Are you able to walk briskly?
If not, don’t worry because I’m about to show you how it’s done. Anyone could power walk to increase their fitness and lose weight, but the real formula is, without a doubt, to be consistent and improve what you are doing on a regular basis.
There are 4 different ways of walking and all of them have a very different technique. Basically level 1 is walking and level 4 is what you might have seen as Olympic walking. Levels 2 and 3 fall somewhere in between.
I will describe how to do level 2 here today.
Let’s start by looking at the lower body and the role it plays. Your feet should really be angled to the side a bit, and as you go, you’ll need to lift your toes toward your knees.
Your walking speed should be that of being in a hurry to get somewhere fast, and your stride length should be a little longer and more dynamic than your usual walking speed.
Keep squeezing your glutes with each step. It can often help to imagine that you are trying to hold a coin between your buttocks, as this maintains tension in the area.
Your belly should remain tight and therefore well supported.
Now let’s go to the upper part of your body…
The arms are what take the walk from a steady walk to a powerful and effective walk.
To create speed, you really need to swing them, but in a straight line back and forth without crossing your body, mainly because this will slow you down and put too much stress on your lower back and stomach muscles.
To develop rhythm, swing your arms and also bend your elbows a little. The arms should move from the shoulders instead of bending and straightening from the elbow.
Keep your fingers in a slightly curved or straight position, but do not clench your fist, as this increases stress on your arms, shoulders, and neck and can substantially increase your blood pressure.
Keep your head up and a smile on your face!
Just understand that on your initial power walk there are usually a few places that can feel a little sore and tight. The normal suspects are…
The front of the pimples
The inner and outer hips
lower back
back
It’s quite natural for these places to get tired if fast walking is new to you, but over time everyone should build the essential strength and stamina to handle fairly easily. If you notice any of these areas hardening, you should stop for a few minutes and stretch.
Ignore visiting the gym or nearby health and fitness session, if you want to lose fat, strengthen all of your trouble spots, and also feel great, then go for a walk as often as you can.