Walk30 Day 6 Power Walking Lesson # 1

YES Power Walking can be fun!!

              Walk30 Day 6 Power Walking Lesson # 1

People often ask me about Power Walking and what makes it different from ... walking.  I often begin my explanation by talking about what power walking isn't. 
Power walking isn't just a leisure walk .. the way we walk around in the world when we aren't rushed or in a hurry.
Power walking isn't just walking a little faster doing the same kind of walking that gets you from here to the car or around the block.
Power walking isn't race walking which requires the utmost in training and technique. Not that there is anything wrong with race walking ... there are power walkers who move on to become race walkers but most people find that they can achieve incredible results and many physical and mental health benefits by using power walking technique alone.
So what IS power walking? Lesson ONE
Power walking is putting more muscle and technique into your walk so that you can become stronger and go faster.
Let's start with the first thing we talk about as we coach our Intro to Power walking course.
Stand tall and focus on lifting your head and getting your body into alignment. We talk about many messages or thoughts we can repeat while walking that can help us to create a strong core as we move along. 
Power walking is about engaging more musles while you are walking. This  engagement of the core muscles while you walk will burn more calories during your workout and encourage your body to actually continue to burn calories after you stop walking. We start with the muscles that keep us upright.
What can you do to engage the 'girdle muscles'? 
First, stand tall, lift your head and place your finger tips on your hip bones at your sides. Next place your thumbs on the bottom of you rib cage. Stand as tall as you can and create as much room between your thumb and your fingers as possible ... pulling your ribs away from your hip bones.
Now, to show you the contrast ....  collapse and slump forward while still keeping you fingers and thumbs in position ... if you are like me you will notice that you have created a ring of bulge at your waist ( it is a bit bigger than before Christmas) ... that doesn't feel good.  If you create that distance (hip to rib) and at the same time tighten the butt which should bring your pelvis under and to a nice neutral position while you walk ... you are working your core and looking about 10 lbs lighter at the same time.
Try it in a mirror ... you will be surprised!
That is the first step to becoming a power walker but it isn't the last by far... stay tuned for lesson #2 and beyond. 
In the meantime try to stand tall and create that distance and length in your torso ... it will make a difference.
I did a neighborhood walk30 at twilight tonight and it was beautiful ... when I get the pictures out of my camera I will post them. 
Hope you had an awesome walk30 today.
Walk On Strong!
Sue