What is better for health, running or walking? Running or walking: which is better?

The best way to fight excess weight is by brisk walking, and you can train your heart and respiratory system by jogging.

When running is harmful

Running is the most common sport and has become increasingly popular over the years. All more people, especially in the warm season, they go to parks and stadiums with the goal of jogging several kilometers.

Undoubtedly, a person who regularly runs gets a lot of benefits from this exercise. During exercise, the blood is intensively supplied with oxygen, the muscles are trained, the heart is put to a beneficial load and calories are burned, which allows you to keep yourself in shape. However, this type of physical activity also brings a lot of harm, especially if you do it incorrectly. So, in urban conditions, you often have to jog on asphalt, which leads to injury to the foot and spine. When you move your legs intensely while running, there comes a moment when both legs are “lifted” off the ground, after which you land with all your weight on one leg. With each such landing, the spine experiences a strong load, and prolonged exercise often leads to significant injuries, especially if you have excess weight.

When walking, the spine does not experience stress, since the legs are always in contact with the ground, which avoids a heavy landing. Thus, if you are committed to long-term exercise, and you are still new to this activity, then give preference to fast walking, at least at first, until your muscles get stronger.

How to deal with excess weight?

Recently, many scientists agree that brisk walking is preferable to running for burning fat. Why is that? It is calculated that effective fat burning occurs at a certain level of heart rate (pulse). If the pulse is too high, then this exercise regimen helps train the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as increase endurance. However, workouts that significantly increase your heart rate do not promote fat burning. Of course, you will undoubtedly achieve certain results, but they will not please you much.

When walking, monitoring your pulse is easy. You can easily adjust the pace of exercise, at which your heart rate will reach 120-140 beats per minute, which corresponds to the optimal value that promotes the burning of fat deposits.

"Convenience" of walking

Another important advantage of walking is the relative convenience of this type. sports compared to running. Walking can fit into your usual schedule quite easily. For example, you can get off a couple of stops earlier and walk to work or home. You don’t have to go to the nearest store to buy groceries, and you can also climb the stairs to your floor.

Reader Questions

Hello. I am 24 years old, height 165 cm, weight almost 80 kg 18 October 2013, 17:25 Hello. I am 24 years old, height 165 cm, weight almost 80 kg. In the fall I was 70 kg. IN winter period I constantly worked at the computer, which is why I gained weight. Not from the computer itself, of course, but from the fact that I moved little and allowed myself to eat all sorts of nasty things - sweets. Not a lot, moderately, but still... Before giving birth (3 years ago), my weight was 62 kg. After giving birth I recovered. I tried a bunch of dietary supplements, but I couldn’t tame my stomach. She ate even when she didn’t want to eat. As they say, the eyes would eat, but the mouth can no longer eat. Now I eat little, but often (4-5 times a day). The weight stays the same. I drink green tea extract and homemade Apple vinegar(2 tablespoons per glass of water after each meal). The scales don’t move  I eat flour very rarely, now I eat sweets too... True, I eat a lot of potato dishes... What can you recommend? And is there a dietary supplement that really works? Sincerely.

Nordic walking is a sport that has been popularized since the late 90s to this day. This is fast walking with poles (like ski poles), due to which other muscle groups are involved in the exercise process, unlike simple walking or running. According to many reputable doctors and athletes, Nordic walking is considered the most useful look sports. This kind physical activity trains up to 90% of all body muscles and burns 40-50% more calories than regular walking. The value of Nordic walking also lies in the fact that during exercise, part of the athlete’s weight is transferred to poles, which significantly reduces the load on the spine. In addition, Nordic walking trains the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and also significantly improves coordination of movements. Decide for yourself

What to do: running or walking, this is an individual decision for each person. However, when choosing, weigh the pros and cons and make a smart decision. If you are not overweight, you are young and do not suffer from chronic diseases, then, of course, you can go running, but provided that you run on dirt and in special shoes with shock-absorbing soles. And don't chase records. Please note that working hard is harmful to the body. Professional athletes are people who suffer from a bunch of diseases acquired during training, so it is important to observe moderation in exercise.

Which is better: running or walking? Scientists say:

Walking at a fast pace is much healthier than running!

In the USA, California, at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, scientists conducted a number of interesting studies, observing almost 50,000 joggers and fast walkers for six years. As a result, they found that fast walking is much more effective than running. According to the author of the study Dr. Paul T. Williams (Paul T. Williams):

“... People are always looking for an excuse not to exercise, but now they have a simple choice - run or walk and thus invest in their health in the future. In a person who walks quickly, body tissues, including the heart muscle, absorb oxygen better compared to runners...”

Scientists have found that running and fast walking at different intensity levels have almost the same effect on the body. But at the same time, the risk of cardiovascular disease is reduced by 4.2% among runners and by 7.2% among those who prefer walking. That is, the efficiency of walking is almost twice as high as running!

It all depends on the time spent and metabolism. A runner spends, on average, half as much time, while when walking quickly, a person works for his health longer and more efficiently, with practically the same energy costs. With the same load, a runner spends 38 minutes on the distance, and a walker spends 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Therefore, if you have enough free time in the mornings or evenings, then you should definitely take up the practice of fast walking.

How much and how to walk

There is a simple formula:

180 – Your age = Heart rate

This is the heart rate that should not be exceeded when giving the body aerobic exercise (walking and running are exactly that). But you shouldn’t walk too slowly, like, for example, old people wandering in the park. The pulse should be within the acceptable zone, close to it. For example, if your age is 40 years old, then to receive best effect you should maintain a heart rate in the region of 120 - 140 beats per minute.

If you are not the proud owner of cool wristwatch with a heart rate monitor or not wearing a watch at all, you can determine whether you are walking correctly using the following signs:

1. If you can no longer breathe through your nose and want to breathe through your mouth (that is, slight shortness of breath appears), then you are exceeding your pulse threshold. Reduce your speed.
2. If after 15 to 20 minutes of walking you are still not warmed up and feel a slight sweat, then you are moving too slowly. Speed ​​up!
3. The correct walking speed is similar to the one we use when we are rushing to work.

Walking is almost twice as effective as running!

You need to walk at least 40-60 minutes a day. The fact is that with a shorter duration, the same healing effect does not occur. And if you walk longer, you will simply get tired. The indicated time approximately corresponds to a distance of 6 – 8 km. This is the optimal distance for walking.

It is advisable to walk every day! At first, you can indulge yourself on weekends, but ideally the practice of walking should become a regular habit, like brushing your teeth in the morning.

At what time of day is it healthier to walk or run?

It doesn't really matter. When you have free time, then walk or run. In the east, it is believed that the morning is better for aerobic exercise, because the morning prana or Qi is more active and there is simply more of it :)

For those who want to lose excess weight, it will also be useful to know that brisk walking in this regard more effective than running. No matter how paradoxical it may sound. Yes, the load, taking into account the time spent, is the same, but excess fat goes away faster when walking than when running.

This happens because when you run, you reach or even exceed the upper threshold of your acceptable heart rate very quickly. At the same time, the body goes into a mode of increased glucose consumption; it has no time to deal with fat cells. And when you just walk at a brisk pace and do it long enough, then the fat cells come into action and give up their energy. But this mode does not turn on immediately, but 25 - 30 minutes after the start of an active walk. Therefore, it is so important to maintain the pace of walking and the amount of time spent at 40 - 60 minutes.

It is advisable to walk every day!

It would also be useful to remind you that it is not very correct for an unprepared person to start a health practice with running. Especially if you are overweight. This is fraught with problems with the cardiovascular system, spine and joints, especially the knees. But walking is free of all these problems and is accessible to everyone. When you sufficiently train your body with fast walking, it will tell you when it wants to increase the load and even start running. Then it will be quite appropriate and useful.

Expert - doctor of physical therapy and sports medicine at the multidisciplinary treatment and rehabilitation center Lada Letunovskaya.

Let's consider the most physiological movements for humans: walking and running. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing one or the other, you should take into account your level of physical fitness, body characteristics, the presence of any diseases, weight and age.
If you haven’t actively trained before and have just decided to take care of your own health or start losing weight, walking is more suitable for you. Absent while walking shock load on the joints, spine, heart and lungs, as when running. There are no contraindications for walking. Now I’m not talking about walking as a sport where trained athletes can reach speeds of up to 10-12 km/h.

Let's try to figure it out point by point.

For an overweight person, walking is much preferable to running, since excess weight in itself places a large load on the spine and joints. During running, there is a so-called flight phase with two legs lifting off the ground at the same time and a landing phase - the moment of transferring the weight of the entire body to one supporting leg. But modern technologies allow even overweight people to start running. There are special anti-gravity treadmills for this purpose. They are designed in such a way that the entire lower half of the body is in an enclosed compartment, where, using differential air pressure technology, body weight can be adjusted between 100 and 20%, thereby reducing the stress on the joints and allowing the muscles to work as during normal running. For example, a person weighing 100 kg can run on this treadmill as a person weighing 50 kg on a regular treadmill.

2. Effect on stress

Everyone knows that in stressful situation playing sports helps relieve stress, relax, and calm down. Runners have a humorous answer to the phrase: “You can’t run away from problems.” - “You will run away, but not before the ninth kilometer.” Indeed, running is a great way to disconnect from negative thoughts, grievances and troubles. As they say, reboot. Walking promotes more leisurely comprehension, balanced making of the right decision and a calm look at the current situation from the outside.

3. Muscle strengthening

Strengthens while running and walking a large number of various muscle groups. During training, the leg muscles are included in the work: the gluteal muscles, the muscles of the front and back of the thigh, the muscles of the lower leg and foot, as well as the muscles of the torso - the iliopsoas, pelvic floor, abs, intercostal and diaphragm, shoulders and back. The inclusion of certain muscle groups depends on the intensity of the activity and the technique of walking or running.

4. Fat burning rate

Running definitely burns calories faster and more intensely. If you have no contraindications or restrictions, you are physically fit enough and exercise regularly, then you should choose to lose weight various options jogging. If you prefer walking, remember that walking with periodic changes in speed is more effective, that is, alternating a slower pace with a period of acceleration. With this training regimen, calories are burned faster.

5. Training duration and nutrition

Regardless of whether you prefer to run or walk, you should set aside at least an hour for your workout. In the first half hour of training, glycogen reserves are burned, and only then the active process of fat burning begins. You should eat at least one and a half to two hours before the start of your workout. In addition, you should remember: if you want to lose weight, then you should refrain from eating for at least 1.5 hours after a run. Otherwise, the body, instead of continuing to burn its own fats, will use the nutrition that you gave it.

6. Sportswear and shoes

For any sports activity you will need a beautiful and comfortable sports uniform. You should be happy to go to training, you should be comfortable and easy in the things you train in. There is no fundamental difference in choosing a form for walking or running. There is one rule for shoes - this is comfort, good shock absorption and support for the arch of the foot and ankle. If you have a problem such as flat feet, then before you walk or run for an hour, choose special sports orthopedic insoles for yourself.

For six years, scientists conducted research in two groups. One group ran and the other walked. With relatively equal calorie consumption, scientists came to the conclusion that:

Based on these figures, we can say that if you have certain health limitations, you have never actively engaged in sports before and you want to move more for the purpose of improving your health, then it is preferable for you to choose walking.

It has long been proven that walking and running are beneficial. But what is better?

According to an increasing number of studies [i], although the benefits of walking are almost the same as running, but for weight loss running is better. This is not surprising since, over the same period of time, people expend 2.5 times more energy running than walking, whether on a track or treadmill. An 80-pound person running 8 miles per hour will burn more than 800 calories per hour, while walking at 3.5 miles per hour will burn about 300 calories.

In one experiment, walkers were forced to exercise longer than runners until they burned the same amount of calories as the runners. However, even in this case, the runners lost more weight.

In addition, running regulates appetite hormones better than walking. When walkers and runners were invited to a picnic after exercise, the walkers consumed about 50 calories more than they burned, and the runners consumed almost 200 fewer calories than they burned. Thus, for waist circumference, running is definitely better.

On the other hand, according to the National Study of Runners and Walkers, walkers who burn the same number of calories as runners experience the same health benefits—reduced risk high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, reducing the chances of diabetes and improving the condition of the cardiovascular system.

Compared to walking, running has the disadvantages of being harder on the body and increasing the risk of injuries such as knee meniscus tears, hamstring strains, shin splints, and back injuries [v] .

This is not surprising, since “running creates a dynamic ground thrust load that is approximately 2.5 times body weight, while walking produces a load of approximately 1.2 times body weight.” You're also more likely to trip and fall while running than while walking.

In view of the above, back problems are often associated with protrusion and herniation of intervertebral discs due to large dynamic compressive loads. There are special exercises and treatment methods that often eliminate the problem, however, not always. In addition, they require additional time and effort.

Paul D. Thompson, MD, Hartford Hospital and professor of medicine and preventive cardiology at the University of Connecticut, says it doesn't matter whether you run or walk, but whether you do it regularly or not. Walking - great way train in a light, gentle manner - regardless of your current health status. Therefore, walking gives you a better chance of being able to do it regularly. " Best exercise is the one you will do,” says Thompson [x].

To summarize, we can say that the result will be in both cases if you do this constantly. But running allows you to lose weight faster and spend less time on exercise. On the other hand, walking is less traumatic, suitable for people with any condition of the cardiovascular system and is better for regular exercise (because it gives a less intense load and therefore requires less volitional effort). On my own behalf, I would sum it up this way: if you are young and healthy, run, and if you are old and sick, walk.

Sources:

[i] greatist.com/fitness/walking-good-workout-running

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23190592

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22619704

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23559628

[v] www.spine-health.com/conditions/sports-and-spine-injuries/running-and-lower-back-pain

www.spine-health.com/conditions/sports-and-spine-injuries/running-and-back-pain

www.vox.com/2015/8/4/9091093/walking-versus-running

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7235111

Digitmurphy.blogspot.com/2011/08/certain-people-should-not-run-for.html

[x] www.consumerreports.org/exercise-fitness/benefits-of-running-vs-walking

Translation from English by Evgeny Senichkin

Running or walking - these are the best for weight loss optimal types sport for everyone. The huge advantage is that you do not overload your body or expose it to injury. Not everyone can afford active sports; for some, they are completely contraindicated. But proper walking will help not only improve your health, but also get rid of excess weight.

How many calories do we spend while walking?

During the day, each person walks up to ten kilometers without paying attention to it. If you lead an active lifestyle, constantly on the move, then you don’t even feel tired.

Few people have thought about how many calories are burned when walking for 1 hour. It depends on the weight of a particular person and on the speed at which he moves. The faster you walk, the more extra calories you burn because your muscles are working harder.

The average number of calories burned when walking for 1 hour is 300 units. Moreover given quantity designed for average walking speed, with fast walking you burn from 400 kcal (the more you weigh, the more you lose).

What is walking like?

How many calories are burned when walking 1 km depends not only on your speed and weight, but also on how exactly you move.

Types of walking and advantages of each technique:

• Walking backwards. This technique will help you lose weight, strengthen your calf muscles, and even improve your posture. You need to start the movement slowly, gradually pick up speed.
• Steps. This exercise gives excellent result, but it is advisable not to do it in the entrance, because there is a lot of dust there. Find some stairs on the street and work out there. Do not forget that you need to constantly monitor your heartbeat and pulse so as not to overexert your body.
• Tight buttocks when walking. This kind of walking can be practiced at any time: when you go to work or to the store, just walk. You'll be surprised how many calories you burn by walking 1 km with your butt tight. Two benefits are immediately visible: getting rid of excess weight and strengthening the muscles of the thighs and buttocks.
• Scandinavian walking technique using poles. This type Suitable for people of any age and body type, there are no contraindications. The most amazing thing is that by walking this way, you lose about 45% more calories than during simple walking. With regular exercise, you can lose 3-4 kilograms in a week. However, it is very important to choose the right poles so that you can lean on them comfortably.

Walking up the stairs

Walking up stairs is effective training for a figure that is also beneficial for the body. The approximate calorie consumption when lifting is approximately 0.14 units per kilogram of your weight.

The huge advantage of such walking is that it puts a load on all muscle groups. In order to quickly achieve desired result, you need to devote approximately 20-25 minutes to training every day. You won't feel very tired, but all your muscles will work.

Climbing stairs puts a lot of strain on the heart, so if you have problems with blood pressure, you need to limit yourself in the amount of time you exercise.

Benefits of walking on stairs:

• Increases endurance.
• Blood pressure normalizes.
• Heart function improves.
• Excess weight goes away.

Many people are interested in the question of how many calories are burned when walking up the stairs. As mentioned above, lifting alone requires 0.14 units per kilogram of weight. Considering the fact that the workout lasts at least 15 minutes, it turns out that approximately 400-500 kcal are consumed per session.

Fast walk

Daily walking is beneficial for absolutely everyone. They have a beneficial effect on health, maintain muscle tone and strengthen the body. When it comes to the question of how many calories are burned while walking fast, we can say with complete confidence that it is absolutely the same as after an hour of intense aerobics.

For fast walking, it is very important to choose the right terrain. Of course, a stadium located near your home will be more convenient. You can take a walk every day before bed for about 40-50 minutes. Don’t forget that you will not only lose excess weight, but also improve your body’s health, because Fresh air always useful, especially in the evening.

Don't just start walking fast, start slowly. On the second lap, increase your speed a little, and on the third, increase it even more. Do this until you reach the desired pace.

Running or walking - which is better for weight loss?

When a person wants to play sports, the question often arises: will running or walking for weight loss give a more effective result? There is no definite answer to this question for the reason that it all depends on your endurance and the amount of excess weight.

It is best to start with fast, athletic walking. Several weeks of such training will strengthen your muscles, and then you can start running. However, doctors recommend not focusing entirely on one activity, but alternating them. For example, one day you walk, the next day you jog.

Walking technique for weight loss

When to go, how much time to devote to classes - it’s up to you to decide. It all depends on both your health and the excess weight you plan to lose. Some expert advice will help you create an individual training regimen:

• If you are planning to exercise in order to get rid of excess weight, then you need to walk at least 6 kilometers a day, only then will the result be really noticeable.
• Don't start running right away, start with regular fast walking, your muscles need to be prepared for more intense load.
• Watch your steps. The step should start from the heel and move to the toe.
• You must move your hands in time with your steps.
• The minimum lesson time is 40 minutes.
• Try to learn to walk in such a way that it becomes not an activity for you, but a simple walk. If you can develop the habit of walking every day, then believe me, the results will be tangible.
• You can’t immediately load the body; the pace needs to be picked up gradually.
• To make walking comfortable, it is important to choose the right equipment. Namely, convenient loose clothes, shoes that don't pinch.
• Choose the right place to study. The terrain should be flat; a stadium is ideal.
• If you want to calculate how many calories are burned when walking, you need to take into account your individual characteristics. With average weight, 100 kcal are consumed in 10 minutes of exercise, with excess weight - even more.

How quickly does excess weight come off when walking?

Every person, whether man or woman, wants to look good. And excess weight creates discomfort. Agree, it’s very unpleasant when your favorite jeans don’t fit or your T-shirt is tight on all sides. Stop counting how many calories you burn while walking - it's time to get down to business.

Even if you work all day and don’t have time to work out with a gym or visit a fitness club, it doesn’t matter. Morning or evening walks bring much more benefits than you think. Apart from being very healthy, walking for 40-60 minutes every day will help you balance your weight.

However, you don’t need to think that the scales will make you happy the very next day. This is wrong. Only regular walking will actually give noticeable results in just a few weeks. And if you combine classes with proper nutrition- you will very soon not recognize yourself when you look in the mirror.

How many calories are burned when walking? It all depends on how much excess weight you have and the intensity of your exercise. One thing is for sure - the more and faster you move, the more excess weight will come off.

Let's sum it up

Let daily walking become not just a simple workout for you, but a favorite pastime. The combination of business and pleasure always gives excellent results. Now you know not only how many calories are burned when walking, but also what type of walking it is, and how to do it correctly to achieve good result. Take care of yourself, watch your figure, because excess weight has a detrimental effect on your health.