Speed Training. Speed Training

Transcription

1 Lesson 4.2 By Carone Fitness Walking for fitness is often referred to as power walking, or speed walking. Usually, there is less focus on technique than there is in race walking, as there is no risk of disqualification. The focus, instead, is on increasing physical fitness and health. In order to maximize the health benefits from walking, it is a good idea to include some speed training. 1

2 Benefits There are several different reasons for walking faster: Finishing a work out faster Achieving a certain distance in less time Increasing your heart rate to your target heart rate level Increasing your anaerobic threshold Increasing the number of calories burned Preparing for a future race Technique Although technique is not the focus of speed walking, in order to achieve a faster speed, an improved walking technique should be adopted. With good posture, stride, and arm movement, you will be able to walk faster and more efficiently. You should minimize wasted side-to-side motion. Initially, you may need to walk slower to practice the improvements in walking technique before you can increase your speed. 2

3 Technique Longer strides will enable you to walk faster. However, you should focus on taking quicker steps, not bigger steps. As your pace increases, your stride will naturally increase. It is important to not over-stride, since this is less efficient and may cause injury. Count how many steps you take in a minute; your goal should be somewhere around or over 135 steps per minute. Cues for Faster Walking Here are some basic rules of technique to keep in mind as you walk: Stand tall Keep your eyes two car lengths ahead Bend your arms Push off your toes Review the Walking Technique lesson for more tips on improving walking technique. 3

4 Baseline Level In order to track your progress and your improvement in speed, it is a good idea to establish a baseline level for your walking speed. The following are suggestions on how to measure you baseline level: Measured mile: time yourself for a mile Heart rate: take your pulse as you walk Fitness assessment: perform various components of a fitness assessment, as you did at the beginning of this course Baseline Level Using this baseline, you can then set specific goals for improvement, for example set a goal to: Decrease the time it takes you to walk a mile Achieve a higher heart rate when walking Improve your scores on your fitness assessment. 4

5 Shin and Ankle Strength Shin and Ankle strength may be a limiting factor to your walking speed and can be improved. Shin and ankle strength are important factors in attaining a strong push off from your foot to propel yourself forward. Here are some exercises to strengthen your shins and ankles: Point and Flex your feet (for added resistance use a resistance band) Penguin Walk: walk on your heels Calf Raises: stand on the edge of a step and slowly raise yourself up and down Toe Ups: lift up high on your toes and rock back onto your heels. Interval Walking Intervals are a good way to progressively add speed into your workouts. Remember the 10% rule from the Training Program lesson; each week you should increase your duration, distance, speed, or steps by no more than 10%. Do not push yourself too hard and risk overtraining and injury. A good way to avoid working too hard too quickly is to start by adding some intervals of faster walking into your workouts. This will add variety to your workout and allow for some recovery time. 5

6 Interval Walking Intervals are short bouts of fast walking. During intervals, walk fast enough that you are working at 85% of your maximum heart rate. The following are some examples of interval training. Walk for 5 minutes moderately, speed up for 3 minutes, and repeat. Walk 5 minutes quickly, 5 minutes moderately, and repeat 5 times. Walk for 20 minutes at 85% of your maximum heart rate followed by 10 minutes of slow walking. Speed Walking Drills In addition to intervals, you can add speed walking drills into your workouts to help you improve your speed. The following are examples of some drills you can do: Quick Step Speed Drill: For 30 seconds take very short, fast steps with your heel landing almost on top of the toes of your other foot. Back Leg Extension Drill: For 30 seconds concentrate on a long extension behind you; focus on rolling off your toes before pushing off. 6

7 Threshold Workouts After working on some Interval training and performing some speed walking drills, you may be ready to step up to threshold workouts. A threshold workout is where you work out at your anaerobic threshold, or 80-90% of your maximum heart rate. You should continue your lower-intensity walking workouts and include no more than two threshold workouts per week. Remember to always include recovery time in your threshold workouts. Threshold Workouts Some examples of threshold workouts follow: Walk for 8 minutes (or 1 km) at 85-90% of your maximum heart rate. Slow down for 2 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times. Cool down for 10 minutes. Walk for minutes at 85% of your max heart rate. Cool down for 10 minutes at an easy pace. 7

8 Transitioning to Race Walking If you enjoy speed walking, you may want to look into participating in a race walk. Many communities have 5k walk/runs for charity. This is a good place to start. In race walking you will need to focus more on technique, as more advanced races have judges. You will find out more information about race walking in the following lesson. Presented By Carone Fitness 8