My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

Exercise

Anyone interested in joining a power-walking thread for New Year??

115 replies

Countingtheflocksbynight · 30/12/2008 19:25

There was a similar one last year for those valiant Mumsnetters who took part in Moonwalks. It was a thread where everyone reported progress (or not - as in my case latterly) trials, injuries and triumphs and gained a bit of motivation and support.

I just want to start walking for fitness again in the new Year (haven't even worked out my new regime yet - daily or thrice weekly) but just wanted to get the ball rolling.

Anyone interested?

OP posts:
Countingtheflocksbynight · 30/12/2008 20:15

Anyone either moon-walking or walking for fitness this year? (shameless bumping)

OP posts:
Countingtheflocksbynight · 30/12/2008 22:37

and again ...

OP posts:
Countingtheflocksbynight · 31/12/2008 11:50

One last try, perhaps everyone is indoors wearing Brora fingerless gloves, Boden gilets and Ugg boots trying to avoid the thought of exercising in the cold ...

Can't say I blame 'em. Fancy a Greggs sausage roll myself right now. Ho hum ...

OP posts:
madlentileater · 02/01/2009 19:17

OK then, tell me about powerwalking...
this time last year I started the couch potatoe to 3k thing, but knees got wrecked. how far/oftne do you plan to do it?

JollyPirate · 02/01/2009 19:20

Yep - count me in - am a complete couch potato and don't take nearly enough exercise. Tell me about power-walking - how is it different from "normal" walking?

bran · 02/01/2009 19:22

I'm going to start walking on Monday. Since DS changed school I haven't walked much at all. I used to take him on the bus and walk home, then walk to pick him up, 1.55 miles each way. I have to drive him to his new school, but it's beside a lovely park so I'm planning to walk for 30-40 mins and let the rush hour traffic die down before I head home. I don't know if I'll be properly power walking though. My natural walking pace is an 18 minute mile and much faster than that I start to get sweaty, which will be ok on days that I just go home again, but less pleasant if I'm going off shopping or something.

I'm hopeing to rope in one or two of the other mums and dads so at least I'll have someone to talk to.

madlentileater · 02/01/2009 19:24

am going to google power walking

used2bthin · 02/01/2009 19:28

Count me in I have been really lazy about walking recently. How much are we planning on doing? I was going to try and aim for 30-40 mins three times a week. On top of usual walking to groups etc, none of them are that far away though. I find it hard to walk with DD as she climbs out of the pushchair now so will be doing it when XP is here mainly.

Countingtheflocksbynight · 02/01/2009 21:09

Oh crikey sorry - I had given up on this thread and have now returned to loads of replies!! Fantastic!!

Thanks and welcome all!! (So relieved to have some virtual companions on my solitary treks around the park - it was all getting a bit tragic there for a minute )

Hi to:

MadLentilEater
Jolly Pirate
Bran
Used2bethin

Will be back with more info about power-walking and a schedule if anyone is interested but basically it means doing 30-50 mins of brisk walking 3 or 4 times a week (keeping up a higher than normal heart beat but not so fast you can't hold a conversation).

You can also track your progress with a pedometer or a timer (around a set circuit). Drink a glass of water half an hour before you leave and after your return. Good walking trainers essential.

Will come back with more proper info and schedule over the weekend ...

Does everyone want to start on Monday 5th?

OP posts:
Countingtheflocksbynight · 02/01/2009 21:37

Ok - found it! It's from Good Housekeeping Magazine. It's actually a daily walking plan but I might only manage it realistically x4 per week. I'll have to see how it goes.

Here's the plan I used for part of last year before I fell off the wagon (work and family reasons). I found it really effective!

There are two levels: entry and advanced. I will be back at entry level!!

www.allaboutyou.com/diet-wellbeing/walking-plan-introduction/v1

All the info is there but the pages containing weeks 1-8 are out of order in the article, so just scroll down to it. It is a 24 week plan initially.

If you decide to go with this particular plan and if you are using a pedometer you could establish your baseline number of steps per day by keeping track of your steps each day this w/e (usually done over 3-day period) and take the top number as your start baseline.

We also need to complete the fitness walking test:

"Monitor your progress by recording your heart rate and the length of time it takes you to complete a short walk. As you get fitter, you will walk faster and your heart rate will fall. Test yourself over a quarter kilometre if you're doing the entry-level programme or over half a kilometre if you're at the advanced level. If you don't know the exact distances, simply find a route to test yourself over, and always repeat the test over the same route." More info about this test is in the article.

Here's week one:

Find your optimum walking pace (OWP)

Start walking and gradually pick up speed until you feel you need to jog. This is your breakpoint. From that point, reduce your pace by 3-5% - this is your optimum walking pace. You should feel as if you are walking at a much faster pace than normal. Check it with a ?talk test'. If you are walking slowly enough to have a conversation, you're probably walking too slowly. If you're gasping for air, slow down.


WEEK 1

Entry level Aim to make the number of steps you walk each day equal to or above the highest steps/day value you obtained during your baseline countdown. So if your highest daily step value was 3,590, do at least 3,590 steps each day in week one. Walking more is a bonus.

No pedometer (NP) Walk for 10 mins a day on top of your normal activity, broken into two bouts of 5 mins if necessary.

Advanced level Aim to add 2,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days.

No pedometer Walk for 20 mins continuously on top of your normal daily activity on five out of seven days.

All of this honestly sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is I promise!!

Also - no need to follow this particular plan if you don't want to - walking 10,000 steps a day/or 35-50 mins x 3 or 4 a week would be great too.

Do you want to start together or follow plans individually?

PS Please ignore what I said about walking at a pace that enables you to have a conversation - that is too slow apparently!!

OP posts:
JollyPirate · 03/01/2009 09:03

Fantastic - will begin today. Am planning to spend some of my lunch break walking too. Very sedentary job (HV) so spend alot of time in the car. Might start walking to some of my visits and getting a bit of exercise.

Countingtheflocksbynight · 03/01/2009 13:27

Yes I have the same problem Jolly Pirate - I went back to work after dd started school (currently 3/4 time) and I now sit on my bum in front of a screen most of the day instead of running around the house or park ...

Hope you have a great walk today!

OP posts:
SilentTerror · 03/01/2009 13:36

Can I join?
Need to lose a stone and love walking,just never motivate myself to do it!
Am aiming for 20 -30 mins a day,at reasonably fast pace.

Countingtheflocksbynight · 03/01/2009 13:37

Welcome Silent Terror! The more the merrier!

OP posts:
madlentileater · 03/01/2009 16:18

Ok have started!
walked for 30 mins getting slightly ou of breath.
5 out of seven days seems a bit ambitious...I'll try 3 out of 5.

madlentileater · 03/01/2009 16:18

I mean 3 out of 5

keevamum · 03/01/2009 16:23

Hi. Just like to add that I'd love to join too but unfortunately have cricked my neck quite badly at the mo so will prob not do my first walk until next Mon or Tues. So am bookmarking this thread and then I will report on my progress...Did a quick but not power walk to the shops and back though, which took about 30 minutes. I'll definitely aim for 3 times a week.

madlentileater · 03/01/2009 17:02

have bought a book on amazon...they have some quite cheap (used)

SilentTerror · 03/01/2009 23:13

Went for 20 minute walk in the lovely crisp darkness tonight,got some speed up too!

Countingtheflocksbynight · 04/01/2009 13:49

Welcome Keevamum!! Doen't matter when you start - I think it is going to be more practical to follow our individual schedules - but hope your neck gets better soon ... Look forward to "seeing" you later ...

MadLentil - yes there are some quite good books about Power Walking available from Amazon - unfortunately I left two that I bought before Christmas at my sister's in the UK - your post has reminded me to ask her to post them back ...

Well done SilentTerror! [Big pat on back]

I love walking in the dark too and fortunately it's fairly safe around here ... take a tiny torch (attached to keys) & mobile phone with me though just in case.

Am officially starting tomorrow

Yes, I think the consensus is looking like walking every day or even five or six days a week is quite a challenge. I think I will aim at four times a week but probably will have to reduce to 3 + one active family activity at weekends.

Good luck to those of you starting tomorrow. Wrap up warm!

OP posts:
ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 04/01/2009 13:56

Can I join you please?

Tried running a few years ago - really enjoyed the freedom it gave me but my knees didn't so I had to stop. (well my right knee to be specific)

I have used this link quite alot to help me work out some routes it works in the uk but you have to use the scroll bar over to europe and zoom in.

I am going to start Tomorrow morning. I prefer to do it for the hour before DH goes to work so that it is quiet outside and I don't have to think about childcare.

Would like to start with Mon/Wed/Fri and build up to all 5 working days.

Thanks for inspiration to get started

Countingtheflocksbynight · 04/01/2009 14:05

Yay! Another walker! Welcome GreySkull ...

(My knees seem to suffer when I run too - fast walking seems to be better for me all round.)

Thanks for link too. That's really useful to track routes and distances ...

Actually Mon/Wed/Fri sounds like a good plan. I'd better ring-fence my exercise times this week right now or else other demands will get in the way ...

OP posts:

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 04/01/2009 14:06

My starter route is 2.4 miles - not a great distance but it is a start.

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 04/01/2009 14:09

my mid route is 4.2 miles hope to be able to do this by the easter holidays

SilentTerror · 04/01/2009 14:11

Just off with DD3 in buggy for a bit of fresh air for half an hour or so. I find it easier to fit in shorter walks more regularly,not sure how effective this is fitness wise though!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.