We all have heard and seen on television people walking so rapidly like there was no tomorrow. Well, they don’t do that just for fun as this exercise technique has many health benefits. Many trainers, athletes, and fitness aficionados are including power walking into their daily exercise program. Highly recommended by doctors, this simple, yet beneficial workout aids in reaching your fitness goals without injuring your joints (as compared to running or jogging). But what is power walking after all? That’s what we are here to find out. Keep reading the article to find out all about power walking.
Before we get into any details about speed walking vs running or jogging, let me make something clear. Do not confuse power walking with Olympic power walking. What they do at the Olympic level is called race walking, where there are specific rules and regulations which need to be followed for walking fast. So now that we have that out of the picture, we’ll go over the obvious differences between running and joggingand power walking, along with the calories burned table.
Running Although there is a significant difference between running and jogging, this type of physical activity is considered to be intense. The runner’s feet, at the time of movement, are off the ground at a particular time. If executed proper running technique, running can improve cardiovascular and respiratory health, reduces overall blood cholesterol, helps lose weight, tones your body, strengthens bones and your immune system. Also, running can aid in reversing the effects of aging and help in boosting your self esteem. There are many other health benefits of runningwhich you can read here.
Regardless of age, anyone can indulge in running inside a gym/home or outside in a park. But even though there are so many health benefits, an individual can often face some drawbacks as well. If the technique is not followed correctly, a runner can have sore muscles after running, knee pain while running, or other joint painand knee pain. Which is why, knowing how to run correctly is essential. You can go over some tips for running to avoid any such physical drawbacks from running.
Power Walking What is power walking? When normal walking gait is combined with elevated level of speed, it is called power walking or speed walking. Usually the pace is between 4.5 mph to 5.5 mph. For a person to power walk, he/she has to keep one foot on the floor. The contact is constant where one foot will be touching the floor, as compared to running or jogging where at one point of time, both feet are off the floor. Along with the feet, your arms also have an equal part to play. The arm swings are amplified as it helps in supporting the entire body while on this rapid gait. You can read about speed walking vs jogging for more information.
The power walking technique is becoming popular day by day, and is soon replacing jogging and running. Why? Because it helps in speeding up your metabolism and also boosts overall calories burned. The workout is low-impact, which means less stress or risk of injury to your joints. But, power walking can still provide you with one of the best rigorous aerobic exercise. Plus the power walking music can help you a lot too.
