Race walking name. Athletics. Highway running

There is no more popular sport than athletics. Types of athletics are natural and diverse for humans, including running, jumping, walking, and throwing. To practice them, even high-level athletes do not require special expensive equipment. Therefore, the most disadvantaged and poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America can produce great champions in athletics and raise their prestige on the international stage.

Classification

Of all the Olympic sports, athletics is considered the most medal-rich. This includes 24 disciplines for men and 23 for women. The “Queen of Sports,” like any queen, is very conservative - the program for men’s competitions has not changed for more than half a century.

Only women achieved the right to compete in athletics sports that were previously considered male.

An inexperienced fan can easily get confused in the variety of competitions and disciplines, but for convenience they are all divided into several groups. These groups, as a rule, have some general criteria according to which certain sports are included in them.

Athletics are especially developed in English-speaking countries. Types of athletics here are divided into two large groups - “track” and “field”. As the name implies, the first includes all running disciplines, as well as walking competitions, and the second includes all the rest.

List of athletics types:

Cross country:

8. Marathon.

9. 100m hurdles.

10. 200 m hurdles.

11. 400 m hurdles.

12. 3000 m with obstacles.

13. 4 x 100 m relay race.

14. 4 x 400 m relay race.

2. Triple jump.

3. High jump.

4. Pole vaulting.

5. Javelin throwing.

6. Discus throwing.

7. Hammer throw.

8. Shot put.

Walking:

Traditionally, the sports included in athletics are divided into five large subsections: running, walking, throwing disciplines, jumping, and all-around. All of them, in turn, have their own varieties.

Basic athletics

Acquaintance with the basic types of athletics begins in early childhood and continues at school, where in physical education lessons children are taught running, long jumping, and throwing sports equipment. Later, the child can develop his skills acquired at school in specialized sports sections, where he can engage in more complex activities. All types of athletics, including basic types, will be discussed in detail below.

Walking

Race walking can rightfully be considered one of the basic sports of athletics. There is no more natural and common state for a person than walking. However, the most routine type of human activity is also a full-fledged sport.

As the competition progresses, the walkers have an irresistible desire to start running in order to get ahead of their rivals. However, the thoroughly written points of the rules clearly define the essence of race walking.

According to the letter of the rules, race walking is a cyclical movement consisting of alternating steps. The athlete must be in constant contact with the ground, the supporting leg must be straightened until it leaves the surface. Simply put, it is forbidden to lift off the ground, bend your knees, or start running.

Driven into the framework of strict rules, the distance walkers have a hard time; their every move is closely monitored by strict referees, who mercilessly punish the offenders for the slightest violation. For the first foul a warning is issued, for the subsequent one - removal. Therefore, among the types included in athletics, race walking is considered one of the most technically difficult. Despite the apparent simplicity, there are many nuances here; a large number of athletes leave the race for carelessness and sloppiness in technique. Russian athletics has produced many stars in race walking.

The events included in the Olympic program are 20 km for men and women, in addition, representatives of the stronger sex compete at an extra-long distance of 50 km.

Faster than the wind

Having barely learned to walk, the child soon begins to run around like mad, competing with friends in speed and endurance. They also run at a professional sports level, winning medals and titles, setting world records. When asked what sports are included in athletics, even the most distant person from sports will confidently name running.

The most spectacular and dynamic running disciplines are the 100 and 200 meter races, which are classified as sprints. The speed qualities of athletes and the ability to perform explosive, short-term work come to the fore here. The strongest sprinters are considered to be black athletes from the United States and the Caribbean, whose muscle structure, according to specialists in sports medicine and physiology, is ideal for such tasks.

The main sprint star of the last ten years is undoubtedly Usain Bolt, a Jamaican athlete who has consistently won all the major international tournaments from 2008 to 2017. He became an eight-time Olympic champion, multiple world champion, and set world records that for many years were considered physically impossible for humans by athletics experts.

Types of athletics are not limited to short sprint distances. The 400 meter race is considered a long sprint. This is one of the most difficult running disciplines, in which the athlete must not only develop high speed, but also maintain it over a fairly long section, that is, have speed endurance.

Hurdling is also included in the list of disciplines in the Olympic program. Men compete in the 110-meter race, and women compete in the 100-meter race.

Relay races

Relay team competitions are considered one of the most spectacular types of track and field running program. Based on this, relay races close the program of cross-country athletics at most tournaments.

Here the athlete works not only for himself, but also for his team; the teamwork of the athletes comes to the fore. Victory in the relay race is considered particularly honorable also because it gives an idea of the general level of development of running in a particular country. That is, even not the most stellar athlete has a chance to get a medal due to the high level of other teammates.

In athletics today there are two types of relay disciplines - 4x100 and 4x400 meters. The distance is divided into four stages, each of which is assigned to a specific athlete. At each stage, in a special corridor, the baton is passed from one team member to another. If the baton falls or is passed in violation of the rules, the team will be disqualified.

In the wake of the general popularization of mixed sports, relay races are being actively introduced into the competitive program, where men and women alternate.

Stayers

Every fan is interested in what types of athletics are included in the Olympic Games. Among them are middle and long distance running disciplines. The first group traditionally includes running 800 and 1500 meters. Here runners compete, who must have not only speed, but also endurance, and be able to distribute their strength over a distance of several laps around the stadium.

In addition, factors come into play here that are not taken into account at short distances. If the sprinters run along their own tracks and may not pay attention to their competitors, then after 200 meters the stayers enter the common track and are forced to fight quite hard for an advantageous position during the race. Therefore, middle-distance running is a competition not only in speed and endurance, but also in the ability to conduct a tactical fight.

Running 3000 and 5000 meters is considered long-distance running. Here the athlete’s speed is no longer important; his endurance comes to the fore.

If you look at what types of athletics are especially popular in Africa, you can easily notice that these are long-distance running disciplines. Africans are historically adapted by nature to overcome the vast expanses of the endless savannahs of their native continent. The largest number of awards at the world's largest tournaments are won by representatives of Kenya and Ethiopia.

In addition to the smooth running disciplines, stayers compete in steeplechase - a 3000-meter steeplechase.

Marathon

At all Olympics without exception, the final event of the entire sports program is the marathon. The winners and medalists of the marathon receive the exceptional honor of being awarded at the stadium during the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Such privileges are given to representatives of this type of athletics for a reason, since running 42 km is considered the hardest test of strength of the human body and requires incredible endurance and fortitude from the athlete. Marathon competitions have long outgrown the scope of just athletics; special commercial marathon tournaments are held, bringing together the best ultra-long distance runners.

Vertical

The list of athletics types would not be complete without jumping disciplines. Even children compete with each other to see who can jump the highest. Professional athletes also do this at prestigious competitions.

These types of athletics are divided into vertical and horizontal. The first include the high jump and pole vault. High jump competitions are held in a specially equipped sector. It includes space for a run-up, a special bar on holders and a place for landing.

Everything is very simple - the athlete runs up, pushes off with one leg, takes off, and lands. The opponents take turns storming the height, and for each mark they are given three attempts. The jumper has the right to transfer one or two attempts to the next heights. An attempt is not counted if the athlete knocks down the bar. However, if the judge has already counted the jump with a raised white flag, and the bar still does not hold, then the attempt is considered valid.

Pole vault is considered one of the most technically difficult disciplines. The athlete must have high sprinting qualities, jumping ability and excellent coordination. Just like in the high jump, the athlete is given three attempts for each mark. The height increase is at least 5 cm with each attempt.

Horizontal

The long jump is considered one of the oldest sports; it was part of the competition program of the ancient Olympics, held in Ancient Greece. Since 1896, this technical discipline of athletics has always been included in the program of the modern Olympic Games.

A good long jumper must have not only jumping ability, but also excellent sprinting skills. The competition takes place in a special sector, which includes a runway, a wooden take-off bar and a jumping pit.

It seemed that it could be simpler - he ran and jumped. However, there are some nuances here too. The length that the athlete jumped is measured from a special line on the bar to the edge of the hole in the sand pit for landing. When an athlete steps over the line, the attempt is not counted, so a good jumper must have the ability to calculate his run-up with millimeter accuracy and guess the rhythm of his steps in order to push off as close as possible to the allowed edge.

The triple jump is considered a more complex technical discipline, because the jump phase here is divided into three parts, which requires excellent coordination of movement to complete a clean attempt.

Throwing

The most muscular and strong athletes compete in the throwing disciplines of athletics. In this category there are the following types of athletics:

shot put;
hammer throwing;
discus throwing;
javelin-throwing.

Discus throwers and shot throwers began competing against each other at the modern Olympics in 1896, later joined by javelin throwers and hammer throwers.

In each of the listed types, the athlete is limited to a special area for the run-up and preparation for the throw. The distance of the attempt is measured from a special line that limits the area to the hole from being hit by a projectile.

The hammermen's area is limited by a special protective net that encloses the space on three sides to prevent the insidious projectile from flying into the stands and injuring any of the spectators. Javelin throwers are often at the mercy of the vagaries of the weather; a tailwind quite significantly interferes with a clear attempt and incorrigibly changes the trajectory of their projectile.

All-around

The most difficult type of athletics is the all-around. Athletes compete in several athletics disciplines, including running, throwing, and jumping. Each of them requires special specific qualities, so a good all-around athlete is always an example of a well-rounded athlete.

Men compete in ten types of athletics program, women - in seven. Grueling, grueling multi-event competitions always stretch over two days. On the first day, decathletes compete in the following events: 100-meter run, long and high jump, shot put; the closing event of the day is a 400-meter long sprint.

The grueling marathon continues on the second day with discus and javelin throwing, pole vaulting, and hurdles. The crowning glory of the competition is the 1500 meter run, which stands out from other events that require mainly short explosive muscle work and becomes a real test of endurance. The women's heptathlon program includes the same events with the exception of the 100-meter run, discus throw and pole vault.

For each type of program, the athlete receives points, awarded to him depending on the result shown. The winner is the one with the highest amount of credit points.

Russian Athletics

The sports included in the Olympic program are under special attention in each country. Russia has also given the world many “queen of sports” stars. Technical types are especially developed here, which include long jumps, pole vaults, and various types of throwing. Elena Isinbaeva is rightfully considered one of the best track and field athletes of all time, having set two dozen world records in pole vaulting. Also, the name of Tatyana Lebedeva, a world star in the triple jump, thundered throughout the world.

Cross-country athletics are unevenly developed in Russia. Middle distance running regularly produces excellent athletes. Yuri Borzakovsky, Maria Savinova - these stayers became world champions and Olympic winners.

However, in the sprint, the positions of Russian athletes, as well as all European athletes, are not so strong. Black runners from North America and the Caribbean clearly dominate here. It is also not easy to compete with them in long-distance running, where African athletes are strong.

Until recently, race walking was also the pride of Russian athletics, but numerous doping scandals have undermined faith in the purity of the achievements of domestic speed walkers.

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 all over the world move at a fast pace every day in the fresh air in order to achieve the 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 the 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:

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.
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.
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.
Legs should never be bent. In such walking, the main load is taken by the muscles of the thighs and calves.
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. The surest way to understand that the given pace of movement is optimal 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.

This type of movement, performed using the entire motor system, is the most accessible. Walking is recommended for all people, regardless of age, physical condition and health. Moreover, walking for health serves as an excellent protection against diseases of the respiratory system.

The distance of the journey and is determined by your physical condition and health. When you walk at a speed of 5 km per hour, your oxygen consumption increases four times, therefore, at the very beginning, it should be uniform and correct. If you breathe irregularly, fatigue will quickly come, so breathe at a speed of 5 to 6 km/h, follows this: on inhalation four steps, on exhalation five steps. When you adapt to breathing while walking, it will not be necessary to control it; the process will occur arbitrarily. Signs considered satisfactory after walking are: slight perspiration, slight fatigue, breathing is not difficult, and a feeling of satisfaction on the face.

Types and characteristics of walking

Walking can be divided into three main types.

Regular. Everyone walks this way, and at the same time receives a positive effect on the material metabolism in the body, on the functioning of the circulatory system, and, as a result, the heart. When walking normally, the lungs are ventilated and health is improved.
Accelerated. With this type of walking, will is generated and development occurs. As a rule, this walking is performed using small and frequent steps, and is recommended for people who. These are mainly patients who have had a heart attack.
. This type of exercise can be practiced every day for 45 minutes, at any convenient time, except in the evening, as it increases performance and does not require large energy expenditures. You should start with a small distance, about one kilometer, gradually increasing the distance of your journey, at a pace of 1 kilometer in 20 minutes. When walking, it is better to remain silent so as not to lose your breath. It must occur both in a uniform and spontaneous manner. Start with two kilometers, covering them in half an hour, gradually increasing the path, but without slowing down. Make sure that your heart rate does not exceed 95 beats per minute.

Walking in a natural and simple way means correcting your figure, improving your gait, and strengthening various muscles in your body. This accessible type of physical activity is invaluable for people who are able to move.

Walking affects the development of various muscle groups

Slow way heel to toe, develops the body and promotes it. In this case, the pelvic muscles and... The knees should be straight, the arms bent at the elbows, freely rising to chest level, and the abs should be pulled in.
At walking on heels, keep your legs straight, just like with. If you walk on your toes, your heels should not touch the floor, and vice versa. This method doubly promotes the development of the back, calf, and cervical muscles. With this method, deposits are removed and restored.
High leg raise when walking, it corrects the tightness of your buttocks and ankle muscles. You should walk correctly with your knee bent. Raising it high, and gradually stepping first on the toe, then on the heel. This should be done energetically and clearly. The head is raised, hands are clenched.
Walking with long strides. The movements with this method are a little slower, while maintaining the synchronization of the legs and arms. The heel roll should be smooth and will work almost every muscle group in your body, helping improve coordination. You should stretch your step gradually, as you can overstretch your leg muscles.
Cross and side steps often used in . Steps are taken alternately. The calf and gluteal muscle groups work here, and the accelerated execution of such exercises is easy and helpful.
Steps with lunges in half squats, effectively eliminate excess deposits on the hips, waist, and abdomen. Lunges should be performed completely on the foot, most of the load falls on the leg muscles, this method is useful for preventing formation in the hips.
Walking forward with your back, helps correct and corrects posture well. This method is performed from the toe, rolling onto the heel of the foot. It is quite difficult to maintain coordination of the arms and legs in this way, but it helps to straighten the gait and gives self-confidence.
Up the steps. Here you should start the movement and put the load on the front of the foot, and rely on it, making further movement with the other leg. In this case, the tension falls on the calves and hip muscles.
Walking in a squat and floor - squatting, performed on bent knees. If you do the exercise half-squatting, the movement begins from the front of the foot, and if in a full squat, then the legs are placed on the entire foot. The back should be completely straight, hands on the waist or on the knees.
Gymnastic appearance. Here the execution takes place with wide steps on the full foot.

Race walking

This type of walking is Olympic track and field discipline. Its peculiarity is that there is constant contact with the ground, unlike running, and the leg brought forward maintains a straightened position.

Walking over a distance of 20 km and thinking, in which both men and women participate.
50 km walk, an Olympic event for men only.
Track competitions (10,000 and 20,000m)
Track length competitions at the stadium (5,000m)

Nordic walking

This is also an Olympic sport, performed by helping to relieve the shoulder girdle and muscles of the supporting apparatus, allowing one to climb mountains and walk over rough terrain. popular and loved by many for its accessibility and ease of movement. It does not require special preparation, just pick up the sticks and you can start training. It is worth starting to walk from short distances.

Walking is one of the fundamentals of human existence. It is akin to movement, because every day, hour, minute we are in a moving state. Thanks to this, it is maintained in the body, processes associated with metabolism are stimulated, and the cardiovascular and muscular system is simply strengthened. Over time, people have turned walking into something more than just a walk in the park. Many means have been invented to diversify the seemingly monotonous, but healthy walking. Scientists began to conduct experiments and found that you can walk not only for health benefits, but also to strengthen it and even improve the appearance of the body.

Today, there are dozens of programs for people who want to get rid of extra pounds. Wherever you look, no matter what program you choose, there will be exercises that include various types of walking and running. Running is a metabolic accelerator. It is easy to notice that after 30-60 minutes of intense running, a feeling of thirst and then hunger arises. And all because the blood begins to circulate throughout the body faster than usual, and the process of oxygen supply occurs, accordingly, faster. But there is very little oxygen from the environment, so the body begins to process secretion products into oxygen. Due to this, metabolism is accelerated and the feelings described above are enhanced.

This article will focus on types of walking. We will also look at how much weight you can lose by walking and how to do it correctly.

Types of walking

In general, six types are distinguished. So, let's list them:

walking (usually less than 2 km per hour);
walking at an average pace (with this type of movement you can walk 1 km in 10 minutes);
Nordic walking with specialized poles;
energy-consuming walking;
race walking (you can cover 1 km in 6-8 minutes);
very fast walking (the speed of this type is more than 8 km per hour; such results can only be achieved through constant training).

Race walking technique

Did you think walking was that easy? If you really caught yourself thinking this way, then get ready to find out that everything is not as simple as it seems. Sports or physical training type of walking is the most difficult of all.

The main feature of race walking is the fixation of a two-support position. Many are now asking the question: “What does this mean?” This means that when walking, the swing leg, which is carried forward, must step on the ground before the toe of the supporting leg comes off the surface. And the second important principle is that with each step, the leg on which the emphasis is placed must be straightened at the knee joint.

This looks more like a cross between walking and running.

The speed that can be achieved through race walking may vary. It all depends on the frequency and length of steps.

When walking, carry the entire weight of your body with the least effort. To do this, you need to straighten your back and lower your shoulders (that is, relax them). The legs should not be too tense, but use the joints fully.

As for the position of the arms, they need to be bent at the elbow joints and moved parallel to the body. This is a very important aspect, since you can use your hands to add more speed to your steps. Do not strain your brushes too much. If you want to give maximum speed to your movement, bend your elbows more.

Don't forget about your torso, which should be straight, chest straightened, and lower abdomen tucked.

What are the benefits of walking?

Everyone knows that walking is not only a way to maintain vital activity and tone the body as a whole, it is also a way to lose weight. No matter what type of walking you do, any type of walking helps develop a good respiratory system. It is important not to forget to breathe correctly, because a lot depends on it. For example, how the metabolism will proceed, quickly or slowly, with or without failures. Let's take a closer look at the benefits of walking and list some aspects of what exactly walking helps with.

Strengthening the respiratory system

This is the first thing that we are considering today that can help. We present a number of very important rules for breathing while walking.

When playing sports, you need to breathe through your nose. Try to develop your steps, combining them with inhalation.
It is best to carry out physical activity away from the roads.
When the temperature outside is below zero degrees, exhalation after inhalation should be done after 2-3 steps in order to avoid respiratory diseases.
In order to quickly get used to the rhythm of your movements, you can use a music player as an assistant.
Don't forget to monitor your pulse. 10 minutes after stopping intense walking, do not forget to feel for it. The heart rate should be fully restored by this time period.

This kind of walking is a universal type of load. People of any age, even children, can practice recreational walking. But depending on the same indicators, there are certain conditions for each group.

Varieties of tempos

The degree of stress on the body depends on the pace of running, so you should pay attention to the following classification:

Slow pace. This is how sick people and those recovering from surgery or the same illness are advised to walk. Typically, the pace of such a group varies from 60 to 70 steps per minute.
Average temp. It is typical for beginners, 70-90 steps per minute and is the very indicator that you should stick to if you are one of this type of people.
Fast walking is recommended for all healthy people. It is believed that 90-110 steps is the optimal indicator.
For those who exercise daily for a long time, there is a very fast type of walking. At this pace, people walk 110-130 steps per minute.
The fastest pace is over 130 steps per minute; it is very difficult to adapt your body to such loads.

After familiarizing yourself with the different types of walking, you can choose the type and pace of exercise that suits you.

The main principle will be systematics. Monitor your pace and heart rate. helps improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, prevents cancer, increases the performance and level of a person’s psycho-emotional background.

"Why exactly Scandinavian?" - this question can be heard quite often. And all because this type of transportation was invented in the Scandinavian countries. Most of us know why countries near the Arctic Ocean are primarily popular. This is cross-country skiing and walking. But how to ski in the summer, that’s the rub, but even here the descendants of the Vikings found a way out - they took ski poles with rubber tips.

The essence of walking is that the arms move alternately with the legs. With the help of sticks, the upper body is strongly worked out, unlike regular walking. This type can most likely be included in the category of “weight loss exercises”, because in an hour of such training you can lose about 400 kcal. It improves the functioning of the heart muscle, lungs and strengthens the whole body.

Walking poles are not made from ordinary materials. Fiberglass coupled with carbon are the main components of this piece of equipment. The handles follow the anatomy of the palm and allow you to move without discomfort, and carbon makes the poles elastic. It is this elasticity that allows you to absorb most impacts on your hands. To choose sticks, you need to use one simple formula: “human height” * 0.68.

What type of walking will help you lose weight, read below.

Let us immediately warn you that to achieve any results you will need maximum effort. Every day, a person trying to lose 2-3 extra pounds needs to walk at least 10,000 steps at a high pace. It should take approximately 12 minutes to walk 1 km.

To see the result in the mirror, you need to walk 12 km daily. Equip yourself to the fullest - wear weights on your feet and clothes that keep you hot. If you want to diversify your workout, you can climb up the stairs, as this process also burns a sufficient amount of calories.

When you walk, you think little about what you are doing, what your actions are aimed at, what you want to achieve. Energy walking is just a meaningful and systematic movement of the body. During such loads, you should be as focused as possible on the result and tell yourself a goal. Feel the surge of energy, direct it in the right direction and focus as much as possible on what is happening.

We looked at all the walks and their features. Don't forget that movement is life, and you need to live healthy.

Race walking is known to us from the Olympic Games: this sport is included in the list of athletics disciplines, but stands apart from its running types: in this case, it is necessary to constantly maintain contact between the ground and feet. Women compete at a distance of 20 km, and men – 20 and 50 km, in case the competition is held outside the stadium. If the competition takes place at a stadium or indoors, the distances are shorter, since walking on a hard surface, unlike walking on the ground, puts a strong load on the joints of the lower extremities.

Race walking: technique

Many people consider regular walking not intense enough and prefer to use race walking for weight loss. In order to try, you need to remember the necessary conditions for correct execution:

you need to quickly step on the ground, without stopping the contact of your feet with the ground for a second;
the leg that is in front must be straight throughout the entire period from the first step on the ground to the end of the entire vertical line;
at the same time you need to move as quickly as possible;
The arms should be bent at the elbows and make characteristic movements.

This technique is very complex, so athletes are often disqualified due to violations. Make sure you do it correctly so that what you are doing is truly race walking!

How to breathe correctly when walking?

We all know what an important role proper breathing plays in sports. In this case, you need to breathe rhythmically, deeply, in time with the movement. Most importantly, even when you feel noticeably tired, do not switch to mouth breathing, this will only take away your strength even more.

Running or walking - that is the question

It is difficult to answer unequivocally what is better – running or walking. Both of these types of athletics disciplines put quite a lot of stress on the leg joints, train the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, endurance, and perfectly get rid of fat deposits in the abdomen, hips and buttocks (and if you actively involve your arms in the work, then your arms too).

Of course, in this comparison we are talking about fast walking, since walking is a very light load, and in order to achieve the same weight loss results, you need to walk for at least two to three hours in a row.

It is best for each person to try each of the options and independently choose the one that seems most comfortable. Some people do not like to run and would rather walk at a fast pace than go for a run; others, on the contrary, like to develop rapid speed while jogging. Any aerobic exercise is an excellent aid to the body in strengthening health, muscles and endurance, which means that no matter what you choose, you will benefit from it in any case.

How to choose walking shoes?

It is important to choose the right shoes to protect your joints. The best option is high-top sneakers that hide the ankle joint and are clearly secured to the leg with lacing. In addition, it is important to pay attention to how the shock absorption is designed - it should be reinforced in the heel area.

If you walk in a park or forest on natural soil, then the shock absorption may be average, but if you walk on asphalt (which is not very good for your joints), then you should make sure that the shock absorbers in your sneakers are at their best.

The main thing is that sneakers should be comfortable, your size, fit well on your feet and be light and comfortable. Only in this case will you be able to not only train, but also enjoy the process itself.