Become defined - go.
Here's what you need to know...
- If you're a strength athlete, walking is the easiest and most useful way to improve your body composition without compromising your performance or gains.
- Walk 3 to 6 hours a week to burn fat and increase your work capacity. Use an incline and never hold on to the treadmill handles.
- Walk 4 to 10 times a week. Aim to burn 300 kcal if you are a beginner. A little more advanced? Aim to burn 400 kcal. And also aim for 500 kcal if you are advanced.
The perfect counterpart to training with weights
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become a staple of conditioning. But what about another simple but highly effective fat-burning activity - walking at a consistent intensity?
The fact is, for the typical strength athlete who is muscular, trains regularly with weights and wants to get a little more defined, walking is a perfect complement to a rigorous weight training program.
10 benefits of walking
1. it does not increase training stress
Unlike metabolic conditioning or HIIT, walking places very little training stress on the body. However, if you combine more intense cardio training with several days of weight training each week, the body can quickly enter a state of overtraining.
It is difficult to overtrain by walking. It does not accumulate much stress, so you can walk for a long time. Leg dermatitis might be the biggest concern, but as long as you pay attention to the incline, don't keep the volume extremely high and wear sensible shoes, you shouldn't have any problems.
2. walking is restorative and could aid training recovery
You will feel better, not worse, after walking and the effects are immediate. Walking increases blood flow, which will help you recover from injuries and heavy workouts.
Some say that walking has a slight positive effect on the nerves in the spine, which helps the nerves to adjust optimally so that they can transmit their electrical impulses ideally. Have you ever heard someone say that walking helps to relieve sore muscles and that previously stiff muscles feel better afterwards? Now you know why.
3. it burns a lot of fat and almost no muscle
Walking is a low-intensity workout, which means it burns a higher percentage of fat. Of course, you won't burn much fat if you walk for 10 minutes, but if you walk briskly on a treadmill with some incline for 4 to 8 hours a week, you will burn a significant amount of fat.
The fact that it doesn't harm the muscles is probably the biggest aesthetic benefit for bodybuilders. High-intensity training, especially cardio training, uses glucose as an energy source. Normally this is not a cause for concern as the body can use its glycogen stores (stored carbohydrates) to provide glucose.
However, if you follow a calorie-restricted diet and exercise with weights, glycogen stores can be depleted more easily. If you also add intense cardio training, the body will release cortisol to help convert amino acids into glucose, which can then be used as an energy source.
These amino acids can come from your hard-earned muscle tissue.
This is certainly a problem for a strength athlete, because whatever form of energy stores you have, your body will burn more of the specific energy that you have the largest stores of. Most people have considerable amounts of body fat and the body burns this fat quickly as soon as they become physically active.
However, a muscular and moderately lean person will have more muscle than fat. The body will see muscle as "excess energy storage" and will prefer to burn this muscle to meet its calorie needs for exercise.
4. it does not cause muscle fiber conversion
Walking stimulates type I muscle fibers and motor units and not type II muscle fibers and motor units. HIIT training may stimulate type II muscle fibers, but it tends to convert these fibers into muscle fibers with medium strength and better aerobic capabilities (type IIa) instead of stronger, larger and more powerful muscle fibers (type IIb or IIX).
A 30 second interval may seem short for a cardio workout, but it is long for someone focused on strength and power and the body will adapt accordingly.
5. it can build aerobic fitness and work capacity
Trunk walking won't turn you into a marathon runner, but it will build VO2 max.
Walking at a speed of 6 km/h on a treadmill with the incline set - without holding on to the handles - is not as easy as it may seem. If done regularly, it can often push a more muscular man's VO2 max into the 50+ range, which is usually ideal for weight-trained individuals performing demanding weight training sessions.
In terms of work capacity, a fit person should be able to exercise at a moderate pace for a long period of time. Walking helps to build this ability.
One criticism that is often made is that strength athletes often only train their phosphagen energy system (short duration, high intensity) and nothing else. In other words, this means that if these people have to work continuously over a longer period of time, they will not be able to cope. Walking takes care of this problem.
6. alleviating stress
Walking can be a great way to calm down, collect your thoughts, think about your problems (or escape them) or talk to other people. The truth is that walking usually makes you feel better and life looks better again.
7 It's functional
The term "functional" can have different meanings, but one meaning is that something mimics or enhances activities of daily living. Walking could be by far the most functional activity a person can do, as getting around is crucial for human survival.
8. it puts minimal strain on the body and it's hard to do it wrong
Walking is easy and puts minimal strain on the body and even if you suffer from tender knees or back pain, walking should not exacerbate these conditions. It might even help to alleviate these problems.
The biggest mistake you can make on the treadmill is to hold on to the handles of the treadmill, especially if you are walking uphill.
If you hold on to the handles and lean back, you effectively eliminate the incline because your body is then back at a right angle to the running surface - which is exactly what happens when you run on a straight track with no incline.
9 It's better for strength athletes than running or racing
There are benefits to running or jogging, but strength athletes are often better off avoiding them. Many strength athletes find that their strength and explosiveness diminish when they go jogging regularly. And the heavier you are, the more strain running puts on your body. In this context, I would like to point out that I am not talking about sprints here.
10 It works fast
The theory behind cardio on an empty stomach is that the body only has small amounts of carbohydrates and will use fat as an energy source. I agree with this premise and walking is the perfect form of exercise to achieve this.
The point where people mess this up is when they try to perform HIIT cardio in a fasted state, which isn't particularly smart as they will burn a lot of muscle - always assuming they have a useful amount of muscle mass in the first place.
The only downside
Walking is time consuming. To burn fat, I would recommend three hours of walking a week as an absolute minimum, with six hours being ideal.
You won't be able to read while walking at the pace I recommend. But watching TV, chatting or listening to music, podcasts or audio books is a good way to pass the time.
Most people spend more than 3 to 6 hours a week in front of the TV. You can just as easily watch TV on a treadmill and get slim at the same time.
When should you walk?
Timing is super important when it comes to walking. If you just want to be fitter and healthier, then you can walk whenever you want. The total duration doesn't even have to be continuous at a stretch. If you want to burn fat, then the best time to walk is in the morning before breakfast.
The second best time to walk is right after a hard training session with weights - resistance training will burn a large amount of glycogen, so your body will have to resort to body fat when you walk afterwards - and the third best time is any other time.
What should you do?
Walk briskly. Combine this with occasional inclines. Walk for a reasonable amount of time. An incline is an excellent way to increase the amount of calories you burn. Find a level on the treadmill where you burn 8 to 10 kcal per minute. Since you are only walking, any muscle catabolism will be minimal.
You should be able to complete the training session in one go without stopping. If you can't do this, then the resistance is probably too high.
Walk for 30 minutes or longer for cardiovascular benefits and an increase in calorie expenditure. Certainly walking a mile (about 15 minutes) is better than nothing, but it's the 3, 4 or 5 miles that will really burn some fat, which is especially the case if you do this regularly.
What you should keep in mind
- Most strength athletes can do the beginner program without any problems.
- The slightly advanced program is best for the majority of strength athletes.
- The advanced program is a good program to work your way up to - especially if you weigh less than 90 kilos.
- It is much better to start with a program that is a little easier and then work your way up than to start with a program that is too hard. You should not even come close to exhaustion with these training programs. If this happens anyway, then you have started with a program that is too intense.
- Do not start in the middle of a program. Start at the beginning of the program even if you think it is too easy. If you fail week 1 of the beginner program, look in the mirror, declare yourself unfit and move your butt!
- The recommended training frequency is four times a week. If you want to go more often, you can simply repeat one of the days that week - whichever one you want.
- Note that there are often slight changes in speed, incline or time. So take a close look at the training sessions and follow the program. Small changes will add up to significant changes over time.
- Never hold on to the treadmill - never.
- Warming up is generally not necessary, but if you feel you should warm up, then do so.
- This program is designed for a treadmill, so I can give precise recommendations on speed and incline and you don't have to worry about the weather.
- Walking outside is great, but the big downside is that there are no controlled inclines, which is especially true if you live in flat country. You can compensate for this by walking with a 5 to 20 kilo weight vest or a suitably heavy backpack to increase the level of difficulty.
Choose your level
- Beginner: Have trouble walking at 5.3 km/h (3.5 mph) on a 5% incline for 45 minutes.
- Intermediate: Have trouble walking at 6.5 km/h (4 mph) on a 5% incline for 45 minutes, but can successfully complete the beginner program.
- Advanced: Can walk at 6.5 km/h (4 mph) on a 5% incline for 45 minutes.
Note: This program should be read as follows: km/h @ incline in percent for X minutes. 5.3 @ 4% 40' means 5.3 km/h at 4% incline for 40 minutes.
Beginner training program
|
|
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
|
Week 1 |
4,8@1% 30' |
4,8@1% 30' |
4,8@1% 30' |
4,8@1% 30' |
|
Week 2 |
5@1% 33' |
5@1.5% 33' |
5@1% 33' |
5,1@1% 33' |
|
week 3 |
5,1@1.5% 35' |
5,1@2% 35' |
5,1@1.5% 35' |
5,2@1.5% 35' |
|
Week 4 |
5,2@1.5% 37' |
5,2@2.5% 37' |
5,2@1.5% 37' |
5,4@1.5% 37' |
|
Week 5 |
5,4@2% 39' |
5,4@3% 39' |
5,4@2% 39' |
5,6@2% 39' |
|
Week 6 |
5,6@2% 41' |
5,6@3.5% 41' |
5,6@2% 41' |
5,8@2% 41' |
|
Week 7 |
5,8@2% 43' |
5,6@4% 43' |
5,8@2% 43' |
5,9@2% 43' |
|
Week 8 |
5,9@2% 45' |
5,6@4.5% 45' |
5,9@2% 45' |
6,1@2% 45' |
Week 9 and after: Move on to the more advanced program.
Do cardio training at least four times a week and a maximum of six times a week. It is okay to do two cardio workouts in one day for a maximum of 6 workouts per week if needed.
Try to burn at least 300 kcal in each cardio session if you choose not to walk.
Training program for the slightly more advanced
|
|
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
|
Week 1 |
5,6@2% 35' |
5,6@2% 35' |
5,6@2% 35' |
5,8@2% 35' |
|
Week 2 |
5,8@2.5% 37' |
5,8@3% 37' |
5,8@2.5% 37' |
5,9@2.5% 37' |
|
Week 3 |
5,9@3% 40' |
5,8@4% 40' |
5,9@3% 40' |
6,1@3% 40' |
|
Week 4 |
6,1@3% 42' |
5,8@5% 42' |
6,1@3% 42' |
6,2@3% 42' |
|
Week 5 |
6,2@3% 44' |
5,8@6% 44' |
6,2@3% 44' |
6,4@3% 44' |
|
Week 6 |
6,4@3% 45' |
5,8@7% 45' |
6,4@3% 45' |
6,6@3% 45' |
|
Week 7 |
6,6@3% 45'+ |
5,8@8% 45'+ |
6,6@3% 45'+ |
6,7@3% 45'+ |
|
Week 8 |
6,7@3% 45'+ |
5,8@9% 45'+ |
6,7@3% 45'+ |
6,9@3% 45'+ |
Week 9 and after: Switch to the advanced training program.
Perform cardio training at least four times a week and a maximum of eight times a week. If necessary, it is okay to do two cardio workouts in one day for a maximum of eight workouts per week.
Try to burn at least 400 kcal in each cardio session if you choose not to walk.
Advanced training program
|
|
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
|
Week 1 |
6,7@2% 35' |
6,4@5% 35' |
6,7@2% 35' |
6,9@2% 35' |
|
Week 2 |
6,7@2.5% 38' |
6,4@6% 38' |
6,7@2.5% 38' |
7@2% 38' |
|
Week 3 |
6,9@3% 41' |
6,4@7% 41' |
6,9@3% 41' |
7,2@2% 41' |
|
Week 4 |
6,9@3.5% 43' |
6,4@8% 43' |
6,9@3.5% 43' |
4.6@2% 43' |
|
Week 5 |
7@4% 45' |
6,4@9% 45' |
7@4% 45' |
4.6@2% 45' |
|
Week 6 |
7@4% 45'+ |
6,4@10% 45'+ |
6,4@4% 45'+ |
4.6@2% 45'+ |
|
Week 7 |
7,2@4.5% 45'+ |
6,4@11% 45'+ |
7,2@4.5% 45'+ |
7@2% 45'+ |
|
Week 8 |
7,2@5% 45'+ |
6,4@12% 45'+ |
7,2@5% 45'+ |
7@2% 45'+ |
Do cardio training at least four times a week and a maximum of ten times a week. It is okay to do two cardio workouts in one day if necessary, with a maximum of ten workouts per week.
Try to burn at least 500 kcal in each cardio session if you choose not to walk.
Conclusion
Fashionable energy system workouts and complex lactate workouts are fun and definitely effective, but they are not essential if you want to get in good shape. The fact is, if you want to get lean, you need to look no further than your legs. Walk, train with weights and the slimness will come.
By Tim Henriques | 08/31/11