Why do muscles determine walking speed?
Many people maintain a regular walking habit but still do not see progress. The reason may not be cardiovascular or technical, but muscle strength.
Ms. Wanitha Ashok, a fitness trainer in India, shared with Health Shots: To walk faster, you need strong legs to create push-ups, along with stable core muscles. The stronger the muscles, the more efficient each step is."
A study published in the European Journal of Sports Science also confirmed that: increasing lower limb muscle strength significantly improves speed and efficiency when walking.
In addition, according to Harvard Health's recommendation, incorporating basic strength exercises into your weekly exercise schedule will help improve overall fitness, increase endurance and limit exercise injuries.
4 strength exercises to help walk more effectively
You don't need to go to the gym to improve your fitness. With just your body weight, you can exercise through the exercises below:
Squat: Substrate for lower body exercises, which help strengthen the thigh muscles, hamstrings and especially the glutes, the main engine for the leg straps.
Lunge: Simulates step-by-step movement while walking, helping to train balance while strengthening the thighs and glutes.
Glute Bridges: Focus on the glutes, which are often lazy to move due to the habit of sitting a lot, creating strong push-ups when walking.
Calf Raises: The calves play a role in pushing the feet forward. Strengthening this muscle group makes each step lighter and more flexible.
According to the Korean Journal of Family Medicine, you should maintain these exercises 2-3 times a week, on non-consecutive days to give your muscles time to recover.
To continue to challenge yourself, you can combine brisk walking with each period of time, climbing slopes or changing your route. The American Heart Association recommends incorporating brisk walking into your walking routine to improve cardiovascular endurance and increase natural speed.
Coach Wanitha Ashok emphasized: walking, like all other forms of exercise, needs to be changed and upgraded gradually. Only when your muscles are strong enough do you see a clear difference in every step.
Combine strength to walk better
By building a strength foundation, you not only improve your walking speed but also help your body become flexible, reduce the risk of injury and increase the effectiveness of comprehensive exercise. These simple exercises can be done at home, making it easy to form habits and get ready to leave your old pace behind.
