Shin
and Ankle Strength
Most walkers at some point experience soreness in their
shin and ankle areas whether they are interested in race
walking or not. This can occur during the beginning phase
of a walk, especially when you have started out too fast
with little or no warm up. Soreness may also be experienced
24 to 48 hours after a workout, especially if you have
done speed work or have walked a longer distance than
usual. Improving shin and ankle strength and flexibility
can make your workouts more comfortable as well as be
a key factor in increasing your speed.
Here are a few ideas to strengthen
these muscles so you can get full propulsion as your foot
rolls through its contact with the ground.
1. Point and flex your feet
using an elastic band for added resistance.
2. Walk on your heels for several yards.
3. Perform calf raises on the edge of a step.
4. Rock up on your toes then back on your heels.
Repeat these exercises regularly
to reduce shin pain and to make your race walking more
efficient.
Interval Walking
Feeling the need for speed?
Or maybe you just want to get a little more out of your
walking workouts. Add interval walking to your training
schedule, and you will teach your body how to handle more
stress, which will result in better performance and an
increased fitness level.
The basic idea is to vary
the pace of your walk so you have a phase of working hard
(up to 90% of your maximum heart rate) followed by a recovery
phase where you stroll slowly, bringing your heart rate
down. The following are ideas that you can incorporate
into your training schedule:
* Always
warm up for at least ten minutes before each session.
* Tempo Walking
- Walk for 20 to 30 minutes at 85% of your
maximum heart rate. Follow with a ten-minute cool down.
* Walk 5 X 5 X 5!
- Walk five minutes fast, five minutes moderate,
repeat five times.
©1998-2007 Copyright by Jo Ann Taylor.
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