|
Walking is
the most popular fitness activity in America, and experts
agree that walking is a safe and effective way to build
cardiovascular fitness and help fight the battle of the
bulge.
Yet a time when the number of Americans who participate
in any sort of regular exercise is in decline, experts
now are saying that in addition to regular aerobic exercise
it is also important to do some sort of weight or resistance
training to maintain the strength and endurance of upper
body muscles. The number one reason given for not exercising
is "lack of time", and now aerobic exercisers are being
advised to spend an additional 30 minutes two or three
days a week to maintain upper body muscle fitness.
Fitness expert Tom Rutlin says he has a practical solution
for these time-strapped exercisers. For seventeen years
Rutlin has combined the convenience, simplicity and safety
of walking with the total body exercise benefits of cross-country
skiing through an exercise he likens to putting walking
into four wheel drive.
His "exerstriding" uses a pair of specially designed
walking poles and easy-to-learn techniques to involve
muscles in upper body, most importantly, the "core strength"
muscles of the trunk. According to Rutlin, "the core of
one's strength lies in large muscles of the back and abdominals.
Exerstriding techniques were derived as a result his years
of experience as a competitive cross-country skier, and
as a certified cross-country ski instructor. By using
a pair of poles and his specific, easy-to-learn techniques,
exerstriding simultaneously conditions every major muscle
in the bodies as one walks. According to Rutlin, "There’s
no need to do separate resistance workouts to build strong
back and abdominal muscles. I like to call it a
|
|
'multitasking exercise' because it combines
cardiovascular exercise with effective upper body resistance
exercise, which can really maximize results and save
precious time.”
Exercise walking with poles is catching
on in this country largely to through Rutlin's efforts,
but the popularity of exercise walking with poles in
Scandinavian countries, where nearly everyone is well
aware of the many fitness benefits of cross-country
skiing, has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few
years. According to Finnish ski pole manufacturer Exel,
more than 500,000 Fins (nearly 10% of the nation's population)
regularly walk with poles for fitness. The experts are
taking note and many are singing the praises of this
total body exercise version of walking.
For many years experts have praised the
fitness benefits of cross-country skiing, but Rutlin
points out that fewer than 5 million Americans ski even
a few days a year. In 1985 Rutlin realized that the
fitness benefits of cross-country skiing were derived
primarily from involving the large muscles of the upper
body through the use of poles. He says, "exerstriding
makes very similar benefits available to millions of
walkers year round. Best of all, unlike cross-country
skiing, exerstriding can be mastered in very little
time, and the benefits can be enjoyed year round in
any climate". Specially designed walking poles may be
used on paved or unpaved surfaces, and even in malls,
so walkers can enjoy the total body benefits of exerstriding
just about anywhere.
Steven I. Subotnick, D.P.M., professor of surgery and
biomechanics at California College of Podiatric Medicine
says, "essentially you're working the same muscles as
you would in cross-country skiing." Darryl Miller, of
the Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of Colorado
in Denver notes that "The fact that you're planting
the poles --- and working out your upper body --- makes
it a better aerobic workout than power walking." Orthopedic
surgeon J. Richard Steadman, of the
|
|
Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine
Foundation who is a big fan of walking with poles,
says "Walking with poles can also provide a way to
boost the efficiency of your walking workout. Since
the upper body contains more than 50% of the body's
muscle mass, the transfer of the force away from the
legs provides an overall workout that better shapes
and firms the whole body.
The clear result is a more efficient cardiovascular
and muscular workout, and with less stress on the
joints. Walking with poles is good exercise for everyone,
but particularly for those with early-to-advanced
degenerative joint disease or those rehabilitating
from knee surgery.”
According to a study conducted by John Porcari, Professor
in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at
the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and colleagues,
walking with -- vs. without -- poles significantly
boosted caloric expenditure and heart rate, and also
decreased impact forces in lower joints by up to 26
percent.” Porcari says he uses walking poles in his
adult fitness and cardiac rehabilitation programs
and notes they “have proven to be the most popular
and effective modality for increasing the intensity
of walking, especially in those individuals who cannot
walk fast enough to attain a training heart rate.”
Rutlin has led the crusade to get walkers to enjoy
the many fitness benefits derived from "putting walking
into four wheel drive". He points out that as with
any exercise, proper technique is important in maximizing
safety and results. He has done instructional workshops
for Walking and Prevention magazine events, The Cooper
Clinic, The American Volkssport Association, The International
Conference on Aging and Physical Activity as well
as for many schools, wellness organizations, and walking
clubs.
|
