Walking trainings are becoming more and more popular as a moderate training form. While doing systematically, this activity shows pro- health influence improving physical capacity. The scientists from Charles University in Prague examined the influence of walking training on aerobic capacity and the body elements of untrained middle- aged men.
The research were led on 68 men aged from 40 to 50 and with their body mass 79+/-7. The training programme lasted for 5 months. Its intensity ranged from 50-70% VO2 max. The training sessions took place from 3 to 5 times a week, each of them lasted from 20 to 50 minutes. Energy lose was about 6500 kJ/ a week (on average 1550 k/Cal a week).
After 5 months of a training sessions a small drop of men’s body mass (on average 2,6 kg) and the growth of fatless body mass (on average 2,6 kg) and the reduction of fat tissue (on average 3.2%) were noticed. Due to a training session, the growth of aerobic capacity level (the VO2 max increase on average 15% ) were observed, too.
The authors claim that a walking training with an energy expense of about 1500 k/Cal a week causes the rise of aerobic capacity level among untrained middle- aged men.
The results of those researches show that frequent walkings with a moderate intensity are a successful training form and they influence beneficially a blood and breathing track causing fat tissue reduction as well.
Based on:
Bunc V., Skalska M. Effect of walking on body composition and aerobic fitness in non-trained men of middle age. Antropomotoryka 2011, 55: 39-46
