Weight & Strength Training for Walkers

Walking is a very accessible and beneficial form of exercise. Not only is it good for your heart, lungs and legs as well as losing weight, but it also provides an eco-friendly way to get out and enjoy your neighborhood and the countryside. If you become a serious walker and want to cover many miles in a day, walk more easily over rough terrain or carry a heavy backpack, strength or weight training exercises can be very beneficial.

  1. Considerations

    • While strength training is a very healthful pursuit, it is not without risks. To minimize injuries, always warm up before hitting the weights by performing some light cardio and dynamic stretches. If you are new to working out with weights, consult your doctor before starting. Whenever you try a new exercise, begin by using a light weight and increase gradually over the next few training sessions. If you are in doubt as to how to perform a particular exercise, seek advice from a qualified gym instructor or personal trainer. Finally, to get the most from your workouts, perform between 12 and 20 repetitions of your chosen strength-training exercises with a light to moderate weight. This will increase your muscular endurance rather than build larger muscles.

    Leg Exercises

    • Walking up or down steep or long hills and walking on uneven surfaces requires well-conditioned thighs, calves and glutes. These muscles work together to support your weight and drive you forward step by step. If you are carrying a backpack, these muscles have to work even harder. Work your walking muscles by performing leg extensions and leg curls for your thighs; lunges, squats, deadlifts and step ups for your thighs; and hip and calf raises for your ankles.

    Core Exercises

    • Core is the collective term used to describe the muscles of your waist, abdomen and lower back. These muscles control the movements of your spine and, together, keep your spine stable so your arms and legs have a stable platform from which to work. Walking with a heavy backpack, especially uphill, places a lot of stress on these muscles and even more so if the terrain is uneven. Keep your core strong by performing planks, side planks, cable Russian twists and wood choppers, doral raises, side bends and reverse hyperextensions.

    Upper-Body Exercises

    • While walking is predominantly a lower-body activity, your chest, shoulders and arms also get in on the action. A strong arm swing can help drive you forward more purposely, and if you use alpine walking poles, your arms can help support some of your weight. If you wear a backpack, strong shoulders make carrying your pack easier and strong arms help make lifting your pack up off the floor and onto your back easier. To keep your upper body in good shape, perform exercises such as bench presses, shoulder presses, lat pull downs, seated rows, arm curls and arm extensions. Make sure you perform an equal number of pulling and pushing exercises to develop the muscles on both sides of your body equally.