Burn Those Calories - Sound Good?!
THEN WALK LIKE YOU MEAN IT, BECAUSE INTENSITY REALLY DOES MATTER!
Research conducted through the National Weight Control Registry in the United States, shows that over 50% of participants who are successful at long-term weight loss (sustained weight loss for over 1 year), cite WALKING DAILY as the main exercise habit that they develop. So for Wonder Walkers everywhere to gain positive health, burn calories and succeed with weight loss long term, we need to focus on intensity, i.e. how hard is our effort when we are walking.
Warming up properly really does get the blood pumping. Start off more slowly to warm-up the body and gradually increase the intensity of the walk as you progress. This can be achieved by standing taller, tightening your abdominal muscles and swinging the arms strongly across the body. Hills and other terrain challenges can be added as you get fitter.
The target for walking without stopping for new walkers is a minimum of 20–30 minutes. This should be achieved at least 4-5 times weekly for greater weight loss results. Over a 3-4 week period, try to make this your target. Rest for longer periods in the early days of commencing your walking programme, and less and less as you build up your fitness and the duration of your walking. Remember that the fun should be in the journey, not just the destination.
Taking your heart rate about half way through your walk is a great way to see how ‘hard’ you are working. Do this by taking your pulse at your wrist, or for some of you, a heart–rate monitor could be purchased and worn on your walks.
Walking at the correct intensity is one of the keys to fitness and health and weight loss success. For regular walkers, the challenge will be to get your heart rate into the ‘upper end’ of your training zone – 70-80% effort (breathing hard). Beginning walkers, aim for an effort level of 60-70% (breathing moderately hard).
We can calculate effort or intensity as follows:
Step 1: 220 minus your age = your average maximal heart rate (try this calculation)
Step 2: Multiply the maximal heart rate number by the % intensity that you want to work out at (60%, 70% or 80%). Do this by taking the Max HR and multiplying it by 0.6, or 07. or 0.8).
Step 3: The answer you get above, is your desired target heart rate for your age, (within 10 beats or so), that you should be working out at.
Example:
25 year old – Maximal heart rate is 195 beats per minute
60% effort for this 25 yr old is: 117 bpm
70% effort for this 25 yr old is: 137 bpm
80% effort for this 25 yr old is: 166bpm
45 yr old – Maximal heart rate is 175 beats per minute
60% effort for this 45 year old is: 105 bpm
70% effort for this 45 year old is: 122 bpm
80% effort for this 45 year old is: 140 bpm
Remember that if you are really unfit and overweight or have had ill health, your heart will be working harder as you commence your walking programme, and you will find that your heart rate is ‘over’ the average training rate for your age. The key is to then go by your exertion level or ‘breathing effort’ rather than heart rates. If just starting out, then your ‘effort level’ should be causing you to breathe harder than normal without being out of breath. Stop for frequent rests, and continue to try to get to the 20 minute mark. Each week, you will improve, so the key is to ‘keep at it’!
Your F.I.T.T. Wonder Walker’s Walking Plan Should Look Like This:
Frequency: 3-6 times a week
intensity: 60% to 80% effort depending on your starting fitness level. Use the heart-rate guide above.
Time: Minimum of 20 mins up to a maximum of 75 minutes
Type: Power-Walking or Walk/ Jog – with terrain changes on at least 2 walks per week.
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Wonder Walking Your First Half Marathon
Whatever the ancient Greeks achieved in developing the concept of the ‘marathon’, if you’ve never walked 21 kilometres non-stop before, the mere thought of it is probably enough to make you want to throw your walking shoes into the cupboard and never get them out again! 21 kilometres is the distance of a half-marathon. For first time walkers this distance might take you anywhere between 3-5 hours, and of course is dependent on your fitness, the terrain and naturally, your motivation! Still with me? Then read on. There are so many great half marathon walking and running events throughout the year, that I’m sure, with the following training outline, you will undoubtedly go on to enter one!
The training outline is designed for first-timers and will require you to be focused on increasing your distance for up to 8 weeks before the event. The schedule aims to gradually increase your tolerance to the distance of a half marathon. There is no focus on time or speed! As well, you will need to have sturdy walking shoes, (preferably worn-in, but not worn-out) and loose clothing. Whatever your size, try to purchase some lycra shorts or tights for walking the longer distances, so that your skin doesn’t get chafed. Oh, and don’t forget a supportive bra!
The concept of ‘training’ for a half-marathon is that you are gradually over-loading your heart, lungs and legs over a set period of time in order that you ‘cope’ on the day. Each week you are adding extra distance (duration) to your longer walk. An increase of around 10% can be generally tolerated by most beginner walkers each week. Days of training are also matched by some rest days to allow recovery time. The notion of ‘training’ also means that as much as possible you need to ‘replicate’ the conditions that you will endure on the day. This includes knowing as much as you can about the type of terrain you will face, your water intake and timing, your food intake and timing and of course, your shoes and clothing. What you ‘can’t’ pre-determine however, is the weather! Which means that when it is raining and blowing a gale outside, don’t be afraid to get out there and challenge yourself to still train!
I have written up three ‘paces’ for this programme – easy (E); moderate (M) and fast (F). Experiment with the one you feel most comfortable with. For those Wonder Walkers whom are still a little unfit, choose terrain which is fairly flat. Once you feel comfortable on a flat terrain, move to a more undulating terrain. Hills will really make you work harder and these are great to add in at about the 3-4 week mark. Cutting back on your distance in the last week as per the programme, enables you to conserve vital energy in the few days leading up to the half-marathon.
Mark out some fun 5, 10, 15 and 20 km routes around your area before commencing your programme. This will enable you to ‘plan ahead’ and know exactly what you have to achieve in terms of the distance you have to cover. Take an extra rest-day if you need to in the early weeks, especially if you are a beginner walker. Remember too that swimming or aqua-jogging is great non-impact recovery and flexibility training to add into your ‘rest’ days – 20 minutes would be all it takes in the pool to aid and hasten your recovery from week to week.
Wonder Walking Week by Week
(F) = Fast Pace. Almost like a power walk, but not breaking into a jog. You should be breathing heavier than normal.
(M) = Moderate Pace. You should be breathing heavier than normal, but still able to hold a conversation.
(E) = Easy Pace. No stopping, but just enjoy the walk at a comfortable pace. Easy pace is also used to recover after a harder session the day before.
WEEK ONE:
Goals: To build your distance and fitness gradually. To change the pace each time, so that you get adequate recovery time between sessions. Beginner walkers may take one extra rest day if they require this week!
Day 1: Walk 2 km (E) Walk 3.5 km (M) Walk (M) 3 km
Day 2: Walk 2.5 km (M) Walk 3 km (F) Walk (M) 3.5 km
Day 3: Rest Rest Rest
Day 4: Walk 3 km (M) Walk 5 km (M) Walk (F) 3km
Day 5: Rest Walk 3.5 km (M) Jog or fast walk 2 km
Day 6: Walk 6 km (E) Walk 3 km (F) Walk (M) 6 km
Day 7: Rest Rest Rest
WEEK TWO:
Goals: To keep building strength and stamina for the distance you will need to cover in 5 weeks time. By adding in some hills to your terrain this week, you will add strength to your legs and arms and you will also push your fitness up another notch.
Day 1: Walk 6 km (M) Walk 4 km (F) Walk/Jog 5 km (M/F)
Day 2: Walk 3 km (M) Walk 3.5 km (M) Walk 3.5 km (M)
Day 3: Rest Rest Rest
Day 4: Walk 3 km (E**) Walk 3 km (F) Fast Walk/Jog 5 km
Day 5: Walk 2 km (F) Walk 4 km (E, Hilly) Jog 3 km (E, Hilly)
Day 6: Walk 10 km (E, hilly) Walk 6 km (M) Walk 10 km (E)
Day 7: Rest Rest Rest
** Add mixed terrain here – flat to start then some gentle hills.
WEEK THREE:
Goals: To keep building strength and stamina for the distance, as well as some faster paced walking/jogging to get you ready for the pace you need to do on the day of the event.
Day 1: Walk 6 km (M,F) Walk 5 km (M) Fast Walk/Jog 3 km
Day 2: Walk 5 km (M) Walk 5 km (E, hilly) Walk/ Easy Jog 10 km
Day 3: Rest Rest Rest
Day 4: Walk 4 km (E) Walk 4 km (F) Race Pace walk 5 km
Day 5: Walk 5 km (F) Walk 2 km (E,F Hilly) Walk 8 km (E)
Day 6: Rest Walk 8 km (M) Walk 15 km (M)
Day 7: 15 km (E) Rest Rest
WEEK FOUR:
Goals: To start focusing on the event and get you faster for event day, as well as building your strength with continued hill work.
Day 1: Rest Walk 8 km (E) Rest
Day 2: Rest Walk 5 km (E, hilly) Walk 8 km (M)
Day 3: Walk 10 km (M) Rest Rest
Day 4: Walk 6 km (E)* Walk 2 km (F) Walk 5 km (F)*
Day 5: REST Walk 5 km (E/M)* Walk/Jog 8 km (M)
Day 6: Walk 15 km (E-M) Rest Rest
Day 7: Rest Walk 10 km (M/E) Walk 17 km (E)
* complete this session over the course if you can.
WEEK FIVE:
Goals – to complete the course at ‘race-pace’ and keep building your speed and distance covered, based on your fitness level.
Day 1: Walk 5 km (E) Rest Slow jog 5 km (E)
Day 2: Walk 3 km (F) Walk 16 km (E, hilly) Walk 10 km (M*)
Day 3: Rest Rest Rest
Day 4: Walk 15 km (*) Walk 3 km (F) Rest
Day 5: Walk 2 km (F) Walk 8 km (M * on course) Walk 15 km (E, M)
Day 6: Walk 5 km (M) Rest Walk 5 km (E, hilly)
Day 7: Rest Walk 10 km (E) Rest
* complete this session at the pace you want to do on the day of the event; use the course if you can, so that psychologically you know that you can get through the event on the day.
WEEK SIX:
Goals – to keep building your distance covered over the next week so that you are hitting the 21 km mark. This is a crucial ‘psychological boost’ so that you know that you can complete the event two weeks out from it!
Day 1: Walk 8 km (E) Rest Slow jog 5 km (E)
Day 2: Walk 3 km (F) Walk 16 km (E, hilly) Walk 12 km (M*)
Day 3: Rest/Swim/Stretch Rest/ Swim/Stretch Rest
Day 4: Walk 15 km (*) Walk 3 km (F) Rest/ Swim/ Stretch
Day 5: REST Walk 20 km (M * on course) Walk 20 km (E, M)
Day 6: Walk 20 km (E/M) Rest Walk 5 km (E, hilly)
Day 7: Rest Walk 10 km (E) Rest
This is a big jump in distance this week so ensure that you have the time to do the longer distance at your own pace. You will need to carry extra water/ glucose drink and have some nutrition bars/ fruit on you when you do the longer distance.
WEEK SEVEN:
Goals – this week is the same as the previous week, but add one more km on to your long walk so that you know you have done the distance a good week out from the event. This is also a time for you to keep practicing the timing of your food and fluid intake as you complete the long walks.
Day 1: Walk 8 km (E) Rest Slow jog 5 km (E)
Day 2: Walk 3 km (F) Walk 16 km (E, hilly) Walk 12 km (M*)
Day 3: Rest/Swim/Stretch Rest/ Swim/Stretch Rest
Day 4: Walk 15 km (*) Walk 3 km (F) Rest/ Swim/ Stretch
Day 5: REST Walk 21 km (M * on course) Walk 21 km (E, M)
Day 6: Walk 21 km (E/M) Rest Walk 5 km (E, hilly)
Day 7: Rest Walk 10 km (E) Rest
WEEK EIGHT:
Goals – to keep your pace up but cut back the distances, so that you are ‘fresh’ for the day of the event. This week is called a ‘taper’ week.
Day 1: Rest Walk 3 km (M) Rest
Day 2: Walk 15 km (E) Rest Walk/ Jog 2 km (M)
Day 3: Rest Rest Rest
Day 4: Walk 8 km (E) Walk 8 km (E) Walk/Jog 8 km (M)
Day 5: Walk 5 km (M) Walk 5 km (M) Walk/Jog 2 km (M)
Day 6: Walk 2 km (E) Walk 1 km (F) Walk/Jog 1.5 km (F)
Day 7: EVENT EVENT EVENT
If you have never entered an event before, here up some tips for your pre-event planning!
Night before the Event:
• Pack everything you need, especially your event number and details.
• Drink 2-3 glasses of extra water during the afternoon. Green tea is nourishing as well. Eat healthy, nourishing foods the evening before. /keep snacking until you go to bed on low-fat snacks so that you muscles cells load up with energy.
• Discuss where you are going to meet your friends if you are meeting people at the event and want to walk with them.
• Try to get a good night’s sleep.
Day of Event:
• Eat a normal breakfast. Not too many high fibre foods so you don’t have to find a toilet en route!
• Have an extra glass of water and remember to take a water bottle and extra fluid which should be some carbohydrate replacement drink that you have used in your training.
• Remember that if it is a cold day, you are better to wear layers and take them off. Poly-propolene gloves and a long sleeve polyprop shirt are great for winter events.
Remember that the programme is a GUIDE only. The theme of the programme is FUN & FULFILMENT Enjoy your achievements each week, whatever your fitness level and whatever you can manage! Good luck….
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