Walk
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By Judy Heller

Judy Heller, founder of
Wonders of Walking LLC,
advocates walking for well being and pleasure. Wonders of Walking promotes Walking Events for Walkers by Walkers. Judy Heller is founder and owner of EroFit & Associates, LLC, celebrating Fitness for a Lifetime. Heller offers personalized fitness training and coaching for individuals and groups.
Contact: Judy Heller
at 503-282-1677:
email judy@erofit.com
jheller@wondersofwalking.com

Also visit: www.erofit.com
www.wondersofwalking.com

I only went out
for a walk and
concluded to stay out until sundown,
For going out,
I found
Was really going in.

— John Muir

Racewalking

In 2005, nearly 40 million Americans claimed walking as a form of popular exercise. Ten million say walking is their number one choice for physical activity. Those of us lucky enough to live in Portland, OR, celebrated the announcement last March of Portland receiving the nod as the number one Best Walking City. This fourth annual study by the American Podiatric Medical Association and Prevention magazine calls attention to walking as a great form of exercise.
There is no simpler form of exercise than walking. It is easy, inexpensive, can be done indoors or out, on a treadmill or in a mall. Walking can be done as a leisurely stroll or as a competitively judged distance.
The health benefits of walking and running are well documented, as are the relative risks of injury for walking as compared to running. Walking is relatively injury-free, offering a multitude of health and mental benefits. Runners, however, do have a greater risk of injury which increases with duration and frequency of the activity. This is due to the impact ratio of running which is three to four times body weight. With an impact ratio about one times body weight, walking is easier on the body. Walking and running burn a comparable number of calories for each mile. Running may elevate heart rates and be faster than walking for some; one complaint I hear about walking is, “I’m not able to get my heart rate up.” It doesn’t necessarily have to be so.

Although a rose is a rose by any other name, it isn’t so with walking. The running world has jogging and running; when it comes to walking the list is long: strolling, health, fitness, power, speed, fast, aerobic, pace, shape, and racewalking, to name a few. Most of the names reflect the varying intensity of the endeavor and variations of walking form.

Racewalking is unique among the walking forms. It is the sport of exercise walking and has been an Olympic sport for men since 1906. Amazingly, it was 90 years before women were included in the Olympic racewalk competition. Now, thousands of fitness walkers and converts from running are being attracted to and discovering the dynamic sport of racewalking.

What differentiates racewalking? It is more than walking fast. To the uninitiated, racewalkers are duck-waddling, butt-wiggling, straight-legged bipedal bodies. Ahhh, but to those who appreciate the sport, racewalkers are the specialists of walk: fleet-footed athletes whose sport is judged and defined by the following IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) rule:

“Racewalking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground, so that no visible (to the human eye) loss of contact occurs. The advancing leg shall be straightened (i.e. not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until the vertical upright position.”

People initially choose to racewalk for the usual reasons any activity or exercise is chosen: to get fitter, thinner, or faster; to try something new; to find a substitute for running; to have fun. Racewalking may be defined by rules, but once learned, it is so much more to the passionate participants of this sport.

An individual does not need to compete or race to be a racewalker and enjoy the benefits. Racewalking provides a great cardiovascular workout and is fun. Combining racewalking with sensible eating habits can work wonders for weight and stress reduction.

Racewalking safely works the whole body by toning the upper thigh, the inner thigh, and the buttocks. It flattens the abdominal muscles, improves posture by opening the chest, and strengthens the lower back. This is a sport where concentration matters as much as coordination, and where years are an asset rather than a liability.

As we racewalk, the body moves in a natural rhythm, and as we let ourselves relax, we can feel the power. It maximizes the walking workout as it uses all the major muscle groups in the body. It is challenging physically and mentally, and it can be done almost anywhere, anytime. With proper instruction, the technique is relatively easy to learn; the process of mastering the technique can provide years of enjoyment and challenge.

The technique comprises a foot-rolling, low-impact movement that makes racewalking a safe, smooth, rhythmic, and graceful forward progression. By developing proficient technique, you can walk faster than you ever thought possible, with less chance of injury than if you were running or even walking as you do now. I walk faster than I ever ran. I am fortunate to have been a walking coach for the past 16 years. It is a joy to hear someone say, “Now I don’t have a problem getting my heart rate elevated.” How you walk does make a difference.