It has been said that exercise is the best medicine … but like medicine, exercise has a recommended dose, frequency and duration.
How well would blood pressure be controlled, for instance, if blood pressure medication was only taken a couple times a week? The answer is not very well and this is often the case when one doesn’t exercise regularly … one isn’t going to see the benefits.
Pole walking is an excellent way to achieve optimal health benefits from walking. A great benefit of these poles is they are suitable for all seasons and are easy to learn. There are two types of poles available, fitness poles and activator poles. Each type of pole is designed for different purposes.
The fitness poles are exactly for that, fitness. They will aid in helping burn 20 to 46% more calories than regular walking. The ergonomic grip will aid in toning core muscles by activating abdominals up to 1,000 times per kilometer.
The activator poles are meant to aid those with difficulties with balance and posture. The activator poles have a weight bearing capacity of up to 200 pounds. This ability to off-load with the poles makes the activator a great rehab pole for stability.
For people managing diabetes, it is important to exercise regularly to maintain healthy blood sugars. Urban poling can give a whole new meaning to the phrase “walk off those high blood sugars.”
Although a brisk walk can help in reducing blood sugars, research indicates that resistance training has an additive affect. Exercise can help to regulate blood sugars for up to 24 hours or more. The response from exercise is seen in the parts of the body and the muscles exercised.
Traditional walking engages about 40% of the body’s muscles, whereas, when using the urban poling technique 90% of muscles can be activated, a greater response to regulating blood sugars.
The urban poling technique is easy to learn; it’s much like mixing cross-country skiing and walking. But to ensure that you are making the most of your poling you need to have proper form with each step. The activator poles are used in a totally different manner than urban poles. Both sets of poles will offer support to hip and knee joints as well as aid in straightening posture.
When starting an exercise program, remember that anything is better than nothing. It is important to progress how often and how long you are exercising, on a gradual basis. Begin with what your body can realistically handle right now. This may be 10 minutes, but that’s okay.
Then, figure out a comfortable pace that you can walk for 10 minutes. Remember that it doesn’t have to feel like “work” from the start or else it will feel too hard by the end. Trust your body and what it tells you. You want to reach a purposeful pace that increased your heart rate and breathing, but not to a point that you are gasping for breath.
Consistency is the key, so don’t worry about getting faster, but slowly build your walking time. Be sure not to add time too quickly. Give your body time to adjust and this walk will start to get easier. Once this happens then add three to five minutes to your walk and wait until your body adjusts. Repeat this until you have reached your time goal. This goal should be based on how much time you can realistically devote to activity on a regular basis. Ideally, it should be between 30 to 60 minutes per day. This can be broken down into two, or more, shorter walks of at least 15 minutes at a time to improve your fitness level.
When introducing walking poles, start with short bouts and build your time for walking with the poles slowly. For example, you may have to start with five minutes at a time and gradually build your tolerance. You can continue with walking without the poles to achieve time benefits.
Once you have built your walking time to the goal you have set, changing your pace or intensity will also be effective at ensuring a good amount of variety. Your body will plateau with the same workout day in and day out. Variety is key and can be as simple as changing your walking route or heading out in the opposite direction. So, get out and enjoy the springtime weather!
For more information about any of the free services offered by the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, visit www.mmfht.ca or call the Drayton/Palmerston office at 519-638-2110 or Clifford office at 519-327-4777. Like the FHT on Facebook (Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team) and follow on Twitter (@MintoMapleton) for healthy living tips and information on upcoming programs and events.
Sandy Turner is a kinesiologist with the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team
