Ready for Olympics - History: 100 metres

Should I design a new power walking program?

After joining the SIE bootcamp, I keep thinking about designing a new power walking program.

The first one was for academic purposes only, a research exploring the effect that power walking could have over health risk factors associated in metabolic syndrome (blood pressure, BMI, weight, fasting glucose).

During the research I have discovered a lot of things that I had no idea before.
The most important for me was that even if fitness professionals can come up with the BEST program ever, there is a BIG problem: if the client does not keep up with the frequency of exercising, there will be no result whatsoever.

I truly believe now that the first step should not be so much a perfect program, but a program which can be flexible and supportive enough for the client. Without permanent care and conversation with the client, I believe there can be no long term adherence to exercise, especially when is involved change, or the transition from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one.

So, to keep it short:
I would need to find out from people who do not exercise enough (or at all) currently, or who have a very low level of total physical activity during the average day - the following:


If you want to become more physically active, what are some of the barriers which, at present, keep you away from doing this? (Please do this in at least 100 words).


Could you please share this post with your friends, I deeply appreciate your help.

Power Walking: Core Exercises

Here we have another series of 4 core exercises.

Reaches

Lying flat on the floor, bend at knees, lift your heels. Activate core muscles - this means you pull your belly button towards your spine, and keep that muscle contraction during entire exercise. Lift both arms in front of you so they are in line with your shoulders.

Raise your head and shoulders from the floor, only by contracting your abdominals.

Lower under control, repeat. Keep the movement rhythmical.

Power Walking: Reaches

Crocodile crunch

Lying on the mat, lift both legs towards you. Activate the core muscles.

With your head and neck off the floor, raise the upper torso and bring the legs towards you, then reach. Lower under control and repeat the movement.

Power Walking: Crocodile Crunch

The plank

Activate your core muscles, drawing your navel to your spine. Resting on your forearms and toes, hold your body up. Keep your elbows under your shoulderblades with forearms facing forward.

Power Walking: The Plank

Hip abductions

Lying on your side, position one leg over the other, bending the lower leg. Do not point the toes. Lift the higher leg so that it is in line with the hip and return to the start position. Perform 6 repetitions.

Continue the same scissors like movement from hip line until the foot gets to the level of the shoulder. Repeat 6 times.

Without stopping, perform a full range  -shoulder to starting position - movement; repeat 6 times.

Change the side.

Power Walking: Hip Abductions

Repeat each exercise at least 2 times X 10 repetitions each side (where is the case).

Reference: 

Mark Anthony (2006) - "Once a week work-out, Transform your body in 12 weeks", Collins and Brown Publishing

Power Walking: Week 6 Day 5

It took me more than usually to get to the 5th day of power walking of the week...
I kept walking, at least 8500 steps a day; I really kept active, but I didn't do the intensive part of the walking.

Today it was the Rock'n'roll Edinburgh Half Marathon and I was around ;-) ...around, not in the race...not yet :-)

Even if I didn't manage to get a better editing, I hope you can get a flavour of how it was @Edinburgh...

Right after the race we have had our last group meeting of the 6 weeks of Power Walking project. Together with Jennifer and Kevin have done some heart rate tests, some new core exercises and a very light downhill jog...and yes, we can do them all!

This week I will try to do the post-exercise tests and consider done the college project. Now, if our volunteers want to continue for another 6 weeks (only from now on I expect to have real results), we can go on.

I will post tomorrow the core exercises.

Next Saturday, 21st of April, we will be at Cramond for the Edinburgh Parkrun.

5k, here we come!

I make sure there will be some pictures with us too :-)

Meanwhile, keep on walking!

Power Walking: Week 6 Day 4

Today 9,932 steps and about one hour of intense strength training.

I've also tried some new low GL recipes  - a lentil and paprika dip, then a falafel one (but again, no luck...still my falafel home cooked is far of resembling in any way with the one ready-made....); after the falafel failure, I decided to save at least tomorrow's breakfast, so I prepared for the first time, from real ingredients (nuts, seeds, many types of flakes) - muesli...I am really curious how it tastes.

Here I have some old pix, but I kinda like them...

Power Walking: View over Firth of Forth (I think this is how its called)

Power walking: Near Dean Village

Power Walking: A college - I think

Power Walking:  Museum of Modern Art

Power Walking: The water of Leith

Power Walking: St. Mary's Cathedral

Power Walking: St. Mary's Cathedral - detail

And keep on walking!..as you might discover great things while keeping fit and healthy ;-)

Power Walking: Week 6 Day 3

14,804 steps at the end of the day.
One hour of Body Blitz (quite disappointed).

Power Walking: Weather sandwich: Moments of bright sunshine between two rain sessions

Keep on walking!

Power Walking: Week 6 Day 2

Yes, to my amazement, today I didn't have the time nor the energy for my power walk session. So I took a day off. 

This doesn't mean I sat down all day long. No way. Because this is something impossible for me now. I got used with walking, and I don't feel comfortable at all if I don't do at least 5,000-6,000 steps a day.

Today was 'shopping walking' instead of 'power walking'...obviously not as intense, but certainly much longer...I hope the higher metabolism rate due to constant moving counts enough against the lower level of intensity. Not taking the bus should add a bonus to my calorie burning too.

Power Walking: Another grey sunset

I have ended with 8,816 steps, no power walking, quite some money spent and a new strong attitude against high heels. Tell me: why do women torture themselves with high heels? Is it for their own pleasure? Or just taking the pain for other's eyes pleasure...is it worth it???

Power Walking: Stiletto: Femme Fatale - from Science Festival St. Andrew's Square displays

Power Walking: Stiletto: Femme Fatale - Hugh Turvey

I leave you with these questions now.

Meanwhile, keep on walking!