It’s common to overlook the simple yet effective exercise of walking and the benefits that this contributes to an individual’s life. Not only does walking serve as a great stress reliever, but this also plays a key role in maintaining a healthy heart. Let’s explore the best walking pace for cardio and discover the world of heart healthy walking.
IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH THROUGH WALKING
Understanding the correlation between walking and cardiovascular health is crucial prior to diving into the specifics of walking pace. Consistent physical activity, including walking, is known to reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and overall improve cardiovascular function. In addition, walking can help manage weight, reduce stress, and boost overall heart health. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per week. Walking is an incredibly valuable way to meet this goal.
FINDING THE BEST WALKING PACE FOR CARDIO
Determining the optimal walking pace is essential for beginning your heart healthy walking journey. Finding this pace isn’t universal and is specific to each individual. Some ways that this is determined are based on factors such as age, fitness level, and lifestyle activities. Aiming for a brisk walking pace that boosts your heart rate and creates a light sweat is key.
TIPS TO DISCOVER THE BEST WALKING PACE
1. ESTABLISH YOUR TARGET HEART RATE
It is very helpful to calculate your target heart rate prior to beginning your walking journey. A target heart rate to focus on during moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, is 50-70% of your maximum heart rate. In order to estimate what your maximum heart rate is, you can subtract your age from 220. This will give you a gauge for a target heart rate during your walking experience.
2. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
It is crucial to listen to your body when determining the best walking pace for cardio. A key rule of thumb is to aim for a pace that may challenge you but also allows you to carry a conversation while walking. If you happen to notice that you are out of breath or slowly becoming out of breath, it is likely an indication that this walking pace is a bit too intense for your body. On the other side of things, if you can continue communication effortlessly, consider increasing your walking pace.
3. HEART HEALTH INTERVAL TRAINING
One way to spice up your walking routine is to incorporate interval training into your walks. Interval training is a way to burn more calories, build fitness, and improve your walking pace. Some of the benefits of interval training include improving your stamina, strength, and stress levels. Interval training involves rotating between brisk walking and slow pace walks. A lot of times, interval training can be sectioned out by minutes. For example, two minutes of brisk walking and 1 minute of slow walking continued on. Incorporating interval training into your walking can improve cardiovascular health, burn more calories, and enhance endurance.
4. STAY CONSISTENT & GRADUALLY GROW
If you are new to incorporating heart healthy walking into your daily routine, the number one tip is to stay consistent! Staying consistent is key as this is how you will best grow and enhance your walks. Begin at a comfortable pace and slowly increase the speed and duration of your walks. This approach will allow your body to continue to adapt and reduce risks of any injuries.
DETERMINE YOUR WALKING PACE FOR CARDIO & BEGIN WALKING
By discovering and maintaining your personal optimal walking pace, you can enhance your cardiovascular health which contributes to a stronger and healthier heart. Begin by finding a walking pace for cardio that challenges you, while also listening to your body to determine what is best for you. Lace up those sneakers and walk into a healthier and happier you!
Don’t forget to share your walking journey with us on social media at Fit2Run, The Runner’s Superstore!
