Re: [at-l] training

[Delita Wright <delita@mindspring.com>]

>Between the miserable weather and a round of Doxycyclene, I've done more
>walking than running lately. I usually go with hand weights or my hiking
>poles. Should I add ankle weights to up the workout? If so, what will I
>achieve?
>
>Thanks-
>Give Me Chocolate
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Oddly, I just this minute finished reading the chapter "Will Walking Make
Me Fit" in Covert Bailery's _Smart Exercise_ and put it down to read your
email...   (wooOOOooo....)

To summarize:  Yes, going with hand weights or your poles could make the
difference.  Put on your backpack with some weight in it to really do it.

The idea is that normal walking pace is barely aerobic for most folks, but
if you add in weight, or poles, you are using more muscles so you get more
of a workout - and it can move you are enough up the aerobic scale to do
some good.

Walking does work (any way you do it) but the milder it is, the more you
have to do to get the effect.  So adding poles/weights gets your more for
your minutes.

I have read also that wrist and ankle weights can (in some people) throw
their body enough out of balance enough that they do damage rather than
good.  I would assume this doesn't apply to you - but for me, I think I
will stick with the backpack and poles.

Also, pushing you up a notch aerobically will cause you to burn fat, not
just calories (calories burned are about the same either way).  Which of
course I need, but judging from how you look in your emails, you don't. ;-)
But maybe someone else wanted to know.....

Wonder what kind of geek a look like walking around Chapel Hill with my
backpack and soon-coming poles?

Delita


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