Daily walk astute professional recommends a straightforward approach over the traditional 10,000 steps, citing it to have a more substantial impact on one's health.
Introducing the WalkActive Method: A Revolutionary Approach to Walking
The WalkActive method, a scientifically designed walking technique, has been making waves in the fitness world. Developed by international walking expert Joanna Hall, this innovative approach aims to improve posture, walking efficiency, and muscle strength, all with a low impact on joints.
At the heart of the WalkActive method lies paced walking, a technique that encourages walking at an increased speed (up to 24% faster) while maintaining proper form and reducing joint impact. By adopting this paced approach, individuals can enhance their fitness levels significantly, boosting cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and overall walking performance, without putting excessive strain on their joints.
Paced Walking: The Key to Optimized Fitness
According to Joanna Hall, a walking, fitness, and wellbeing expert, a minimum pace of 3.5 miles per hour (or 5.6 kilometers) is ideal for a paced walk. She recommends performing these walks for a duration of around 10 to 20 minutes, gradually increasing the pace over time.
To ensure consistency, Joanna Hall suggests a daily step count target of 5000 or 6000 steps. However, she also emphasizes that lowering the daily step count goal can be beneficial for those feeling overwhelmed. Instead, she recommends incorporating paced walks into one's routine in addition to meeting the daily step count goal, rather than in place of.
Walking Towards a Fitter Future
The combination of the WalkActive method and paced walking results in improved overall fitness by optimizing walking mechanics and pacing. This makes walking a more effective exercise, helping individuals boost their fitness levels and stride towards a healthier lifestyle.
Joanna Hall, who holds a master's degree in sports science from Loughborough University, suggests that during a paced walk, one should walk faster than their regular pace, but not so fast that they can't slightly feel out of breath and not be able to hold a continual conversation.
For those looking for a rhythm to set the pace, Joanna Hall recommends setting a cadence speed of 120 beats per minute for a paced walk. She also suggests performing paced walks three to four additional times per week, in addition to meeting the daily step count.
In conclusion, the WalkActive method and paced walking offer a low-impact, effective solution for improving fitness, posture, and walking efficiency. By incorporating these techniques into one's routine, individuals can take a significant step towards a healthier, more active lifestyle.
- Engaging in the WalkActive method, which includes paced walking, can help improve one's cardiovascular fitness and endurance, making it an effective form of science-based health-and-wellness exercise.
- By adopting the WalkActive method, individuals can optimize their fitness levels while targeting a cadence speed of 120 beats per minute, thereby enhancing their fitness, health-and-wellness, and overall walking performance.
