, preferably with a familiar route, in order to correctly calculate the load and duration;
• do not forget to monitor your walking speed, pulse and your own well-being;
• with discomfort and persistent pain, it is best to stop walking and consult a doctor.

Walking in the fresh air is useful for both young and old people. it The best way support physical form, lose weight, strengthen immunity, put your nerves in order and just have a good time.

Get up and go, then your health will be in order!

This kind vigorous activity how walking is the result of work various groups muscles. Their activation helps to maintain the tone of the whole body. While walking, not only muscles and limbs are involved, but also neurophysiological and biomechanical processes are activated, which have a positive complex effect on the body.

The movement of the legs during walking is carried out in the vertical, transverse, longitudinal planes. With an increase in the pace, the amplitude of vertical movements, the activity of the ligamentous-muscular apparatus, and the intensity of energy consumption increase.

Engaging the leg muscles leads to increased blood flow. This contributes to a more intensive oxygen enrichment. internal organs and acceleration of metabolic processes occurring in the body.

Making regular hiking Being outdoors promotes health by providing the following positive effects:

• strengthens the cardiovascular, muscular, respiratory systems;
• promotes the removal of toxins;
• eliminates body fat: at an average speed of 1.5 km, up to 100 kcal is burned in a quarter of an hour;
• is the prevention of hypokinesia (hypodynamia), somatic diseases, varicose veins veins, diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• relieves sleep problems;
• renders beneficial effect on the psyche;
• increases immunity and stamina.

The benefit of hiking for men is to relieve stagnant processes in the small pelvis. This greatly reduces the risk of developing prostatitis and other ailments.

Walking or running - which is better?

Both walking and running have almost the same effect. In both types of vigorous activity, similar muscles and sections of the musculoskeletal system are involved. The difference is that running requires a greater degree of fitness and endurance.

You should start running only after strengthening the body by hiking on a regular basis. Running is recommended for people who do not suffer from overweight. Otherwise, high loads can harm the heart and joints.

Walking does not require good physical fitness. An intensive hour-long walk, according to doctors, can not only replace a half-hour run, but is also more beneficial for health.

What are the contraindications and indications for walking?

Hiking, with the goal of improving health, is suitable for both men and women, regardless of age. The pace and duration, route and time are selected individually. The benchmark is your own well-being. Walking, despite its versatility, has a number of indications and contraindications.

• reduced immunity;
• depressed - lethargic state;
• loss of strength;
• a general feeling of weakness.

Walking is contraindicated for people suffering from:

• arterial high pressure;
• chronic kidney disease;
• diabetes
• arrhythmia and cardiovascular disorders;
• glaucoma;
• violation of the retina, when there is a threat of its detachment;
• colds and other acute diseases.

Walking is not allowed after a heart attack or stroke.

Three Principles of Walking

The usefulness of hiking lies in the observance of three clear principles:

1. Moderation

The choice of the degree of intensity and duration of walks should be based on the state of health and the state of the body. No sudden surges.

1. gradualism

The duration and pace of walking should increase without any sudden jumps and transitions.

1. Regularity

You need to take walks every day. If there is no opportunity for daily walking, it is acceptable to walk for at least 30 minutes three to four times a week.

What is the best time to walk?

The daily walk should include the way to and from work. If you walk far to work, you need to accustom yourself to walk several stops. Morning walks invigorate, and evening walks contribute to a good and sound sleep.

On hot days, it is better to walk in the morning or in the evening. Frosty weather in winter time year, except for extreme low temperatures, stimulates to build up a fast pace and a good load on the body.

How and how much should you walk?

Depends on individual physical features organism. Good charge for an untrained person, it allows you to get low-intensity walking, at a pace of 4 km per hour, the pulse at which reaches 80 beats per minute.

The duration of the walk at first should be from 20 minutes. In the future, the walking time is increased to 30-40 minutes. Depending on the individual characteristics, this can take from several weeks to months.

The duration of walks in order to achieve a healing effect should be at least 35 minutes, provided that the step speed is 7 km / h, and the pulse rate is 65-80 beats per minute. accelerated health walking has a beneficial effect on health, which is manifested by:

• reducing the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases;
• weight loss;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• improvement of physical endurance;
• increasing the aerobic capacity of the body.

The duration of the “training” in accelerated walking ranges from several months to a year, until walking a distance of 6-10 km stops tiring. When the goal is achieved, the physical form is supported by various loads, without stopping regular walks at an accelerated pace.

Walking in one place

It exerts a load on all the main systems of the body, strengthens and increases its endurance. The difference from normal walking is that there is no progress, and the efficiency remains the same.

Stair walking

Effectively corrects well-being. You should start climbing the stairs by refusing to use the elevator. If a physical state allows, you can not be limited to raising to the desired floor, but to reach the last one. When vertical movements cease to bring pain in calf muscles, shortness of breath and palpitations will pass, the rises are made more difficult, first standing on toes, stepping on each step, and then stepping over one.

Climbing stairs develops and strengthens leg muscles, stabilizes blood pressure, and burns several times more calories than running. achieve positive effect when climbing stairs, you can when the walking time is at least 20-35 minutes. The time to reach this duration is individual for everyone.

The usefulness of walking on a horizontal and vertical plane for the human body is multifaceted. You can start walking at any time. The main thing is to refuse to use the elevator and transport, getting to work and home, if the distance allows it, on foot.

Nordic walking - the path to health

Health is the most valuable thing a person has. You need to take care of him always, without waiting for problems to appear. Most affordable way to improve the body - walking. In this article, we will analyze the usefulness, varieties and principles of walking.

What are the benefits of walking?

The benefits of hiking can hardly be overestimated, they are able to:

• Improve health and general state organism.

Studies show that it helps reduce the likelihood of developing heart and vascular diseases three times.

In addition, thanks to active image life, bones are strengthened, regulated blood pressure, muscle tissues are brought to a tone, the sleep mode is normalized.

Walking for several hours daily, you can reduce the risk of oncological neoplasms in the mammary glands and eliminate pain in the lumbar region, which were previously chronic.

• Partially replace sports and help reduce excess weight.

Walking increases the heart rate, which increases blood flow and improves oxygen supply to the muscles. While walking, calories are burned 5 times more than when at rest.

• Prolong youth.

Aging is associated with high level the content of special proteins in the body that contribute to the development of inflammation and all kinds of "senile" diseases. By walking every day, you can reduce the amount of such proteins and keep youth as long as possible. Vigorous walking increases the life expectancy of a person in a ratio of 1: 2, that is, walking 1 hour, you can get an additional 2 hours of life.

• Cheer up.

The benefit of walking, even for half an hour, is the effect of raising self-esteem, positive action on mood, distraction from negative thoughts and energized. Arranging walks in the fresh air, there are all the prerequisites to get rid of the impending depression. This happens due to the release of endorphins and neurotransmitters during the release of adrenaline.

• Increase the functionality of the brain.

Mental abilities are improved as they are strengthened neural connections. The benefits of walking are manifested not only in the left hemisphere, which is responsible for analytical work, but also provides a wide field for the realization of creative potential. It has been experimentally proven that the ability to generate ideas increases by 60%.

• Save.

A nice bonus to all the pluses of walking on foot will be their "free". In addition to comfortable walking shoes, there are no more restrictions, it does not require financial investments. No need to buy a subscription or pay for the services of a coach. All it takes is a little effort on yourself to turn walking into a daily hobby.

What are the types of walking?

There are many types of walking. Among them:

• walking in place;
• on foot;
• Scandinavian;
• sports;
• energy;
• up the steps.

Let's take a closer look at some of the types.

On foot

A person walks all his life, such is his physiology, unless, of course, serious problems with health.

The main thing in this type of movement can be called gradualness and periodicity. Gradualization consists in starting with shorter and slower walks with gradual increase time interval and speed.

Discount must be made on the state of health and age. so young and healthy people should focus on the speed of movement, and the elderly - on the duration.

Frequency should be understood as the preference for systemic walks, since walking "from time to time" will not bring the expected result.

The main benefit of walking is the improvement of the whole organism as a whole. Thanks to walks, you can significantly improve your well-being and improve the quality of life.

nordic walking

This variety consists in movement based on two ski-like poles. When walking, you should slightly push off from them.

The benefits of Nordic walking are:

• improving the work of the heart muscle;
• enhanced ventilation of the lungs;
• strengthening of muscle tissue.

In order not to harm your health, you should choose the right sticks. Their size is calculated by the formula: P * K, where P is the height of the athlete, and K is a constant coefficient equal to 0.68.

Race walking

This style of walking is distinguished by speed. You must try to move at the highest possible speed. In this case, you can not go on a run, that is, at any time one of the feet must touch the ground.

The benefits of walking in a sports style are provided by a general strengthening effect on the body; with such a movement, a person gets tired much less than when running.

Girls should Special attention give race walking, because it contributes to the creation of beautiful feminine outlines of the figure.

How to walk correctly?

You need to know how to walk correctly. It's not just about rearranging the legs and moving in space. For walking to be beneficial, it is important to adhere to some rules.

Do you need a warm-up

Before walking or doing sports or Nordic walking, you should prepare the muscles for the load. To do this, at least a minimal warm-up should be done. It may include the following groups of exercises:

• Initial.
  • swing your legs;
  • shallow squats;
  • jumping in place.
• Intensive. Includes stretching exercises:
  • wide steps with body fixation;
  • springy squats.

What to keep pace

Wellness walking involves several speed modes:

1. Slow. Makes no more than 3 km/h. This type is recommended for use by people with poor health or in the period after illness.
2. Average. The speed can vary from 3 to 4 km/h. preferred as initial stage for untrained people who do not yet have experience.
3. Quick. The speed can be increased up to 5 km/h. Recommended for people with no health problems.
4. Very fast. A person moves 6 kilometers in 1 hour. Suitable for healthy, physically developed and trained people.

How to finish

Walking should not be interrupted without preparation. Just as before starting a walk, you should do a few gymnastic exercises. AT this case this will be moderate walking and exercises to relax the muscles that were overstressed during the walk.

Who can't walk?

The benefits of walking are great, however, there are conditions when, out of ignorance, you can harm your health. Contraindications include:

• Recent surgeries. There is a risk of suture divergence and increased pain due to increased physical exertion.
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases.
• The presence of pathologies in musculoskeletal system. Short walks are possible only with the permission of the attending doctor.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Development of infectious processes.

How much should you walk every day?

To maintain health, you need to walk daily, and not from time to time. To begin with, it is enough to get out early when traveling to work or home, to a stop earlier than necessary.

In addition, it is better to calculate the walk not by kilometers traveled, so that there is no desire to unnecessarily accelerate, but by the time spent on the road. Half-hour or hour walks at an average pace in the fresh air are considered optimal and most effective.