Race walking – no less effective method keep yourself in good physical shape than running. This discipline can be practiced both for the general health of the body and at a professional level, preparing for competitions. Unlike regular walking, sports walking has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should be known to any person who has decided to choose this particular sports discipline.

The benefits of race walking

In addition to participating in competitions, millions of people use race walking for recreational purposes. If you walk just 30 minutes every day, you can live 3 years more. Regular sports walking brings enormous benefits to the body:

• the work of the heart is normalized - the activity of the myocardium improves, its contractility increases;
• the functioning of the respiratory system improves - the lung tissue removes metabolic products faster, the blood is saturated with oxygen;
• the activity of the gastrointestinal system is normalized - motility increases, nutrients are better absorbed into the blood;
• the muscles of the whole body are trained - especially the legs, hips, shoulders, back and arms;
• influence decreases stressful situations, the nervous system is tempered, mood improves;
• calories are burned - 5 km of daily walks help maintain a slim body.

Healthy running and distance walking can be used to prepare for competitions, as well as as a preventive measure against all kinds of vascular and heart diseases. Walking 5 hours a week at a brisk pace reduces your risk of heart disease by nearly 50%. This discipline can be considered one of the safest - unlike running, when walking there is no impact of the foot on the ground (if the shoes are chosen correctly), and the speed of movement is much lower.

It should be noted that the benefits of race walking will only be obtained if you walk along the distance at a sufficiently high speed and in the right shoes. Slow walks do not bring such powerful benefits to the body as fast walks.

General principles

The main feature of race walking is the high speed of movement without switching to running. In this case, the following rules must be observed, which distinguish this discipline from running:

Race walking for weight loss will be very useful for people suffering from excess weight. If you are obese, running is usually not recommended because it puts increased stress on the skeletal system. Race walking for weight loss has minimal contraindications, but it is better to consult a doctor and choose the right shoes.

Types of race walking

Every sport has its own variations. Race walking is no exception, and the type of training should be chosen depending on the goals that a person sets for himself. There are 4 main types of race walking:

1. Slow walking. Speed ​​– 80 steps per minute. At this pace, a person covers a kilometer in 30 minutes.
2. Average temp. Speed ​​– 120 steps per minute. A kilometer is covered in 13-15 minutes.
3. Race walking. Speed ​​is about 150 steps per minute, covering 7 km in an hour. It is race walking that is used in competitions.
4. Fast walk. Used only by athletes to prepare for upcoming competitions. The speed can reach 12 km/h. This technique is not recommended for beginners, as it puts a lot of stress on an unprepared body.

For beginners, it is better to practice walking at a slow or medium pace. To improve the health of the body, it will be enough to walk at an average pace for half an hour a day. If you need to prepare for competitions, race walking is suitable, with a further transition to fast walking.

Teaching Methodology

Before starting classes, you should study the analysis and basics of race walking techniques under the guidance of a trainer. The training methodology will include the following points:

• Introduction to technology. At this stage, the coach shows at a slow pace what the race walking technique is and explains the features of this sport. Then the beginner will have to independently repeat the correct body movements, and the coach will analyze the errors and determine a training program.
• Methods of teaching the movement of the legs and pelvis. During slow walking, the beginner is taught how to correctly turn the body and move the arms at the moment when the feet are placed on the ground. This uses counter-rotation analysis and technique: the shoulders rotate to the right as the pelvis rotates to the left. In this case, the leg lowered to the ground remains straight until the second leg is lowered to the ground. Workouts are usually done in a straight, drawn line - this allows the legs to move close to each other.
• Methods of teaching the movement of the arms and shoulder girdle. The arms should bend at an obtuse or right angle, not intersect and move strictly in a straight line. You need to relax your shoulders, do not strain your arms and move them freely. If the range of movement of the arms is not wide enough, training is carried out with the arms down.
• Methods of teaching proper breathing. It is necessary to inhale and exhale deeply and evenly. Breathing should not be shortened - if this happens, you need to stop training.
• Teaching Methodology individual elements race walking. To hone the technique, various exercises are used for the body, limbs, and head. The trainer analyzes the length of the step, the method of planting the foot, and moving the legs.
• Improving technology. This stage involves combining the skills acquired in the process of learning and analysis, and long-term hard training to achieve coordination of movements.

This sports discipline has a number of its own methods and standards that are taken into account during competitions. In addition to technique, great importance is given to speed, which can be increased by lengthening the stride or increasing the frequency of steps. In the second case, there is a risk of switching to running, which may serve as a reason for disqualification from the competition, so it is recommended to use this method of increasing speed only for experienced athletes.

Warm-up

Regardless of the purpose of race walking - whether it is for health improvement or to prepare for a competition - it is extremely important to choose the right shoes and warm up thoroughly before training.

The warm-up begins with stretching the calf muscles. The following exercise will help with this: we rest our hands on the wall, move one leg back, while doing light squats on the other leg. The duration of the exercise is about 7 minutes.

Next, you need to stretch the back of your thigh: stretch one leg forward and place it on a chair. Now you need to tilt your torso towards this leg. To stretch the front of the thigh, you need to stand on one leg and pull the other leg towards your buttocks with your hands.

To stretch your hips, you need to perform several alternating lunges with your torso forward and backward, while your leg should stand on a chair with your knee bent. The total duration of the warm-up is at least 20 minutes. This preparation will allow you to stretch and warm up your muscles well and avoid injury.

How to calculate the load

If walking classes are carried out taking into account all the rules and analyzing errors, they will only bring benefits. You should select a training program taking into account your physical condition. At first, you need to observe moderation and not chase the high results that professional athletes show.

You should start with short walks of 3-4 km a day, increasing the distance by 1 km weekly and analyzing your well-being. For optimal benefits, it is recommended that men walk about 50 km per week, women - 40 km, but such distances are better for experienced people.

At first, you need to walk while monitoring your pulse. If it is more than 110 beats per minute, it is advisable to reduce the pace or duration of walking. It happens that the heart rate increases when climbing uphill. This is normal and should not cause concern. But pain in muscles or joints is a bad sign. If they appear, you need to immediately stop exercising, with a smooth transition to a slow step.

Shoe selection

Selecting walking shoes requires taking into account many parameters. Walking shoes are different from running shoes in many ways. Walking shoes should be flexible, with special orthopedic elements that will protect the foot while moving. These shoe elements include: a dense thick sole, a high hard heel and high edges for fixing the ankle. If the sole of the sneakers is too thin, by the end of the distance you will feel a lot of pressure in your legs, and your foot will feel every stone. In addition, if you walk with thin soles of sneakers, your feet quickly begin to hurt in the shoes.

For long distance walks on rough terrain, it is necessary to select sneakers with shock-absorbing elements that will absorb shock when moving. The midsole of your running shoes should have a cushion to protect your ankle from fatigue. The insoles inside the shoes must be removable and have good moisture permeability. You also need to pay attention to the quality of sneaker laces - they should not unravel spontaneously.

The right sneakers will give you a feeling of lightness while walking along the distance and will not cause discomfort. The wrong choice of sneakers can lead to many health problems - back pain, calluses, flat feet and varicose veins.

Svetlana Markova

Beauty - how gem: the simpler it is, the more precious it is!

Running is not the only athletic discipline that helps maintain excellent health. All more people prefer race walking. Race walking differs from normal speed, special technique, as well as the length and frequency of steps. And its difference from running is that at any moment at least one leg is in contact with the floor (there is no flight phase). Let's find out how to practice race walking correctly and find out how effective this sport is.

Types of race walking

You can walk in different ways: slowly stroll along the embankment, rush to work and knock over everything in your path, or even engage in sports discipline. But race walking itself can also be divided into several subcategories:

• Regular race walking. The main thing is to work with your hands correctly. They should bend like athletes do. The speed of movement reaches 7-8 kilometers per hour.
• An accelerated form of race walking. The speed can reach 12-14 kilometers per hour. Only professional athletes can walk like this. To achieve this pace, you will have to practice a lot.
• Sports Nordic walking. In the middle of the last century, Finnish skiers invented new way maintain a high level of physical fitness during the off-season. Later it turned out that their method is effective for rehabilitation after severe physical injuries. And in the nineties, Nordic walking with poles became a popular sport. Its essence is to use two poles, reminiscent of ski poles. Thanks to this, up to 90% of a person’s muscles are simultaneously loaded, and calories are burned 20%-25% faster.

Athletics offers us a choice of 2 popular disciplines for aerobic exercise - running and fast walking. And choosing which one is better is not so easy. Both disciplines help strengthen the respiratory and circulatory systems, leg joints, develop endurance and lose excess weight. It is best to try both disciplines and choose the one you like best. What are the main features of race walking?

• Increased movement speed.
• Step frequency – from 130 to 200 (and higher) per minute.
• The length of one step during race walking reaches 90-100 cm. For athletes - up to 120 cm.
• Until the free leg is carried through the vertical, the supporting leg does not bend at the knee.
• The pelvis constantly moves around a vertical axis.
• Intense hand movement.

It is known that regular walking is ineffective as an aerobic exercise and a method of combating overweight: calories begin to be burned intensively only after 2-3 hours. Therefore, it is better to try sports walking. The main thing is to correctly master the technique of movements. The basic rules are:

• Contact of the feet with the ground must be continuous. You need to step on the ground until the other foot leaves it.
• The front leg should not bend until the free leg is level with it in the vertical plane.
• The movement must be fast and impetuous.
• Your arms should be bent at the elbows to a right angle and work intensively with them back and forth. This will help increase your movement speed.

Mastering this technique to perfection will require a considerable amount of effort. Interestingly, even professional athletes are often disqualified by judges from competitions for violations. Always make sure that your technique is performed correctly, only then what you are doing can be called race walking! Let's find out about the recommendations of experts. They will help you master basic skills, hone them to perfection and achieve amazing training efficiency:

• Proper breathing plays a vital role during exercise. Breathe deeply and measuredly, the rhythm of your breathing should coincide with the rhythm of your steps. And under no circumstances start breathing through your mouth when you feel tired, this will only take away your remaining strength.
• It is important to ensure compliance correct posture. The torso should not be overly strained and its position should not be changed abruptly. Keep your body straight, avoid bending.
• To improve your race walking technique, contact a professional instructor or study the relevant literature.
• Don't leave both feet off the ground at the same time for even a fraction of a second, otherwise walking will become running. To increase speed, use sweeping arm movements and swing your pelvis, as athletes do. Remember: your steps must be uniform and your push off the ground strong.
• If you suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular or respiratory systems or have not exercised before, be sure to consult your doctor before starting exercise. It is important.
• Before starting your workout, take a few minutes to warm up. Warm up and stretch the muscles, especially those that are actively used during race walking. Repeat the stretching after finishing the session, after waiting until your breathing and heartbeat calm down. This will help consolidate the effect.

• Remember safety. Exercise in safe places (parks, squares) and do not expose your body to excessive stress, risking injury. Increase the load gradually. If you are forced to walk along the roadway, wear bright, visible clothing. Fans of evening walking are advised to wear reflective tape or wear clothing with an appropriate insert.
• Challenge yourself. When you notice progress in your classes, speed up the pace and take wider steps. Walk long distances. The health benefits will be greater and you will feel like a winner.
• A glass of water drunk a quarter of an hour before training will help avoid dehydration.
• To accurately measure distances traveled, use a pedometer. But keep in mind that while showing accurate results when walking on a flat surface, it may make mistakes when walking on hills. Regardless of your desire, the length of the step changes.
• Special weights will help increase the intensity of exercise. These can be Nordic walking poles, small hand dumbbells, or weight vests. The heart rate and fat burning rate increase due to their use. True, the risk of joint injury also increases. Be carefull.

Clothes and shoes for training

It is very important to choose the right shoes for your activities. Pay attention to the cushioning of the sole: it should be reinforced in the heel area. For walking on unpaved surfaces (in a park or forest), average depreciation is allowed. If you exercise on asphalt (this is worse for joints), depreciation should be maximum.

Experts recommend wearing high-top sneakers that completely hide the ankle joint and are securely fastened with lacing. Special shoes for running and lightweight sneakers with hard rubber soles are suitable. The sole should not be thin, and the heel should be raised 5-10 mm in comparison. It’s good if the shoe material is breathable. Leather and nylon mesh have this characteristic. If you exercise regularly, change your shoes twice a year.

Clothes for training should be appropriate for the weather and be a little lighter than normal for the temperature. When it's cold outside, wear several layers of light clothing - the heat will be retained better than when wearing one or two layers of warm clothing. Remember that clothing should not restrict movement. Don't forget about a thin woolen hat, which will protect your head from hypothermia.

In summer or when exercising indoors, you can wear a T-shirt and comfortable shorts. Be sure to wear thick, natural cotton socks designed for sports on your feet. Finally, a little advice for girls: it is most comfortable to practice walking in a supportive sports bra.

Selecting a distance

To ensure that race walking does not harm your body, but rather improves your health, it is important to select the optimal load. It is individual for everyone. According to experts, a good load for men is 56 kilometers walked per week, for women - 49 kilometers. Watch your breathing: the inhalation during race walking should be shorter than the exhalation, then the lungs are better ventilated with air.

Don’t chase record distances at the expense of your health. Listen to your body and learn to understand when you need to stop. If you feel a little tired after walking the first kilometer, the pace can be considered optimal. If you're a little out of breath, slow down. When it starts to tingle in your side, switch to a calm walk, and then stop to rest for a few minutes.

Walking speed

While the speed of normal walking is approximately 5 km/h, with race walking it increases to 8-9 km/h. N, and professional athletes in competitions sometimes accelerate to 16 km/h. If you are exercising for health, do not try to achieve this pace. A speed of 10-11 km/h will also be an excellent achievement, then the heart rate will be 120-140 beats per minute.

It is the heart rate that is the factor that determines the required level of stress on the body during race walking. To determine the number of heart beats per minute, measure your heart rate for 10 seconds and multiply by 6. It is important that your heart rate does not fall below the point at which the exercise ceases to be aerobic. We list the lower limits of heart rate per minute for aerobic exercise:

• 20 years – 135 strokes.
• 30 years – 130 strokes.
• 40 years – 125 strokes.
• 50 years – 119 strokes.
• 60 years – 111 strokes.
• 70 years and older – 106 strokes.

Race walking as a way to lose weight

Fast walking keeps the abdominal, leg and gluteal muscles toned, improves the condition of blood vessels and joints, and normalizes arterial pressure. Moreover, during the session the body produces happiness hormones and endorphins. Excess calories are also actively burned – up to 500 kcal/hour, so race walking is recommended for those who want to lose weight. In a month you can get rid of 2-5 extra pounds. Note that to increase efficiency, it is better to increase not the intensity, but the time of the session.

Video: Nordic walking with poles

Race walking will help you feel healthy and maintain excellent physical shape at any age. Finally, we suggest watching a video that talks about such an interesting and healthy sport as Nordic walking with poles - one of the types of race walking.

Race walking is an Olympic sport, the distinguishing feature of which from running is the presence of constant support. From normal walking this technique differs in a different pace, step length and foot position. Race walking is healthy, as it has a positive effect on the functioning of all organs and systems of the body and has no contraindications. Thanks to this sport, you can lose weight and strengthen your muscles - gain seductive body contours, but first things first.

Story

Race walking is a sport that began its history in 1867 in England, where competitors had to walk a distance of 7 miles. The first competitions were very difficult due to the long distances, among which the most popular routes were: Turin-Marseille-Barcelona (1100 km), Vienna-Berlin (578 km) and Paris-Belfort (496 km). In 1908, race walking competitions were included in the program of the Olympic Games. At that time, they competed to cover distances of 3.5 km and 10 km.

From 1908 to 1932, the history of the development of race walking was very eventful, as this sport was becoming an Olympic sport, its technique was improved and a new distance was introduced - 50 km. The sport became professional in the period from 1932 to 1958, when the requirements for athletes increased significantly, their training became daily and intense, and the loads were extreme; at that time a distance of 20 km was introduced. In the period 1964-1975, the basics of race walking techniques began to be improved in the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. During this period, a scientific basis for this sport had already appeared, and more modern methods of training fast walkers had been developed.

After 1975, the development of race walking was associated with the establishment of new records, as well as with the beginning of women's competitions over a distance of 20 km. For the first time, women participated in race walking competitions in the Olympic Games program in 1992, while men became champions already in 1932.

Technique and rules

Correct race walking is based on two main points in technique:

• When alternating steps, a person must constantly have one of the feet in contact with the ground. If there is a separation from the surface, as in running, then he will be disqualified from the competition;
• Once one leg has been brought forward, it should not bend at the knee until it is perpendicular to the ground.

The spine should be relaxed, not bent, that is, the back is straight. During race walking, the abdominal muscles are tense, the arms are bent and do not dangle along the body. When practicing this type of athletics, the body must be collected and perform clear, consistent steps. You must first step on the heel, then roll the foot along the ground until the pad near the toes touches it.

Race walking competitions and distances

Race walking for men is a competition at distances of 20 and 50 km, and for women only 20 km. Visits for juniors age groups indoors are 200 m, and in stadiums, as a rule, 400 m. For adults, stadiums host runs of 10 thousand and 20 thousand m, and in winter in arenas 3 or 5 thousand m among younger age groups and students. Men compete at a distance of 35 km in winter. A race walking championship can take place on a city street or at a stadium, and if it is winter, then in an arena.

Walking technique is assessed by judges who are located along the entire distance - there can be 6-9 of them. They use yellow paddles to show athletes warnings about violations - such as bending a leg - and hand their cards to the head judge, who has the right to disqualify an athlete at any time - even at the finish line. If the World Race Walking Championships or the Olympic Games are taking place, the walker is excluded from the competition after one warning. In other cases, the chief judge does this after receiving three cards from different judges.

Olympic champions and records

In the 20 km distance, the most famous male athletes were: Vladimir Golubnichy, Leonid Spirin and Robert Korzeniowski. Race walking and women who became champions are Elena Nikolaeva, Olympics Ivanova and Olga Kaniskina. During the 50 km distance, the following became famous for their victories: Andrei Perlov, Nathan Dix, Robert Korzeniowski and Hartwig Gauder.

In sports runs of 20 km, the record holders were:

• World record: 06/08/2008 – Sergey Morozov (1:16:43) and 08/11/2012 – Elena Lashmanova (1:25:02);
• Olympic record: 09/22/2000 – Robert Korzeniowski (1:18:59) and 08/11/2012 – Elena Lashmanova (1:25:02).

In sports runs of 50 km, the record holders were:

• World record: 08/15/2014 – Yoann Dini (3:32:33);
• Olympic record: 08/11/2012 – Sergey Kirdyapkin (3:35:59).

All these people are world race walking champions who deserve not only praise, but also admiration.

Education

Race walking school is training in the technique of this sport, which differs significantly from regular walking. Let's consider all the tasks that a beginner faces:

• Familiarization with technology. The coach shows at a slow pace what race walking is, explains its distinctive features, the observance of which is the main thing in this sport. After this, the beginner is asked to walk several tens of meters on his own a couple of times, so that the coach can determine what mistakes he is making and how the next training sessions should be carried out;
• Training in the movement of the pelvis and legs. During the process of slow walking, the beginning athlete is taught to correctly turn the body and arms at the moment one of the legs places itself on the ground. To do this, opposite turns are used, that is, when the pelvis is turned to the left, the shoulders turn to the right. Attention is focused on the fact that the leg that touches the ground should remain straight until the rear push and the other leg touches the surface. It is important to train along a drawn straight line so that your legs are as close to it as possible;
• Training in the movement of the shoulder girdle and arms. During race walking, the arms are bent at a right or obtuse angle, they move in a straight line and do not intersect. The shoulders should be lowered and the arms should be free from excessive tension and move freely. To do this, the beginner is asked to perform his mini-entries with his hands behind his head, behind his back or in front of him. If the amplitude of their movement is small, then race walking lessons are held with arms down;
• Training in complete race walking techniques. To do this, a variety of exercises are performed aimed at honing individual elements of walking. The trainer pays attention to the position of the body, head, freedom of movement of the body and limbs. The coach carefully evaluates the length of the step, the movement of the foot, and the timely lifting of the heel from the surface;
• Improving the learned technique. At this stage of training, the athlete combines all the acquired skills together and begins to train hard to achieve complete coordination of all movements. It’s time to pay special attention to finding the optimal walking pace, step frequency, and regularity of inhalations and exhalations. During this period, it is important to begin to increase the overall level of physical endurance and increase distances.

There are certain standards for race walking by which competitors are judged. In addition to technology, speed is also important, increasing it will allow you to achieve new records. It can be increased only by lengthening the step, which will not spoil the technique. Another option is to take faster steps, but this can lead to running, so you shouldn't risk it if you want to get your World Race Walking Cup.

Types of healthy walking

Healthy walking is not only sports walking, but also its other types. For example, walking over rough terrain or uphill, which perfectly strengthens the gluteal, calf and thigh muscles. Thanks to such walks, you can improve your health and lose excess weight. Nordic walking is a form of walking with modified ski poles that provides excellent cardio exercise and improves physical health.

Walk with intentional tension in your gluteal muscles as you lift each leg off the ground. This type of exercise is aimed at losing weight and strengthening the tissues of the pelvic area. Walking backwards is suitable for those who want to strengthen their back muscles. You must straighten your back, put your hands on your belt, pull in your stomach and walk along a pre-selected straight path. Race walking with poles or on rough terrain is a great way to lose weight and improve your health.

Walking for weight loss

Running and race walking are 2 great ways to lose weight, but the second the better, which has no contraindications and gives high-quality results very quickly. Overweight people, as a rule, have problems with the cardiovascular system, joints, and spine, so walking is much more suitable for them than running. So, how and how much you need to walk to lose weight:

• You should start at a slow pace so that your heart rate increases gradually, and you can clearly determine the speed that is “comfortable” for you. It is also necessary to stop slowly so that the heart rate and breathing are restored gradually;
• Aerobic warm-up before walking and stretching after it are mandatory parts of training;
• Watch the position of your body: your back is straight, your stomach is tense, your arms are bent. Shift your body weight first to your heel and then to the ball of your foot;
• Drink water before and after exercise to prevent dehydration. If you want to drink while exercising, it’s better to just rinse your mouth with water;
• Shoes for race walking should be of high quality - sneakers with a rigid heel, flexible toe, shock absorption and breathable materials. Clothing should not restrict movement or get in the way. IN sunny days be sure to use sunscreen and glasses;
• You need to breathe through your nose, and if you start to choke, then you have chosen the wrong pace and should slow down;
• The first workout should be gentle - remember how many steps you took and follow this norm for a week. Then increase your rate by 500 steps and do this weekly to improve your results and endurance;
• It is better to walk in the morning before breakfast, so the body will break down fats rather than consumed food. If you train in the evenings, then do it 2 hours after dinner and 2 hours before bed;
• You need to walk for at least 40 minutes, and preferably 1 hour at a fast pace, then you will complete your 10 thousand steps, which doctors recommend that each of us take daily to maintain our health and slim body;
• The optimal frequency of recreational walking is 5 times a week, but you can train every day or only 3 days;
• The maximum weight loss effect will come from walking uphill or over rough terrain, as you will need much more energy. You can alternate different kinds walking in one workout or in different ones - this will diversify your activities and, possibly, improve the results obtained;
• Don't forget about proper nutrition, which will also play a huge role in your weight loss. Even a 20 km race walk will be ineffective if the athlete consumes fatty and unhealthy foods.

In addition to losing weight, walking at a fairly fast speed will help you tighten the muscles of your buttocks and legs, which will already improve your figure. It will also help straighten your posture and feel lighter inside.

Benefits of walking

Race walking in Russia is very popular not only as an Olympic sport, but also as a recreational sport. The benefits of this athletics discipline are as follows:

• Saturation of the body with oxygen, which has a positive effect on all processes occurring in it;
• Lowering cholesterol levels, normalizing blood pressure, increasing lung capacity;
• Preventing salt deposits, strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis;
• Improving well-being and preventing stress;
• Promoting weight loss and improving the condition of the skin;
• Working out all muscle groups, which strengthens the body as a whole and makes it more mobile and resilient;
• It is worth considering that race walking for 50 km puts less stress on the legs and joints than running for 1 km, and therefore it is less dangerous;
• Walking is suitable even for those people who are prohibited from any other activities. physical activity.

As you can see, the benefits of healthy walking are enormous, so this type sport is so popular among ordinary people who do not strive for Olympic victories.

Athletics and race walking in particular are those sports that are aimed at increasing the endurance of the human body, strengthening its internal core, and increasing endurance. Walk and become healthier, slimmer and stronger!

Race walking is one of the safest sports. A sedentary lifestyle has never been good for the body, which is why so many people engage in regular exercise to stay fit.

General principles

Race walking is based on aerobic exercise, which helps effectively strengthen muscles and burn calories. One of the advantages of this sport is the minimal likelihood of joint injury, unlike running. The essence of walking is to move quickly, with one foot in full contact with the ground. Due to this, the steps are much longer and faster, and more muscles are also involved.

This sport is recommended for people who are slightly overweight. In fact, anyone can practice walking, as long as there are no serious health problems. This is why it is important to first consult a doctor for recommendations. On average, you can burn up to 300 calories in 2 kilometers walked at an average pace.

The benefits of race walking

With the help of this sport you can not only lose significant weight, but also improve your health. Many people don't believe that just walking is enough to do this. However, scientists have proven that a regular 30-minute brisk walk can extend your life by 2 years.

Walking helps normalize blood pressure and lower cholesterol, strengthen the skeletal system and improve insulin production, increase muscle mass and simply improve your mood by toning the body. In addition, this sport is one of the fundamental ways to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

For weight loss, race walking is also an optimal tool. Women around the world every day fresh air moving at a fast pace in order to achieve an ideal figure. It has been proven that 2000 steps every day allows a person to stay in shape. However, to lose weight you need to walk 5-7 times more, which is approximately 4-5 kilometers. It is also worth noting that walking without a proper diet will never produce results.

Let's start classes

First, you need to understand why a person starts playing sports. If he wants to strengthen his muscles or just warm up, then it is enough to arrange daily half-hour classes. Some women set weight loss goals. In this case, walks should take up to an hour at a fast pace.

Many beginners start classes without warming up and without knowing basic skills. It is important to understand what race walking is, how to move correctly, how to breathe, etc. It is strictly contraindicated to strain the body in the first month of training. It is better to start classes early in the morning. At this time, it is easier to burn the maximum number of calories. In addition, morning workouts will tone your body for the rest of the day.

Types of walking

Like any other sport, walking has its variations:

• Walk at a slow pace. The walking speed here is about 80 steps per minute, that is, in half an hour a person walks up to one kilometer.
• Walk at a medium pace. The speed is up to 120 steps per minute. Comparable to when a person is in a hurry somewhere and accelerates his usual pace of movement. A kilometer at this speed will be covered in 12-15 minutes.
• Traditional race walking. In this case, a person can walk up to 7 kilometers in one hour. Step speed - 140 per minute. When walking this way, your arms should be bent at an angle and you should work with them very actively. A good warm-up is required before class.
• Fast walk. Recommended only for athletes. This is daily intensive training on rocky/rough terrain. The speed of such walking is up to 12 km/h. It is better to switch to this regime after a year of systematic training.

Race walking technique

The essence of this sport is to optimally calculate the load on the body. The average speed should be in the range from 6 to 10 km/h.

Race walking technique consists of 5 basic rules:

1. Your arms should always be bent at the elbows at an angle of no more than 90 degrees. Throughout the entire distance, they help the body move. Proper hand placement will make the movement much easier.
2. The back must be straight. It is important that the body is tilted a few degrees forward. When walking, maintaining a balanced center of gravity is the main key to success.
3. When moving, the heel should first touch the ground, and only then the toe. Rolling in race walking is also important. It should be smooth and uniform throughout the entire foot.
4. Legs should never be bent. In such walking, the main load is taken by the muscles of the thighs and calves.
5. You need to move rhythmically, not forgetting to breathe. Entry and exhalation should be uniform and deep. If you lose your breathing, you can end the workout.

To build muscle mass in your legs, you can carry a backpack with a small load on your back. Before class, you need to warm up thoroughly. It would be a good idea to do a few exercises to warm up and stretch your muscles.

How to warm up properly

First, you need to start by stretching your calf muscles. To do this, you need to rest your hands on the wall, move one leg back, and raise and lower your body with the other (supporting leg). The exercise should consist of 8-10 approaches and last up to 7 minutes.

To warm up the back of your thigh, stretch your leg forward and place it on a stool. Next, you need to slightly tilt the body towards it. The front area of ​​the thigh is warmed up with the following exercise: one leg is the supporting leg, and they try to bring the foot of the second as close as possible to the buttocks with their hand.

The hips are warmed up by alternately lunging the body forward and backward with the foot placed on a stool. For this control it is important to relax extremely.

According to athletes, warm-up should last at least 20 minutes. During this time, all muscles should not only be stretched, but also warmed up well in order to protect yourself from unnecessary injury.

Correct breathing

When walking, you should never subject your body to high loads, especially if less than a month has passed since the first workout. Most the right way to understand that the given pace of movement is optimally selected is breathing. If it is uniform, then the rhythm of walking should not be slowed down. If the loads seem insignificant, then you can increase the distance and time of the walk.

Race walking technique is important for proper breathing. If you move your arms correctly and touch the ground with your feet, the load on the body will be minimal. People most often exercise to stay fit or build muscle, but there is another reason that many people don't even think about. Why does a person prefer walking in nature rather than in the gym? The fact is that the body needs oxygen saturation, especially during physical activity. This is why proper breathing while walking is so important. It should be uniform throughout the entire distance, and the breath should be deep.

Load calculation

If you approach walking exercises wisely, they will never harm your health. Each person is unique in himself, which means that for each there is an individual training program. In the first couples, you should not take as a basis the indicators of people who have been involved in sports for a long time, since they are already subject to heavy loads.

As for the distance, a weekly race walk of 50 km is recommended for men, and about 40 km for women. However, only experienced runners can use these indicators as a guide. For beginners, it is better to start with 2-3 kilometers per day and increase the distance by 500 meters every week if health allows.

This sport has no age restrictions, but it all depends on the body. During your first workouts, it is recommended to regularly check your current heart rate, which should not exceed the threshold of 100 beats per minute. If at the beginning of the lesson there is discomfort in the muscles or joints, then you should immediately stop walking. In such cases, you should not stop abruptly; it is better to gradually slow down.

Shoe selection

Sneakers for race walking should not have thin soles. By the end of a long distance, the feet will experience enormous pressure, so every pebble will be felt. In addition, in sneakers with thin soles, your feet will begin to hurt after the first kilometers. A common mistake women make is wearing shoes with hard heels, such as ballet flats, to workout.

The best option for training is a thick sole. In any case, shoes for race walking should be light. Hard rubber soles are excluded, as they will cause a lot of discomfort to the feet.

In rainy weather, sneakers with anti-slip film are best.

Walking on level ground

Before training, you should do a warm-up, which includes a few minutes of quiet walking while simultaneously warming up the calf and hip muscles. Then race walking begins at a moderate pace. At this stage, it is important to determine your breathing rate and check your pulse.

Gradually the walking speed increases to a maximum. Subsequently, it is recommended to alternate the pace of the workout. It is not advisable to conquer long distances in your first lessons, even on flat terrain. After class, you should not suddenly stop or sit down, as the body still needs to get used to the slow pace for some time.

Walking on hilly terrain

Walking on small slopes is beneficial for people regardless of age. However, training on hilly terrain is only recommended for experienced athletes who are used to coping with heavy loads every day.

In the photo, race walking when climbing a slope looks impressive. All the muscles are tense, the wind is blowing your hair - and so the finishing point at the top beckons, but in reality it is much more difficult than it might seem. Walking on a hilly surface requires many times more energy than walking on a flat surface. Such activities are contraindicated for beginners.

As for the warm-up, it is no different from warming up before training on flat ground, with the exception that exercises for the muscles of the arms and forearms are added to the complex.

Monthly course for weight loss

In the first week, you should do three walking sessions at a slow pace. Each workout should not last more than 20 minutes. At this stage, it is important to understand how to breathe correctly and control the load.

In the second week, race walking begins. The speed varies depending on how you feel. The duration of one workout is up to 30 minutes. It’s not worth testing yourself for serious loads. If you feel tired, you can switch to a slower pace.

In the third week, the duration of the lesson increases to 40 minutes. In addition, the number of workouts should already reach 4-5. At this stage, you can use special weight loss belts.

The final 7-day period should take place in an intensive mode. Training time varies up to an hour, but their number is still up to 5 sessions. It is important here to alternate the walking pace from maximum to average every 10 minutes. As numerous reviews show, in a month of training using this method you can lose up to 12 kilograms.

Race walking will help you strengthen your body, become more resilient and create an ideal figure. Anyone can practice this sport. To do this you need to know the rules and techniques. Let's try to figure out how to practice race walking correctly, and what race walking should be like for beginners.

Type of sport - race walking

To many presenters healthy image People have known throughout their lives what race walking is. This is one of the features of which is the presence of constant support. This technique differs from the usual walking by a different pace, step length, and positioning of the legs. Race walking can be called health-improving, since it has a positive effect on the functioning of all organs and systems. By doing this sport, you can lose weight and.

How is race walking different from running?

Race walking differs from running in rules, technique and speed of movement. The main requirement for race walking is to step straight and rest on your heel. One leg is in contact with the surface, and the projection of the body is in a vertical position. Experienced athletes highlight the following differences between running and this sport:

1. When running, the athlete lifts both legs at once between touches to the ground, and when walking, one leg makes the movement.
2. When running, a low start is allowed, and during race walking - only a full start.
3. The rules of race walking allow you to keep your leg straight when stepping, and bent when running.
4. Running is many times faster than walking, but the latter sport is much more rhythmic.
5. When running, the foot is subjected to six times the load, which can lead to serious damage. Race walking is safer.

Rules of race walking

In essence, race walking is an alternation of steps performed in such a way that the athlete always has contact with the ground. It is important to follow the following rules:

1. The forward leg must be fully extended from the very first contact with the ground until it passes the vertical.
2. Walking technique is assessed by judges at the distance. Including the senior judge, there should be from six to nine people.
3. Judges have the right to issue warnings to athletes using yellow paddles. On one side there is a wavy horizontal line, and on the other there are two segments connected at an angle of 150 degrees.
4. The judge does not warn the walker more than once about one violation of the rules.
5. Once a rule has been broken and the walker has received a warning, the referee must send a red card to the senior referee. An athlete may be disqualified if red cards from three different judges are sent to the chief judge.
6. The senior judge has the right to disqualify an athlete on the final lap, or on the last hundred meters of the distance.
7. For women, the distance should be 3.5 km in the arena, 10 km at the stadium and 20 km on the highway. For men - 3.5 km in the arena, 10, 20 km at the stadium and 20, 50 km on the highway.
8. With each new step, the foot of the front foot must come into contact with the ground until the foot of the back foot leaves the ground.
9. The supporting leg should not bend at the knee.

Correct race walking technique

The sport of race walking has its own technique. The point is to optimally calculate the required load on the body. The average speed should be from six to ten kilometers per hour. The race walking technique has the following basic rules:

1. Your arms should be bent at the elbows at an angle of no more than ninety degrees. They help the athlete move. If the hands are positioned correctly, this will make the walker's movement much easier.
2. The athlete should keep his back straight. However, the body should be tilted slightly forward. The main key to success in walking is maintaining a balanced center of gravity.
3. When walking, your heel should touch the ground first, and then your toe. Rolling is also important in race walking. It should be smooth and even across the foot.
4. Legs must not be bent.
5. You should move rhythmically and remember to breathe. Inhalation and exhalation should be deep and even.
6. To build up muscle mass legs, you can take a backpack with a small load on your back.

Walking shoes

For exercise to truly bring health benefits, it is important to choose the right:

1. The shoes should fit well on the foot, but not be too tight. If the sneakers dangle on your feet, you may get injured as a result.
2. The heel should be slightly raised.
3. The ideal option is shoes with thick rubber soles.
4. The upper of sports shoes should be made of breathable material. Leather or nylon mesh is a great solution.
5. Shoes should be changed once every six months.

Race walking - benefits for the body

Before choosing this sport, many people are interested in the benefits of race walking. With its help you can:

• normalize blood pressure;
• reduce cholesterol;
• strengthen the skeletal system;
• improve insulin production;
• increase muscle mass;
• tone the body;
• carry out prevention of cardiovascular diseases;
• reduce body weight.

Race walking - contraindications

Although the benefits of race walking are obvious, this sport still has contraindications. You cannot do race walking:

• during significant breaks in training;
• for injuries to the shoulder joints and arms;
• if race walking actively engages muscles;
• with flat feet;
• during hypertension;
• after abdominal surgery;
• with heart failure;
• if there is a network of infection and illness accompanied by fever;
• with anemia;
• in the presence of coronary insufficiency;
• during degenerative changes in the spine and joints.

Race walking - records

In total, athletes set three records in the race walking discipline - two world and one Olympic.

1. In August 2014, Frenchman Yoann Dini set a world record among men in Zurich with a result of 3 hours 32 minutes and 33 seconds.
2. Two years earlier in London, the Olympic record was set by Sergei Kirdyapkin. His result is 3 hours 35 minutes 59 seconds.
3. The world record for women was set in 2007 by Swedish athlete Monika Svensson. Her time is 4 hours 10 minutes and 59 seconds.

Race walking - Olympic champions

Athletes from the USSR, Australia, China and Poland were able to achieve significant success in this sport. Robert Korzeniewski has the largest collection of Olympic gold medals. He became the winner in the 50 and 20 kilometer distances. Famous race walking champions:

Among women, the following Olympic champions can be noted: