Fat Burning Walk

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

26 Jun 2006 10:45 AM

Power walking is one of the best fitness tools at your disposal for burning excess fat. In fact, most fitness experts will tell you that any successful weight loss program is going to require a cardio program because cardio is the most likely type of exercise to burn fat from all over the body. Weight training is a good accompaniment to help you tighten and tone certain areas, but nothing replaces a solid cardio workout.

So if you are looking for a good fat burning workout that takes only 30 minutes a day - go for power walking. The following is an example of a power walking routine that you can perform on a treadmill.

Power Walking

• Begin with a 3 minute warm up at a 2.0 to 2.4 pace
• Increase your pace to 2.7 for 2 minutes
• Increase the pace to 3.0 and lengthen your stride for 3 minutes
• Increase the pace to 3.3 for 2 minutes
• Slow back down to 2.7 for 2 minutes
• Spend 5 minutes alternating every 30 seconds between 2.7 and 3.3 speeds
• Spend 1 minute at 3.5
• Reduce Speed back to 2.5 for 2 minutes
• Spend 6 minutes alternating every minute between 2.7 and 3.3
• Reduce speed back to 2.5 and cool down for five minutes

Your heart rate should climb during the high-speed rates and your should be panting during those moments. Alternating between high and low intensity shakes the body up and keeps your heart jumping. Never skip the cool down, you need it. Try spending a few minutes stretching a few minutes before and after in order to avoid cramping as you are getting started. Try repeating this program 4 to 5 times a week.

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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