Power walk is a form of exercise as you take a quick and powerful walk. So you go a little faster than usual with bigger and more powerful movements in the arms and legs. Power walk can be a great way to improve fitness while strengthening muscles and skeletons.

Power walk can be translated with strength walk. The load on the muscles is evenly distributed during the power walk. Therefore, the risk of strain injuries in, for example, hips, knees and feet is also less during power walk than during running.



Partner for aged people

If you are aged and living in Aged care you can get a partner to Go for a power walk. If you are aged over 55 and living independently in retirement home you can still get a partner for your walk. You may ask why do I need a partner?
  1. you won't get bored
  2. you both can look after each other while doing the hard power walk.
  3. Just for fun!

Do this

Wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in. The best thing is if you have shoes with proper cushioning. You can walk wherever you are, where it feels safe to walk. It is good if you can walk in an area without traffic, for example in an outdoor area. Then you do not have to slow down or stop because of other road users.

Start at a slow pace

Always start at a walking pace, especially if you are not used to walking the power walk. Then you can increase both the speed and the length of your steps when it feels good to do so. The faster you go, the better fitness you can expect and the more you will endure. Keep in mind that you need to work with both arms and legs.

Do this:

  1. Think about the posture. Stretch on the body without sagging. Look ahead.
  2. Insert the heels as you walk and slide away properly.
  3. Bend the elbows to about 90 degrees. Close your hands without tying them hard.
  4. Powerfully swing your arms back and forth as you walk. The commute takes place from the shoulder, not from the elbow.
  5. Work with the arms close to the body so that the hands move in an arc from waist height to the height of the sternum.
  6. Tighten the abdominal muscles to support the lower back. Breathe properly from your stomach.
  7. Try to achieve a sense of relaxation in the neck and shoulders even though the arms work vigorously. Keep your shoulders lowered and slightly retracted using the back muscles.

How fast should I go?

You determine the speed based on your fitness. During the power walk, the feeling of load should be higher than during a normal walk.

So you can increase your training

One way to increase training is to increase the speed a bit in the hills. Another way is to use a pedometer. Try to keep the pace but increase the length of the steps. Then you also go faster. You have really good speed if you walk 7-8 kilometers in one hour.

You who want to increase the effect in the arm movements can use weights that are attached around the wrists. They are available for purchase in well-stocked sporting goods stores. A weight must not exceed 1 - 1.5 kg. Be careful when using weights so that you do not get strain injuries to your back, neck or arms joints.

How long should I go?

Decide for yourself how long you go. A goal can be 30-45 minutes fast walking 3-4 times a week. This applies to those who have the goal of feeling good, helping to keep the body healthy and having good fitness. Those who want to keep weight or lose weight should walk 45-90 minutes fast walking 4-7 times a week.

Feel free to stretch after the workout

Feel free to stretch the muscles of the upper body and lower body after training. You may get some exercise pain in the lower back and buttocks when you start with the power walk. This is especially true for those who are not used to going fast.

Exercise pain is common and usually goes over after the first few times. Often it feels good to stretch the muscles after the workout. The so-called hip flexor muscles, as well as the back and thighs of the thighs are the muscles that are most used in the power walk.

When stretching the muscles on the front of the hip:

  • Take a step back with one leg and push the hip forward on the same side. Don't be fooled.
  • It tightens on the front of the hip and in the groin when you do it right.
  • You can put one knee on the ground instead of taking a step back - but don't forget to push the hip forward on the same side.

Sometimes you may need to consult a doctor

It is good if you who have heart problems talk to a doctor before you start the exercise. This also applies to those who have high blood pressure or other disorders or diseases that affect your fitness.