What is more beneficial: running or walking for weight loss? What is healthier: running or walking?

Contrary to popular belief, running or walking can have the same effect on the body, it mainly depends on the intensity of the training. When choosing between these loads, the main emphasis should be on determining the final goal. Find out more detailed information about each of the exercises you can read about their characteristics and features

Running characteristics

Running is the most popular view sports in the world. It is easy to learn, can be practiced at any age, no additional equipment is required. However, in order for jogging to bring only benefits, you need to remember the main rules that should be followed:

Contraindications

The first thing you should think about before starting training is whether running has any contraindications. Ignoring this rule can lead to dire consequences for health. Doctors do not recommend intense jogging for those who have diseases associated with the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, or chronic joint pain. If you have a cold, it is better to wait until your body recovers. Heavy smokers should be wary of running. and nursing mothers need to reduce the load to a minimum, in this case it is better to give preference to walking.

Technique

Contrary to popular belief, it is worth noting that you won’t be able to run well if you don’t first preparatory work. Not only will there be no result from doing it incorrectly, but such runs can also lead to serious injuries. Therefore, before training, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the exact execution of the exercise and do it according to all the rules.

Equipment

Male and women's clothing for running it is worth choosing based on the intensity of the activity and weather conditions if the training takes place outside. must be suitable for the type of track you will be running on. The degree of shock absorption is also important so that the load on muscles and joints is gentle and the impact of the foot on a hard surface is softer.

Recovery

When the run is over, the body needs to be given time to recover. This includes proper nutrition and healthy, sound sleep. After jogging, a strong appetite may arise, so those losing weight should pay special attention to their diet at this time of day. After intense exercise, the body better absorbs nutrients, so in this case it is better to focus on healthy and vitamin-rich foods.

In addition to mastering the basic rules of running, you should think about drawing up an effective training plan so that it is as varied and rich as possible. To complete this task, you will need to study in more detail the types of running and their features:

Jogging

The most common type of running. The average speed is about 9-10 km/h, which is slightly higher than when walking quickly. Beginners can use this load as a basis; for professionals it is more of a cool-down after more intense workout. It is also worth paying attention to those who have overweight, and for whom serious heavy loads on the body are contraindicated.

Intense running

The jogging takes place at a faster pace than in the previous version, however, it is nevertheless accessible to polishing athletes. The risk of injury is increased, so you should pay special attention to the correct technique and select equipment based on all requirements.

Fast run

Professional athletes prefer fast running to develop endurance and speed. This type will be appropriate in any discipline, starting from and ending with, it’s just that each specific case will have its own fast pace.

Variable running

There may be several options for such training. In this case main principle is built on . An athlete can start at a slow pace, then speed up to a fast pace, running a couple of hundred meters, and then return to the original speed.

Smooth running

Running on the smooth surface of a stadium or arena can be very boring and monotonous. However, it is precisely in such training that you can feel your capabilities to the maximum and carry out work based on internal sensations. Thus, the athlete can adjust training process so as to reach the power limit.

Running with obstacles

While running you have to overcome some obstacles in the form of. From the outside, everything looks spectacular and impressive, but for an athlete this type of running poses a great danger, since the risk of injury is higher than in any other form.

Road running

It is carried out along an asphalt road, the distance is several tens of kilometers. Without special training you won’t be able to overcome it; to do this you need to train for several months or even years. A professional athlete runs no more than 3-4 marathon distances per year.

Cross running

The route runs through rough terrain. From time to time, natural obstacles may appear along the way, so you should be especially careful while jogging. There can be both a flat surface and dirt, as well as many descents and ascents. It is recommended to switch to it when you already have a certain training base.

Features of walking

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to serious health problems. But is it necessary to choose running as the main physical activity, or can walking also have a sufficiently positive effect on the body? To understand this issue completely, you need to understand what benefits walking has:

Normalization of metabolism

Due to the constantly changing pace of life, the human body is often susceptible to internal imbalance, so we have to resort to physical activities to restore your well-being. When walking, digestion is normalized, metabolism is more active, after which beneficial vitamins begin to be better absorbed.

Rejuvenation

If a person moves little and spends a lot of time in sitting position, he begins to age faster, and accordingly new diseases appear, which often become chronic. Oscillatory movements during walking cause stagnant cells to come to life, thereby resuming their work on tissue regeneration. Thus, active activities Sports can rejuvenate the body both externally and internally.

Health improvement

Walking is a gentle exercise, so it can be done even by those who have any health problems. Daily walks can improve your heart function. vascular system, enrich the whole body with oxygen and develop the musculoskeletal system. Also, thanks to accelerated blood circulation, internal organs begin to work more actively.

Feeling better

Walking helps relieve stress and tension, eliminating negativity and irritation. During exercise, pleasure hormones are produced, which have a beneficial effect on improving well-being and stabilizing the nervous system. Regular exercise can strengthen the immune system and protect against many diseases.

It will be easier for an untrained person to start physical exercise with normal walking, which will provide the necessary base for further increasing the load. To diversify the training process, you can pay attention to different kinds walks and alternate them:

Fast walk

An hour-long walk at a fast pace will help you get rid of about 200 kcal. You can start training at a slower pace, gradually increasing it to the limit. To get maximum results, you will have to train often and intensively - this is the only way to see positive effect soon.

Race walking

Most often this type of walking is done professional athletes who take part in the most prestigious competitions in this discipline. It is very important here correct technique execution, otherwise there will be no result. Beginner athletes are still better off giving preference normal walking, where no special skills are required.

Nordic walking

A popular type of walking these days. Older people especially like to walk like this, since the load on the leg joints in this case is minimal. For a Scandinavian walk you will need special equipment - ski poles. Thus, it begins to work actively top part torso. Walking with poles at a fast pace can be compared to the efficiency of regular jogging. Even without changing your diet much, you will notice positive results from such a workout.

Conclusion

Running or walking can be chosen as the main load only when all the necessary preliminary procedures have been carried out. Health status plays a huge role here. Before training, it is recommended to contact a specialist so that he can explain in detail how much you can load the body and how it would be more correct to do it. If walking is safer for your joints, then running is healthier for your figure.

The ideal option would be to alternate running with walking, especially at first, when the body gets used to physical activity. Training plan You can arrange it so that you run one day and walk on the other, or try to combine these two types of loads in one activity. Thus, it will be possible to have a comprehensive effect on the body.

Many people often wonder: what is healthier, running or walking? How to choose, because walking is safer for your joints, but running can help you lose weight faster and strengthen the muscles of your legs and buttocks.

To begin with, it all depends on your state of health and physical fitness. For most beginners, you can simply increase the intensity of walking, provided that the heart rate is 50-75% of maximum.

The most popular formula to help calculate maximum heart rate- This Karvonen formula: 220 - your age = maximum heart rate. But the fat-burning frequency is 60-80% of the maximum frequency. That is, if you, for example, are 40 years old, then the Karvonen formula is calculated for you like this:

• (220-40)x60%=108 – lower norm
• (220-40)x80%=144 – upper norm

This means that for a 40-year-old woman, the fat-burning heart rate is 108-144 beats per minute. It is at this frequency that it makes sense to correct your figure.

For an untrained person, such a pulse can be achieved by intensive walking; those who have been exercising for some time can achieve this result with a good jog. And only regular exercise is beneficial: at least four times a week for 30-60 minutes.

In order to get better strengthen muscles, running is, of course, preferable. Running strengthens your thigh muscles shoulder girdle, chest, back, and buttocks, while walking only exercises the calf muscles.

And here for good health walking is healthier, and not running, since running creates a load on the joints, heart, spine, and lungs. If you have problems with these organs, then your doctor may even prohibit you from jogging. There are no contraindications to walking; they can be done by anyone and as much as they want.

But, on the other hand, while running the heart is trained, the blood flows more actively, breathing is rapid and deep, the lungs open... It turns out that running is healthier than walking?

Over the course of six years, research two groups: one group is runners (33,000 people), and the other is walkers (15,000 people). was the same, and this is the conclusion the scientists came to:

• running reduces the risk of chronic diseases by 4.5%, and walking by 9.3%;
• Running reduces cholesterol levels by 4.3%, walking – by 7%;
• blood pressure decreases by 4.2% when running, and by 7.2% when walking;
• : running contributes 12.1%, and walking – 12.3%.

What can we conclude? Race walking is still healthier than running. By the way, in a stressful situation, these aerobic exercises (and running and walking are precisely aerobic exercise) help relieve tension, relax, and calm down.

If walking helps you mentally concentrate, think about a situation and make an informed decision, then running is a great way to “escape” negative thoughts, resentments and disappointments.

Choose the movement method that suits you best. After all, you know very well the expression: “Movement is life,” enjoy the movement, and if you replace sad thoughts with healthy thoughts, it will benefit you. I want to say that alternating running with walking is the most ideal option for mental and physical health, and, of course, for weight loss.

Always be full of positive thoughts, energy and health!

What do you think is healthier: running or walking?

If an ordinary person is asked such a trivial question: “Which is better: running or walking?”, he immediately answers that the first option is preferable. For most people, walking seems like a pointless and ineffective activity compared to active running. However, ordinary opinion often differs radically from the professional conclusions of experts. Many will be surprised to learn that walking is also effective against blood stagnation and excess lipids.

When choosing between these two techniques, you need to know the state of your own health and understand what loads the body can withstand. It should be understood that race walking is safer for joints, and when running, muscles quickly become stronger. lower limbs and a significant amount of fat is burned in a short period. For beginners, we can recommend simply increasing the pace of walking. In this case, the pulse should not reach the maximum threshold. Which is better or walking? Everyone must answer this question individually.

How to calculate heart rate?

To find out the required heart rate, you need:

• Subtract age from 220.
• From the resulting difference, subtract those numbers that make up your resting heart rate. It is usually measured immediately after waking up.
• This difference must be multiplied by the percentage of intensity of the desired load. Typically it varies between 60 and 80%. For calculations, we change the percentages to coefficients, respectively - 0.6 and 0.8. All that remains is to add your resting heart rate and you will get the desired result.

Having determined the lower and upper limits (60 and 80%, respectively), a person will know his own cardio zone. Exceeding it can lead to chest pain and dizziness, and insufficient pulse will be completely ineffective for the development of the cardiovascular system.

Why does a person gain excess weight?

When selecting sports exercises nutritionists and doctors must take into account individual parameters unique to each person. Weight, general physical fitness, gender should be taken into account when selecting therapeutic techniques. Very often, the cause of excess weight is various diseases or congenital pathologies. internal organs. In this case, a trivial change in diet and regular exercise is not enough to bring your weight back to normal. An effective remedy here is long-term therapy along with the use of specialized pharmaceutical substances.

Gymnastic exercises, jogging or walking provide recovery if the person’s activity itself has led to unpleasant weight changes. Obesity is most often provoked by the following factors:

• Incorrect diet (fast food, eating before bed).
• Alcohol and smoking abuse.
• Tendency to high emotional stress.
• Lazy and sedentary lifestyle.

Immediately after the causes of poor health have been identified and the specialist has received a complete picture of the deviation, you can begin training. What is better: running or walking - you need to determine before starting classes, since these types are different and the effect on the body is different.

Running characteristics

1. It is the most useful and efficient training for the vascular system. Active running has a beneficial effect on the condition of muscles, improves blood circulation, delivers enormous amounts of oxygen to cells and tissues, and can also normalize the functions of hormones.
2. During exercise, metabolic processes are involved in work, and the body receives a coordinated and uniform load. During running exercise excretory products are rapidly excreted through the sweat glands. For classes, it is recommended to study and master breathing techniques, as well as conduct a preparatory and warm-up warm-up.
3. Daily exercises correct figure defects and help to successfully get rid of excess calories. Running is very accessible: it can be practiced in any season. Classes are freely available both on an indoor treadmill and on cross-country terrain.
4. Exercise accelerates the breakdown of accumulated sugars into glucose. When carbohydrates exhaust their potential, the body begins to utilize lipid reserves. However, you should understand: fats are burned only after a person has been running continuously for 40-50 minutes.
5. While fat deposits are burned, the blood is saturated big amount oxygen. Metabolism occurs more intensely. Running has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver, intestines, and cardiovascular system.

Exercise is prohibited for people with heart disease. Doctors do not recommend running for smokers or those with a cold. Spinal column injuries and chronic joint diseases are also incompatible with running. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not participate in these workouts. There are a number of general rules:

1. For classes to be beneficial, you should pay special attention to the recommendations of specialists.
2. Contraindications should not be ignored, since health is very difficult to improve.
3. After an intense workout, the body should be provided with optimal nutrition and healthy sleep.
4. Before running, you need to do a strength preparatory warm-up, for example using dumbbells or a jump rope.
5. The student must decide on a training program: monotonous running or alternating walking and running.
6. Much attention is paid to equipment. Clothes should be loose and shoes should be shock-absorbing.
7. At the initial stage, it is worth changing the speed of movement if discomfort occurs in the joints or internal organs.
8. After any type of running athletics Relaxing exercises, such as hanging on a horizontal bar, are required. In this way, it will be possible to avoid pinched nerves and inflammation of the intervertebral discs.

Types of running in athletics for health improvement

Each type has its own characteristics and is intended for separate groups muscles, organs and areas. Exercises performed according to all the rules not only enrich a person with health and cheerfulness, but also form an athletic figure.

• Jogging. The method does not require special preparation. One leg of the runner is constantly in a short separation from the surface, and the other is on the ground. The execution is extremely reminiscent of fast walking. The only difference is the longer moment of flight. The landing takes place on the entire surface of the foot, and not just on part of it. The jogging technique is safe and can be recommended for women and men at any age.
• Light running or jogging. This walk at a high pace is recommended for those people who are depressed by shortness of breath. Easy running is perfect for beginners and those who lead an inactive life. The method is not characterized by high energy consumption and is not considered as effective remedy for weight loss. It rationally fits into recovery training after the main lesson or on weekends.
• Running uphill. Any terrain with a slight slope can make training very difficult. It is recommended to introduce this type into the training program at least once a week, since with such work effective fat burning occurs, and all muscle fibers are also involved.

If it is not possible to exercise outdoors, a home treadmill, which is equipped with great functionality, is quite suitable. Acceleration exercises are recommended for experienced runners. This results in a large increase in endurance. So, what is better: running or walking? We will consider the characteristics of the latter below.

Ideas about race walking

When exercising, the student has a lower speed than when running. This happens because his feet are constantly in contact with the surface of the ground. Due to its accessibility, this type of activity is suitable for everyone, especially those whose work requires low mobility, as well as older people. The best medicine you can’t find it from the blues and laziness. People who assume that it is better to immediately start with running exercises do not know that when walking, the load on the limbs is half as much.

During exercise, many muscle groups are activated, and oxygen consumption by tissues increases. Proper walking optimally loads the body, strengthening blood vessels. An hour of exercise at a pace of 5-6 km/h contributes to overall activity and takes about 600 kilocalories. Walking speed should not decrease.

The technique of walking with sticks deserves special mention. Fashionable type of fitness, reminiscent of skiing, characterized by many beneficial properties. Particular attention should be paid to measured breathing, correct posture and placement of the foot and poles. The latter, as individual equipment, should be selected according to comfortable sensations.

How to walk correctly for health

Since most people wear hard shoes, this causes certain problems with the musculoskeletal system. Those exercising should be careful about the ground on which they will practice and their shoes. The latter must have good shock-absorbing characteristics. It is worth choosing equipment that does not hinder the work of the joints of the metatarsus and tarsus.

The main shock to the skeleton is vertical movements during movement. They generate vibrations and strong overloads. To avoid traumatic shocks, you should not hastily lift your heel off the ground. The heel should rise when the free leg passes the vertical. The correct movements, developed after a few initial lessons, look beautiful. Besides this health walking saves energy, which significantly affects endurance. Best results visible after daily hour-long walks. The minimum that a person should set for himself is three workouts per week at an optimal walking speed. You need to remember that you can eat food half an hour before the start of class. Low-impact workouts are a must in any weather.

The benefits of healthy walking

Sports medicine has extensively studied the benefits and harms of running. This applies to walking to the same extent. Fats, cholesterol, and various polysaccharides lead to a huge amount of negative imbalance in the body. Walking helps normalize metabolism, at the same time properly influencing cardiovascular system. It must be remembered that a sedentary lifestyle leads to rapid aging and associated diseases. Sufficient vibration when walking revitalizes stagnant cells, which resume tissue function and regeneration.

Active movement helps the heart muscle push blood out of the lower extremities. When walking, old and dysfunctional structures are disposed of by the body, giving way to new and young cells. During exercise, the hormone of pleasure is actively produced, nervous system stabilizes its work, and also strengthens general immunity.

Results

It seems that the answer to the question of which is better: running or walking, everyone will have to answer after he tries both of them. These types of exercise have benefits that are difficult to replace with other types of activity. Their effect on small vessels, which practically atrophy in sedentary people, is invaluable. Correct health training open a second wind to the periphery of the circulatory system.

Running and walking have a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system and prevent degeneration of the spine and cartilaginous layers. Arthrosis and radiculitis are very fearful active exercises because running and fast walk- in optimal doses - increase the flow of lymph to the cartilage.

Expert - doctor physical therapy and sports medicine of 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 start from your level physical training, characteristics of the body, 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. While walking, there is no 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 because overweight- this in itself is 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. For this purpose there are special anti-gravity Treadmills. 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. Impact on stress

Everyone knows that in a stressful situation, playing sports helps relieve tension, 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 groups muscles. During training, the leg muscles are included in the work: gluteal, anterior and back surface thighs, lower leg and foot muscles, as well as trunk muscles - iliopsoas, pelvic floor, press, 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 regularly exercise, then you should choose various jogging options to lose weight. 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. Duration of training 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 activities you will need a beautiful and comfortable one. 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.

	RUN	WALKING
Risk of occurrence chronic diseases	reduces by 4.5%	reduces by 9.3%
Cholesterol level	decreases by 4.3%	reduces by 7%
Arterial pressure	decreases by 4.2%	decreases by 7.2%
Blood Sugar Level	decreases by 12.1%	reduces by 12.3%

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.

Modern trends and fashion for conducting healthy image life gradually took over most of the world. This has an undeniably positive impact on the health of the common population. In addition to healthy and proper nutrition, in great demand even in high-end restaurants, people began to become interested in physical activity.

It is light cardio exercises that can significantly speed up metabolism and restore reserves lost by the body. The question of which is better, running or walking, can be debated for a long time, but let's try to speak in the language of facts.

Differences between running and walking

In order to understand which exercise is more effective in a particular case, you need to know the differences.

In order to better strengthen muscles, running is, of course, preferable

The main points that make up the fundamental difference between running and walking include the following:

• walking involves the muscle group of the lower leg, while running activates the bundles of the shoulders, chest, thigh muscles, as well as the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus muscles;
• while running, for a split second a person is in a state of flight; this phase is completely absent when walking. Constant jumping leads to severe stress on the cartilage tissue underlying the intervertebral discs and joints;
• the heart rate while walking is much lower, due to which there is rarely a feeling of coldness behind the sternum, and a person can exercise longer;
• running for more than fifteen minutes uses all the sugar freely circulating in the bloodstream, active fat burning processes are launched;
• walking has less impact on chronic stress, since only while running, due to the high load, a person is distracted from his thoughts and can relax mentally;
• when choosing running, you need to monitor your own heart rate so that it does not exceed one hundred and forty beats per minute, since it is the range from 120 to 140 beats that allows you to burn fat tissue as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Read also:

What to do after a run, and what not to do? Basic rules and nuances of recovery after running

Walking for weight loss

This method is rarely chosen for weight loss, since most people believe that low-intensity walking does not allow them to lose weight. This opinion is partly true, but if you look from the other side, you can lose weight quite quickly thanks to walking. What causes weight loss when walking for a long time?

But walking is healthier for health than running, since running puts stress on the joints, heart, spine, and lungs

The mechanism is very simple: long physical activity, even low intensity affects blood sugar levels. After these reserves are depleted, the process of lipolysis is activated - the breakdown of fat with the release of energy, water and carbon dioxide. A person sweats intensely, loses water and energy, which significantly speeds up metabolism.

Surely many of us have noticed a strange injustice when a skinny person constantly eats, but does not gain weight, while a fat person gains weight even while dieting. This phenomenon is due to metabolic rate. In order to lose weight, you need to speed up the processing of energy entering the body as much as possible. What, if not physical exercise (and walking for an hour or two is a rather difficult exercise) can help in this matter?

Running for weight loss

In order to reduce the amount subcutaneous fat, you need to work on yourself comprehensively. Experts recommend starting with accelerating your metabolic rate. How to do it?

World-famous fitness trainers require their clients to perform such actions as:

• break your daily diet into 5-6 doses;
• to drink a lot of water;

On the other hand, while running, the heart is trained, the blood flows more actively, breathing is rapid and deep, the lungs open up

It is the last component that is key, as it allows you to get rid of excess energy, as well as speed up the process of digesting calories consumed per day. In order to reduce your weight, you need to start with something simple - light jogging at a convenient time of day for you. Some people find it more pleasant to run in the morning, while others cannot get up early and complain about problems sleeping.

It is very important to monitor your heart rate while running, even slowly - it should be in the range from 115 to 135 beats per minute. It is at this heart rate that the number of air molecules necessary for the breakdown of adipose tissue is supplied to the tissues.

The duration of the exercise may be short at first, but the required numbers are at least twenty minutes of running, because during this period the energy components contained in the liver and muscles are burned. As a result, the body requires more energy, and there is nowhere to get it except from subcutaneous fat tissue.

Read also:

Effective running for weight loss for men

By gradually increasing the duration of your races, you can achieve very good results. Running with breaks is even more effective - alternating fast runs with slow walking. This technique allows, in addition to weight loss, to have a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system.

What is the best way to help you lose weight?

Both running and walking are different in intensity physical exercise, requiring energy expenditure. Deep ventilation of the lungs and activation of oxidative processes allow you to speed up metabolism and reduce the deposits of fatty tissue in problem areas.

If you compare running and walking and talk about which is better for losing weight, the choice is definitely in favor of running

It is not advisable to choose a suitable method on your own; it is better to contact fitness specialists, they will help you weigh the pros and cons in order to make a choice in favor of running or walking for weight loss. In general, it is necessary to take into account the age, physical condition of the person, the presence of concomitant diseases of the cardiovascular or musculoskeletal system, in order to avoid unwanted complications.

What strengthens muscles better?

In large muscles, there are two types of fibers - white (responsible for endurance, strength) and red (volume and storage of glycogen). Both types of cells can be strengthened with exercise, but their growth rates differ markedly. Whites harden and grow very slowly, their growth can begin over several weeks, while reds gain volume quite quickly with proper nutrition and training.

Walking and running are different types of exercise in intensity. During walking, mainly the muscles of the lower leg are activated, while sprinting leads to the activation of almost all bundles of the human body. Both running and walking help strengthen muscles, but the speed of this process is different. On the other side, maximum effect observed only when performing restrictive exercises with weights in the gym.

Which is safer?

From the point of view of the effect on the heart and on indicators blood pressure, slow walking is more gentle. Long walks in the street, forest or mountainous areas can provide sufficient stress to speed up metabolism. Jogging in an unprepared person, in addition to morning soreness, often causes tachycardia, pain in the heart, or even a hypertensive crisis.

Choose the mode of movement that suits you best

In addition to the effect on the heart, the load on the musculoskeletal system is more significant when jogging. Especially when overweight, bone structures such as joints (knees and hip joints), may be subject to a destructive process or even the development of deforming osteoarthritis. Therefore, when choosing a safer way to lose weight, it is better to pay attention to long walks on fresh air.

Read also:

What should you do before running?

Running for health

Any physical activity, provided it is done in moderation, is beneficial for human health. Running, like swimming, uses all the muscles of the body and has a strengthening effect on various systems and organs. Running is useful at any age, only older people need to start small - slow jogging.

In order to prevent the development of sprains, dislocations and other unpleasant moments, you should start running with stretching and warming up all muscle groups. The right approach to training will provide a positive effect on the heart muscle, blood pressure levels, lung condition and metabolic activity.

Walking for health

Regular walking exercises have a positive effect on the condition of all systems and organs of the body. During a walk, the respiratory system is actively working, harmful substances are eliminated, including harmful chemical compounds.

In order to determine what exactly is less traumatic and more beneficial for the health of a particular person, it is necessary to take into account the following parameters:

• age;
• the presence of concomitant pathologies of the cardiovascular, endocrine and musculoskeletal systems;
• history of surgical interventions.

In addition to the positive effect on physical health, playing sports has a beneficial effect on the human psyche. The acute or chronic effects of stress are leveled. This is due to the lack of time for sad thoughts and tormenting oneself about various situations.

Some people should run, some people should walk

If you are still faced with the question of whether to choose walking or running, then first of all you should pay attention to your level of physical fitness. After all, it plays a decisive role in choosing the type of preferred physical activity.

If you have chronic or acute diseases, it is advisable to start with regular walks in the fresh air, gradually adding elements race walking. After a month or two, when your endurance has increased, you can move on to jogging, and eventually to long runs.

The complete absence of pathologies, young age and a large amount of energy allows you to immediately switch to running without developing undesirable consequences for the human body.

Conclusion

Both running and walking are types of activity that can improve the condition of most systems and organs. Provided you have a competent approach to training, the results will not take long to arrive. When it comes to playing sports, systematicity and focus on long-term results are very important.

Even if you walk for half an hour three times a week, you will notice a significant increase in overall tone, a surge of strength and energy. Over time, progress will be noticeable; it will allow you to grow above yourself, increase your strength, improve your health and get your body in shape.