Every Time That You Walk in the Room
Love your walks but not seeing results? Or maybe you're finally ready to shake off those couch-potato crumbs and shed your extra pounds—for good. Whatever your goal, we've created a walking plan that beats boredom and boosts calorie burn in only 15 minutes a day. Your secret weapon: Balance Walking poles ($50; balancewalking.com), a type of Nordic walking pole that can be used on almost any terrain, including grass or concrete. They fast-track results because swinging the poles engages your arm, shoulder, and back muscles, which strengthens your upper body and increases your heart rate. In fact, walking with poles has been shown to boost calorie burn by an average of 15 to 20%—and up to 50%—compared with regular walking, even though it feels just as easy. (To learn more, watch Prevention's fitness expert, Chris Freytag, give 'em a whirl in the video above.)
MORE: 8 Things That Happen When You Finally Stop Drinking Diet Soda
To prove the benefits, we had 38 women follow our plan for 8 weeks. Our testers gained energy, felt happier, and lost an average of 5.5 pounds, with some women dropping as much as 15. Katrina McLamb, age 38, loved Balance Walking so much that within 8 weeks she was logging up to 2 hours a day and lost 24 pounds. "I never used to go for a walk unless there was a Dunkin' Donuts at the end of the path," McLamb says. "When you're heavy, moving is painful. But my body didn't hurt with Balance Walking. Now I have more energy for my kids!" (Walk off 22 pounds in just 8 weeks and get an MP3 player with Prevention's Walk Off Weightprogram!)
PART I: BALANCE WALKING WORKOUT
Use your RPE (rate of perceived exertion) as a guide, with 1 equivalent to sitting on the couch and 10 an all-out effort. At 5 or 6, you should be slightly breathless but able to speak. At 7 or 8, you should be able to say only a few words between breaths.
Proper Pole Walking 101
beth bischoff
1. Adjust your poles to the correct height: Grasp the handgrip of one pole in one hand, elbow bent by your side. Adjust pole height until elbow is at a 90-degree angle. Adjust the other pole to this height or, for an easier workout, make both poles 1 to 2 inches shorter.
2. If you're walking on asphalt or concrete, twist the rubber tip on the bottom of each pole so that it faces behind you. Use the spike when walking on grass or dirt. The hand straps should be comfortably snug.
MORE: 4 Reasons Why You're Always So Hungry
beth bischoff
3. Slowly start to walk, swinging arms one at a time. You will notice that the left pole goes forward as your right foot steps forward and vice versa. As poles swing forward, plant them on the ground about 1 foot behind your extended foot. To avoid tripping, never place poles in front of feet.
4. Continue to swing arms and poles naturally. But as you progress and feel more comfortable, focus on pressing down and back as poles connect with the ground, which will better engage your arm and upper-back muscles. Lightly squeeze the handgrips as you swing the poles forward, and relax your grip as you swing them back.
MORE: 4 Strength-Training Moves You Can Do With A Chair
PART II: LOWER-BODY STRENGTH MOVES
A pole-walking routine builds upper-body strength. To sculpt your lower body, do these simple strength moves 3 times a week. Start with 1 set, working up to 3 sets as you get stronger.
Rear Lunge With Knee-Up
Targets: Core, Butt, Thighs
beth bischoff
Stand with right hand on pole, as shown. Lunge back with left leg, lowering knee toward floor. Stand up, bringing left knee forward to hip level. Do 8 to 12 reps with each leg.
Kayak Crunch
Targets: Core
beth bischoff
Sit with knees and elbows bent and heels on floor, holding pole horizontally at chest level. Lift feet and lean back slightly, engaging abs. Twisting torso to right, "row" pole behind you (as though paddling a kayak). Slowly return to center, and then twist to left to complete 1 rep. Do 12 to 15 reps.
Single-Leg Dead Lift
Targets: Lower Back, Butt, Thighs
beth bischoff
Stand, holding pole horizontally in front of thighs. Lift right leg behind you as you hinge forward from hips, bringing pole toward floor; keep abs tight and head in line with spine. Do 8 to 12 reps; switch legs and repeat.
Plié Squat
Targets: Butt, Thighs
beth bischoff
Stand with feet slightly more than hip-width apart, toes pointing outward, arms extended forward and hands gripping pole gently. Lift heels, rising onto balls of feet. Slowly lower into squat, bending at knees and keeping chest upright. Hold, then slowly straighten legs. Keep heels lifted throughout. Do 12 to 15 reps.
MORE: This Is What A Perfect Day Of Clean Eating Looks Like
PART III: RELAX AND RECHARGE
Taking a few minutes daily to relax is an essential part of this program. Why? A study published in the journal Appetite found that you're more apt to overeat when tense. Stress may also interfere with your sleep and cause you to store excess belly fat. No time for yoga or a bubble bath? Turn any task into a mini meditation session by following these steps from Andy Puddicombe, meditation expert and co-founder of Headspace, a project designed to demystify meditation for busy people.
1. Take 4 deep breaths, inhaling through nose and exhaling through mouth.
2. Continue to breathe deeply, placing hand over belly button. For 2 minutes, focus on the rise and fall of your hand. In public? Bring awareness to your lungs.
3. Focus on something specific when distracted by your thoughts, like a calming image or phrase or your sense of touch. "When you're fully engaged in the present moment, stressful thoughts will fall away," Puddicombe says.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
Every Time That You Walk in the Room
Source: https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20453408/walking-workouts-with-walking-poles/