Casual Walking Pointless For Exercise
October 27th 2006 01:34
Casual Walking Pointless For Exercise
If walking is the only form of exercise you partake in, make sure you don’t just go about it casually. Research (and commonsense) shows that a casual stroll around the garden is doing jack-all for your health.
SMH’s Life & Style describes a study that shows that low-intensity walking alone is unlikely to generate significant health benefits compared to more moderately intensive workouts. It seems as though walkers adhering to the 10,000 steps a day program are too focused on the amount of steps taken rather than the intensity and pace of the exercise.
Australia’s ’10,000 Steps’ website says that those who reach 10,000 steps a day are considered to be ‘active’ even though most of these steps may come from just pottering around the office.
High intensity exercise is better for oxygen consumption, body fat control, lipid and glucose metabolism to name a few, says Vicki Harber. Harber tested the effects of the popular 10,000-step program against a traditional aerobic fitness program involving exercising at moderate intensity on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. When they matched the two regimes for total energy expenditure, the traditional fitness program improved aerobic fitness and reduced blood pressure more than the 10,000-step walking program.
If you want to stick to walking as your main source of exercise, the 10,000 step progrm is a good place to start, Haber says. But whilst reaching your daily goal, add some briskness and higher intensity. As many times as you’ve heard this, take the stairs instead of the lift! The extra steps you take in moderately intensive exercise are a good way to deviate from standard walking and help your heart and weight loss. It all adds up.
Image holds GNU Free Documentation License
If walking is the only form of exercise you partake in, make sure you don’t just go about it casually. Research (and commonsense) shows that a casual stroll around the garden is doing jack-all for your health.
SMH’s Life & Style describes a study that shows that low-intensity walking alone is unlikely to generate significant health benefits compared to more moderately intensive workouts. It seems as though walkers adhering to the 10,000 steps a day program are too focused on the amount of steps taken rather than the intensity and pace of the exercise.
Australia’s ’10,000 Steps’ website says that those who reach 10,000 steps a day are considered to be ‘active’ even though most of these steps may come from just pottering around the office.
High intensity exercise is better for oxygen consumption, body fat control, lipid and glucose metabolism to name a few, says Vicki Harber. Harber tested the effects of the popular 10,000-step program against a traditional aerobic fitness program involving exercising at moderate intensity on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. When they matched the two regimes for total energy expenditure, the traditional fitness program improved aerobic fitness and reduced blood pressure more than the 10,000-step walking program.
If you want to stick to walking as your main source of exercise, the 10,000 step progrm is a good place to start, Haber says. But whilst reaching your daily goal, add some briskness and higher intensity. As many times as you’ve heard this, take the stairs instead of the lift! The extra steps you take in moderately intensive exercise are a good way to deviate from standard walking and help your heart and weight loss. It all adds up.
Image holds GNU Free Documentation License
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