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Heather Williams, DPT Responds:
It depends on your goals. If your time is limited and you want to burn calories to lose weight, walking faster may be the way to go. You’ll elevate your heart rate and increase your metabolism within the shortest amount of time. However, walking farther increases overall endurance, which is good for heart health and overall fitness. Trouble is we don’t always have time for two-hour walks.
An alternative strategy for weight loss and heart health is interval training, which means alternating faster spurts of walking with normal speeds. A faster pace should take you out of your comfort zone and challenge you, while a normal pace would allow you to hold a conversation while walking.
Here’s a workout plan for beginners:
- Day 1: Walk at a moderate pace 20 to 30 minutes.
- Day 2: Interval training. Warm up for five minutes of easy walking. Increase intensity for 30 seconds and then walk at a slower pace for three minutes. Repeat sequence five times. Cool down by walking at an easy pace for five minutes.
- Days 3 and 5: Same as day 1.
- Day 4: Same as day 2.
You can add resistance training on your easier days or on your days off from walking. Of course, it’s always good to reserve one day for rest.
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Heather Williams
DPT
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