Fitnessy Question
I have a question for my fitnessy readers: is it better to walk longer on the treadmill at a less-than-soul-crushing pace, or a shorter amount of time at a pace that makes me wish for death to relieve the shin splints?
Filed under: exercise on June 24th, 2008
You want to walk at a pace that gets your heartbeat up for a sustained period of time. This requires you to know what you standing heart rate is, and increase it by exercising. Rarely would it be fast enough to wish for death, but its not slow as a walk in the park. Does that help?
HI~ New here, stumbled upon your site…As long as your heart rate is elevated (at whatever is your level) for at least thirty minutes, you are doing well. You should do what is most comfortable for you to build up to whatever level of fitness you are hoping to achieve. Training in intervals is actually the most effective way…in other words, if are on a treadmill…walking on it the same way day after day, you will get in shape, loose weight (whatever your goal is) and eventually you will level off…by changing up your routine every couple of times, you use different muscles and your body does not get “used” to doing it, and you won’t get bored either…..hope this makes sense… Good luck!!!
I don’t exactly fall into the category of your “fitnessy” readers, but using intervals of different speeds is good - you walk at a comfortable but brisk pace for a set amount of time, then you speed it up for a short time & then go back to comfortable. Like 3 minutes brisk to 1 minute fast.
Prevention Magazine has an interval walking podcast available on iTunes - there are 2 versions, beginner & advanced, and they’re pretty good until you get sick of the music, but by then you’ll know what to do on your own.
What I learned back in high school P.E. (so this info may be out of date) is that the distance is the most important thing. If you run a mile or if you walk a mile, both are the same amount of good for you—it’s just that running gets it over with faster.
I’ve heard the interval training is supposed to be good. But then at different times I’ve heard the same about all of that, distance, intensity, whatever. I like the interval way because I get to SLOW DOWN often.
TSK!
Don’t push it right now, walk at a comfortable rate. You should be walking fast enough to where talking would be difficult but not impossible but not so slow that you can chat the whole time easily.
It’s more important that you walk 30 minutes at a slower pace than 15 minutes at a fast pace; it’s the 30 minutes that counts more. And you can split it up too; I used to do 10 minutes on the treadmill, ten minutes on the recumbent bike and 10 on the stair master. I didn’t kill myself over any of it but switching the machines helped with boredom and also, switching cardio machines forces your body to recalibrate. It can get “used to” doing the same thing the whole 30 minutes and it’s not as effective.
I think you were actually asking about the SHIN SPLINTS (right?), and for that I think I would try the slower pace. If you get more bouncy the faster you go, as most of us do, that could aggravate it.
Try taping your leg behind your shins if nothing’s helping!
You know my motto - do what feels good. And then up it just one little notch every time. Patience is not my forte, but that’s what it took for me. Learn to listen to your body - that’s how you’ll maintain exercise for the long haul…
how about heading over to the elliptical machine? that thing saved my life. well, at least from the knees down.
I think walking at a slower pace (but that increases your heart rate) for a longer period of time seems to be really, really good for you (from what I’ve read). Feel free to take that with a grain of salt!
But! Great job working out!! Woo hoo!
umm
yeah
what they all said.
I would say walk longer at a more comfortable rate. That’s what I tend to do most of the time. I push myself more for the distance rather than speed. But I don’t know if there is a good reason for that over the other.
I agree with the pace at which it’s work to talk but not so much work that you’re too winded to talk. Does that make sense?
I’m all about not wanting to die when I work out and I think that starting slow and tolerable is more valuable than running your guts out and having total dread about working out the next time.