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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 |
What
to Do During the Winter?
Summer
relays are over; the time for marathons is past. The rains and/or cold
winds of winter are upon us. America’s favorite transcendentalist,
Henry David Thoreau, wrote, “Live in each season as it passes;
breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself
to the influences of each....”
What can
you do in this gray and wet Oregon winter to strengthen yourself, maintain
your motivation, and emerge in spring as a better athlete? How can you,
as a walker, “taste the fruit” of the upcoming winter months
and nourish yourself for next year’s success?
Look to
Mother Nature to provide some clues. Winter is a time of sparseness.
A time when acorns stored in autumn are used to get animals through
the wintry weather. This is a time when trees and plants are working
underground. Winter gives us a time away from competition, the opportunity
to re-group, recharge, the chance to go “underground” to improve
our walking.
Walkers
may simply want to avoid the wet or icy out of doors by heading indoors
to do their training. For many spring and summer walking seasons consist
of relay walks, marathons, racewalk competitions, volkswalks, etc. Late
fall and winter, however, are a perfect time to allow walking muscles
and connective tissue to recover and create muscular balance by exploring
other activities and equipment. You may be surprised how you can revive
your walking by participating in cross-training activities.
Your
choices for aerobic activities are limitless:
Exercise
cycles. The stationary exercise cycle remains one of the most popular
pieces of exercise equipment in the United States. Two basic styles
of exercise cycles exist – upright and recumbent. Upright cycles
most closely resemble traditional outdoor bicycles. Recumbent models,
on the other hand, allow individuals to sit in wide, comfortable bucket-style
seats with their feet out in front of them, placing less strain on the
back, neck, and shoulders. For walkers wanting to increase leg turnover,
an Exercycle™ may help increase the firing of fast twitch muscle
fibers. Spin >100rpm, with little or no resistance.
Treadmills.
Perhaps the most popular piece of indoor exercise equipment is the treadmill.
The advantages to exercising on a treadmill include no high-impact force,
no uneven surfaces, no wind, rain or ice, and no exhaust fumes.
Treadmills
are great for working on walking form. Place a mirror in front and to
the side of the treadmill, if possible. Observe body alignment (walking
tall), position of head (level and balanced), shoulders (relaxed or
hunching) range of motion of arms (swinging freely from shoulders),
foot placement and alignment (toes pointed straight ahead, landing on
heel, coming off toe).
Elliptical
cross-trainers.
These are very popular. The advantages are running, walking, or stair
climbing motion, with no impact to the joints. As most walkers have
strong hamstrings (back of the thigh) these will work the quadriceps
(front of the thigh) and gluteus (buttock) muscles.
Ski
machine. A ski machine will use many of the same muscles as walking
but in a different modality. This is my personal favorite for endurance
work in the winter. (Besides, if we go cross-country skiing, I am ready.)
Stair
stepper. Another popular method of exercising is mechanical stair
climbing. Basically, two broad types of stair climbing machines have
been developed. One involves a revolving staircase on which an exerciser
must climb at a pre-selected stepping rate; the other features two steps
on which the user stands and exercises. Be cautious if you have any
knee issues.
Rowing
machine. Rowing machines use both upper and lower body, providing
a whole body workout. Proper technique is very important to avoid lower
back strain.
Muscular
strength and endurance are not to be omitted. Studies show that
aerobic and muscular fitness both contribute to health, as well as sports
performance. In addition, muscular fitness is a deterrent to low back
problems, is a good way to avoid osteoporosis, and helps maintain muscle
to burn fat and to sustain mobility. Fall and winter months are the
time to proceed indoors with a resistance-training program. For this,
your choices are: resistance bands or tubing, free weights or machines.
Classes. Breathing, relaxation, yoga, and the list goes on.
The
power of choice
Walking performance isn’t just a matter of hard training; it should
also include attention to breathing, nutrition, muscular strength, endurance,
and flexibility. If you have specific walking goals, your winter walking
program may consist mainly of building a mileage base, focus on form
and technique, incorporate resistance training to increase muscular
strength, and flexibility and/or stretching routines.
With that
said, take advantage of the inclement weather, take your training indoors,
strive for balance, and always have fun! |
