Walkng outside and weights question

[Jacqi A]

I think that the 1lb. weights would be harmless but not very effective, either. The other suggestions (poles, racewalking techniques) sound better.

About the backpacks - when I read the recent thread about not needing a vest when you're carrying a baby I thought "who needs a weighted vest when you have a laptop as heavy as mine". I would never add a backpack to add intensity since I simply don't like carrying one . I'd rather just walk fast or uphill.

[Kellie]

I jogged on my treadmill the other day after doing MMA Boxing. Just left them on because I was too lazy to remove them. I just jogged, didn't do any wild swinging with my arms, and I felt it for sure. My heart rate also went up a couple of beats more than usual.

[gillianorr]

We were just talking about this issue in the Trainer Room yesterday...mulling the pros and cons. The concensus pretty much agreed that dumbbells light enought not to risk over stressing the wrists really wouldn't do all that much to help cardiovascularly either.

Too heavy a bumbbell also has the potential of altering proper body alignment (squeezing the upper back and shoulders as you hold the weights in a certain position for example) while you walk. Done repeatedly, this could lead to other problems!

The jury was mixed on weighted vests...they do indeed spread the weight over a larger area instead of vunerable wrist joints...but worn incorrectly or too heavy can compress the spine...all movement originates from the spine so we need to treat it with great respect.

Yikes! What to do?? I recommend a couple of things to my clients who walk as part of their training. Add in "Farleck Drills" for walking. I prefer the term Speed Play, however. Make a game out of your walk by mixing up your pace...find a landmark in your crosshairs and go get it. Once there, slow it down substantially...then pick other targets throughout your session...some close, some farther out! If you walk in a group take turns so your heart never quite knows what is coming next!

Consider using an online tool to map out some walks with challenging elevations to get the heart pumping...I personally use mapmyrun.com and love it. I don't always start at my house or my place of work either...a group of us meet elsewhere to give us the best choice of hills, flats, combo etc!

Have fun while making your walks productive!!

[fluffydogfan]

I think About.com has a reasonable article on why walking weights are a bad idea: http://walking.about.com/od/gear/bb/weights.htm

I tried walking with weights once, and I agree that it does change your gait.

Katie

[Kathryn]

About weighted vests: I think it's important to get one that is snug and has removable, adjustable weights (I have an Ironwear vest ), and to both gradually increase weights used, and pay attention to how the weight is distributed.

Last summer, I used a vest for some of my walks, and I started with 2#, distributed at the bottom and center back of the vest. As I made my way up to 4# (in .5 or 1 pound increments), I kept most of the weight at the bottom and back, and made sure the vest was snug so it was like the weight was part of my body.

I also have a backpack that I've used when walking to work, and made sure to get the kind that has a fastener at the waist and at the chest, rather than one that just hangs off the body.