Walking Is a Great Cardio Alternative to Running
Race walking is similar topower walking on steroids . In fact, elite racers can move as fast as most people. Exaggerated swinging of the arms and swinging of the hip is a strange sight, but race walking is a slightly less efficient alternative to running, which causes your heart rate to be higher than walking.
This video by Ian Watley gives you some useful basic techniques without overwhelming you with all the nuances. And here there are many nuances: unlike running, there is a very strict and correct form when walking. One leg should be in constant contact with the ground, and the other supporting leg should remain straight for most of the movement, until your body passes over it. Because of these limitations, your stride length tends to be shorter, your abs and legs work really hard, and pumping your arms vigorously helps maintain your rhythm, not to mention burning more calories.
In addition, Racewalk.com and eRaceWalk.com – more useful resources that detail tells what you need to know to start walking, and even shows the mechanical differences between running and race walking. In the Olympics, they usually cover 20 or 50 kilometers, but you obviously don’t need to cover that distance to get the cardio benefits.
Race Walking – Basics | Ian Watley