3 Powerful Reasons To Do More Power Walks.
3 Powerful Reasons To Do More Power Walks.
Power walks are super simple things to do. You don’t need any special skills and you can start anytime. You just need to walk. It is one of the best versions of cardio (aka slow cardio). Plan ahead and make an effort. Go to your local park, next to the closed tube/train station or pretty much anywhere. It doesn’t have to be a beautiful place.
Take a power walking buddy with you for some added motivation. Load up your bag with weights from home or buy a weighted vest — this increases the intensity, making your body work harder and helping you to make progress. You can pretend to be a special forces soldier following a secret mission for 30 minutes, without having to be close to the front line.
You’ve most likely heard the concept of getting out of your comfort zone. I’m not suggesting bungee jumping into deep water when you have a phobia of heights and you can’t swim — that could end up being rather terrible and traumatic! But walking can be a good place to start and a pleasant experiment of leaving your safe comfort zone.
If you haven’t done power walks because it sounds boring being stuck with your own thoughts, then you might be surprised how great it can be to spend time on your own. And yes, you can actually post about it on social media. It is more impressive than another pair of trainers, new yoga pants or posing in front of an expensive car which you unfortunately can’t afford anytime soon.
If you think jogging sounds a better way to shred a few pounds, ask any physiotherapist what they think about jogging as a weight loss plan, and the stress it puts on your joints and ligaments when you have a lot of body weight to carry. Think back to our ancestors who mainly walked huge distances. Sprinting was saved for chasing food or running away from danger.
Power walks should take about 30 minutes. Take headphones with you; listen to audiobooks; music; podcasts; do walking meditation (with your eyes open obviously!); enjoy the process. If you like company then encourage some friends to go with you. Quite recently a few girls from my local neighbourhood started an unofficial power walk club. They had exactly the same process of recruitment as in the classic movie ‘Fight Club’ with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. First rule about Power Walk club is: you do not talk about Power Walk club. The second rule about Power Walk club is: you do NOT TALK about…. The results of some of them are pretty impressive.
So to conclude:
1. A huge reason for doing power walks is what most of us want — weight loss. Weight loss is actually a terribly depressing expression, so instead let’s just say dropping a few pounds. This method is practiced by many male and female competitors who want to lose a few pounds without stressing the body with hard-core cardio training.
2. It will help improve your health. It might not be as sexy as weight loss but I can’t imagine what could be more important in life. Power walks are a great tool for reducing high blood pressure and very helpful for people with high cholesterol. According to the National Cancer Institute, power walking can also be beneficial in lowering the risk of developing many different kind of cancers #fuckcancer.
3. It helps reduce stress. Instead of being so short fused that you constantly want to punch somebody in the face, you will start to release endorphins. You will feel great and your mind set will shift (especially if you have hectic days at work or at home). It will help you calm your mind, reduce unnecessary tension and just relax. If you have to speak with somebody about something difficult, it is good to do a power walk first — you will get more clarity, helping the conversation go better.
One of the best ideas these days is to track everything. Consider buying a fitness tracker to monitor your results and stay motivated.
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