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WHAT IS THE IDEAL PACE FOR
WALKING, RUNNING AND
CYCLING?
This is a three-part series with part one dealing with running, part two covering walking and part three on cycling. As runners, we need to consider cross training as part of our routine and walking can be part of our fitness routine. Walking. By James Sundquist.
BUT WHICH PACE IS THE RIGHT PACE FOR ME? This is probably the most asked question we ever get at the institute. Of course, we always tell them it depends on their goals and their health and fitness level. Unless you are an athlete, it is not important how fast your feet are going as it is how fast your heart is going when you are walking for exercise. If your goal is weight loss only, we suggest a slower pace of 3 m.p.h. which is approximately 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate. This is not quite in your aerobic zone for many people. What is important for weight loss is distance and time — meaning one to two hours a day. This pace then projects out to about 120 steps per minute. To get in your aerobic zone you want to achieve closer to 75 per cent of your heart rate. But you only need to go this fast for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week. This requires a faster pace of closer to 140 steps per minute. If your goal is endurance and increased fitness and/or mile time, you will need to get your heart pumping in the 80 to 90 per cent of your maximum heart rate. This begins at 160 steps (beats) per minute. Then eventually you increase the pace to 170 steps per minute. This pace should eventually help you generate a 12-minute-mile pace — or race-walk pace. But remember, this takes time. You need to develop your aerobic capacity as well as your lean muscle mass, strength and flexibility before you attempt this pace and faster. Most walkers need at least a year to develop paces of 170 spm (12 minute mile) or faster. Interestingly, many people are exercising at different paces on different days or time frames, using all of the above paces. This is because they have all three goals in mind: weight loss, aerobic conditioning, and increased endurance and speed. Combining paces in a workout is known as
The copyright of the article The Ideal Pace. Part two in Running is owned by . Permission to republish The Ideal Pace. Part two in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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