Antropomotoryka Nr 57 [2012]

NR 57 ANTROPOMOTORYKA 2012 WALKING AS a tool OF PHYSICAL FITNESS AND BODY COMPOSITION INFLUENCE 1 WPŁYW MARSZU NA sprawnośĆ FIZYCZNĄ ORAZ SKŁAD CIAŁA PRZEDSTAWICIELI RÓŻNYCH GRUP WIEKOWYCH Václav Bunc* * Prof. Ing., Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Key words: walking, movement intervention, physical fitness, body composition, children, adult men, seniors Słowa kluczowe: marsz, interwencja ruchowa, aktywność fizyczna, skład ciała, dzieci, dorośli mężczyźni, seniorzy SUMMARY • STRESZCZENIE Aim of the study. Summarizing the possibilities of walking as a tool influencing health, fitness, body composition, well-being and other physiological variables. Material and methods. Following the five-month weight loss intervention program with a 1000 kcal energy intensity in seniors, 1500 kcal in middle-aged men and 2000 kcal in children, which was composed of at least 80% walking, pointing to significant changes in fitness and body composition parameters. Results and conclusions. Together with positive changes in examined variables significant improvement in predispositions for physical endurance and workload was observed. It may be concluded that walking in the range of about 10,000 steps per day helps to remove the motion deficit, which is due to present lifestyle and may be used to improve both health predispositions and physical fitness state in the majority of population. Cel pracy. Wskazanie wpływu marszów na zdrowie, sprawność fizyczną i dobrostan zdrowotny, a także na inne parametry fizjologiczne człowieka. Materiał i metody. Uczestników badań objęto pięciomiesięcznym programem redukcji wagi o energochłon- ności 1000 kcal u seniorów, 1500 kcal u mężczyzn w średnim wieku, 2000 kcal u dzieci, który w 80 procentach składał się z marszów, i wskazano na tej podstawie istotne statystycznie zmiany sprawności fizycznej oraz para- metrów składu ciała. Wyniki i wnioski. Wraz z korzystnymi dla dobrostanu zdrowotnego zmianami analizowanych parametrów odnotowano u badanych osób istotną statystycznie poprawę wydolności fizycznej i wysiłkowej. Można zatem uznać, iż u większości populacji marsz długości około 10000 kroków dziennie zaspokaja deficyt ruchu wywołany sedenteryjnym trybem życia i może być z powodzeniem zastosowany w profilaktyce zdrowotnej i w podnoszeniu sprawności fizycznej. 1 The study was supported by grant of the Czech Ministry of Education. Grant number: MSM 0021620864. – 63 – Václav Bunc Introduction are able to communicate during the exercise, what can contribute to their wellness. Walking differs from a run- Physical activity oriented towards promoting active ning gait in a number of ways. The most obvious dif- lifestyle can improve the health state and predisposi ference is that in walking one leg always stays on the tions for working and leisure time activities in subjects. ground while the other is swinging. There is a typically Unfortunately, despite these potential health benefits, ballistic phase in running, during which the runner is the majority of current population does not exercise airborne with both feet in the air (for bipedals) [3–5]. regularly [1]. The course of energy cost coefficient c is presented Among the people, who do exercise, walking is the in Figure 1. In the range of intensities lower than 7 km.h–1 most popular physical activity. Being a weight-bearing the dependence of the coefficient c on the speed of form of aerobic exercise that can be easily integrated walking has a minimum value at a ground speed about into one’s daily routine, it is frequently recommended as 4 km.h–1, increasing exponentially at speeds slower, and a good protection against health problems, low working at speed greater than 7 km.h–1 the coefficient of walking and leisure capacity [2]. energy cost grows practically linearly with the increase Major advantage of walking over running is lower of moving speed. In the same Figure 1 the coefficient frequency of injuries and lesser probability of exceeding c for running is presented. In the range from 4 to 12 the security level in examined patients. The strain on km.h–1 this coefficient is practically constant [3]. ligaments and joints caused by walking is significantly Human walking is accomplished with a strategy lower than for comparable running exercises. In the called t h e double pendulum . During forward walking group it is very important that the participants motion the leg that leaves the ground swings forward Figure 1. Dependence of walking and running energy cost coefficient c in dependence on speed of movement – 64 – Walking as a tool of physical fitness and body composition influence from the hip. This sweep is the first pendulum. Then the ing, flying, climbing or sitting in a communications trail- leg strikes the ground with the heel and rolls through to er, are known as “ground pounders” [4]. Professionals, the toe in a motion described as an inverted pendulum. who work on encouraging people to walk, come from The motion of the two legs is coordinated so that one six sectors: health, transport, environment, schools, foot or the other is always in contact with the ground. sport and recreation and urban design. The process of walking recovers approximately sixty Regular, brisk cycling or walking can improve confi- percent of the energy used due to pendulum dynamics dence, stamina, energy, weight control, life expectancy and ground reaction force [5–8]. and reduce stress. It can also minimalize the risk of Another important difference concerns the move- coronary heart disease, strokes, diabetes, high blood ment of the center of mass of the body. In walking the pressure, bowel cancer and osteoporosis. Modern body “vaults” over the leg on the ground, raising the scientific studies have shown that walking, besides its center of mass to its highest point as the leg passes the physical benefits, is also beneficial for the mind, as it vertical, and dropping it to the lowest as the legs are improves memory skills, learning ability, concentra- spread apart [7]. tion and abstract reasoning, as well as reducing stress Essentially kinetic energy of forward motion is con- and uplifting one’s spirits [9]. Health benefits of physi- stantly being traded for a rise in potential energy. This cal activity are well-documented in relation to weight is reversed in running, where the center of mass is at its management and the prevention of chronic illnesses; it lowest point as the leg is vertical. This is because the is also an important factor in the process of improving impact of landing from the ballistic phase is absorbed mental health and cognitive function [10]. by bending the leg and consequently storing energy in In spite of above-mentioned, our knowledge of the muscles and tendons. In running there is a conversion benefits of physical activity does not go hand in hand between kinetic, potential, and elastic energy [8]. with our understanding of how to get people active and There is an absolute limit on an individual’s speed of maintain activity level. There is an urgent need to de- walking (without special techniques employed in speed velop and test strategies for non-trained subjects to walking) due to the upwards acceleration of the center include physical activity into their lifestyle. These in- of mass during a stride. If it is greater than the accelera- terventions need to be systematic, robust, and longer- tion due to gravity, the person will become airborne as -term, incorporating different methods of engaging spe- his/her body vaults over the leg on the ground. Typically cific demands of intervened population groups [11]. however, animals switch into a run at lower speed than A large number of factors influence physical ac- this due to energy efficiencies [5]. tivity behavior, yet there is limited evidence of the ef- Considerable number of people walk as a hobby, fectiveness of strategies to increase physical activity. and in our post-industrial times walking is recognized This is the case particularly in regard to booster pro- as one of the best forms of exercising. The types of grams, even though the little specific data available on walking include bushwalking, racewalking, weight- physical activity booster programs is generally positive. walking, hillwalking, volksmarching, Nordic walking and Interestingly, lessons may be learned from the obesity hiking on long-distance paths [4]. Some people prefer treatment area, which has made significant gains in to walk indoors using a treadmill. In certain countries terms of promoting and improving long-term behavior walking as a hobby is known as hiking (this term is change [9, 12]. typical for North American people), rambling (a some- The 10,000 steps per day is a physical activity pre- what old-fashioned British expression, but remaining in scription that has been suggested to meet the minimum use because it is enshrined in the title of the important recommendation for physical activity. Despite some Ramblers), or tramping. Hiking is a subtype of walking, research, that supports walking regularly and complet- generally used to mean walking in nature areas on spe- ing 10,000 steps a day as enough activity to produce cially designated routes or trails, as opposed to those positive changes in lifestyle and certain aspects of fit- in urban environments; however, hiking can also refer ness and cardiovascular health, numerous researchers to any long-distance walk. More obscure expressions have shown limited effectiveness of walking programs, of walking are: “to go by Marrow-bone stage”, “to take having questioned long-term durability of observed one‘s daily constitutional”, “to ride Shanks’ pony”, “to ride changes [13–15]. Shanks’ mare”, or “to go by Walker’s bus”. Search and Walking is among such forms of physical activity rescue responders, who prefer walking to riding, driv- which have proved their unique usefulness from both – 65 – Václav Bunc physical and psychosocial standpoints in the health review concluded that the strongest evidence existed for improvement program of the elderly people.

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