The Power Of Power Walking

Calling all Pure Joy Wellness Walking Warriors!!! The Walking Challenge starts THIS SATURDAY, April 29! 

For those of you who have done the Challenge before, you know the drill. We’ll be walking 30 minutes, for 30 days straight—no excuses!

For those of you who are new to PJW, the Walking Challenge is the highlight of my year (so much so that I host it twice a year!). It’s a time when the whole PJW community of women comes together to support each other and prioritize our own mental and physical well-being. If you want to add more movement to your day, the Walking Challenge is the PERFECT way to do it. Plus, you’ll have myself and the community supporting you the whole time. So if you haven’t already, join us on Patreon HERE, which is where I’ll be hosting this year’s Challenge. 

There are no other formal rules for the Walking Challenge—you can go for whatever distance you want, at whatever pace you want, as long as you do 30 minutes for 30 days. In the past, I’ve personally used the Challenge as a way to make sure that I went outside every day, but this year, I’m upping the ante a bit. I plan to POWER WALK for all 30 days of the Challenge. For a quick primer on power walking and the benefits, read on. 

Power walking is basically speed walking. 

In other words, it’s walking at a slightly faster pace, with more effort exerted. (Think brisk walking!) Power walking is a low impact exercise, just like regular walking is—you’re just taking it to the next level, which makes for an even better workout. 

I’ve written a ton about the benefits of walking, and the nice thing about power walking is you get all the benefits of leisurely walking, and then some! Power walking increases your heart rate and circulation, lowers your disease risk, and you burn more calories doing it than slower paced walking (if that’s something that matters to you). 

I personally love power walking because I can multitask while I do it—I’ll listen to a podcast, some music, or call a friend or family member to catch up. Power walking also allows me to be outside/in nature and get my heart pumping, which helps release endorphins and makes me feel amazing. 

Like regular walking, there aren’t many “rules” for power walking. 

Something else I love about power walking is that it’s a “meet you where you are” type of exercise. Whatever your fitness level is, you can tailor your power walk to you. If you want a pace to aim for, or you like walking on the treadmill, aim for a 4.0 to 5.5 mile per hour pace. You can use the Map My Walk app to track your pace and distance, if you want to.

And in terms of how long you should power walk for, studies have shown that just 10 minutes a day can yield benefits. For the Walking Challenge, we’re walking for 30 minutes a day—but it’s not required that you power walk at all, or for the whole time. You can instead treat your walk like an interval exercise, and alternate between slower and faster paces. It’s good for your heart to keep your body guessing, anyway. How you choose to integrate power walking is up to you, but I encourage everyone doing the Walking Challenge to give it a try. It’s fun to push yourself and feel the endorphin rush! 

Remember, power walking is not running. 

I love running, but it is not the same as power walking. Running is a much higher impact exercise, and it can be challenging and even harmful for people who have bad knees or joint issues. Fortunately, power walking offers a lot of the same benefits as running, without the risk of injury. 

To power walk properly, all you have to do is make a few small changes to your form. 

Generally speaking, your form for power walking will be very similar to your regular walking form. Most of the changes l recommend making will happen naturally, without much added effort on your part. 

For instance, as you start to pick up the pace, you’ll notice that you’re taking shorter, faster strides. This is normal and part of good form! I also recommend utilizing your arms—keeping them by your side at a 90 degree angle and gently swinging them to help propel you forward. Engage your core as much as you can (aka contract/squeeze/flex your trunk muscles), and try to minimize the sway in your hips. You want your hips to move forward as you do, versus left to right. Make sure you keep your shoulders back and maintain an upright position—you want good posture while you walk!

Bottom line: Try it out and have fun. 

If you’re a regular walker, or exercise semi-regularly, there are no downsides or major risks to trying power walking. If you have a heart condition or existing injuries, it’s always smart to talk to your doctor about it first, to make sure it's safe for you. 

I love the way power walking makes me feel, and hope you give it a try so you can see for yourself all of the benefits it has to offer! I cannot wait to kick off the Spring Walking Challenge with you on Saturday. Make sure you’re subscribed to Patreon so you’re ready to go!

Xo, 

Renata