The purpose of this post is to make known the advantages and disadvantages, benefits and impacts that our body can experience when we load it with artificial light weights, while walking; to know if it generates greater strengthening in the physical and mental aspects, or on the contrary, causes some kind of damage or a demerit in their performance.
The classic is to place weights in any of the upper or lower extremities.
We will focus on weights on the lower extremities, but this does not mean that we should omit the possibility of the others, since weights can also be placed on the wrists or arms, or around the waist with special belts.
The weights, as devices, are placed on the lower extremities, commonly on the ankles or legs, being the most common on the former.
In any of these body parts where it is decided to place them, will allow us to perform greater efforts with and in the limbs and sections of the body where we fix them.
Regarding the characteristics of each type of weights we can resort to specialized companies for it.
The important thing is to be aware that we will be adding weight to our body in those parts where we place them.
There is no doubt that weights, in general, will strengthen our limbs and the sections of the body where we place them, but, and here is the big question that we have: Is it better, healthier, to walk with an overweight, with a lower weight or without extra weights? Let’s imagine that we could walk with a slight decrease in our own body weight, would that invite us to walk with greater pleasure? And if so, how much would it be advisable, for example, to decrease the force of gravity?
Let us keep in mind that walking, as we have always done it, has been carried out with the same gravitational force, although we know that it varies slightly from one geographical point to another, since it is not the same at the equator as at the poles (Post ONE SMALL STEP FOR A MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND), and we know that the physical, emotional and mental benefits that it generates, without variation in that force, are innumerable. This means that normal walking has always developed under the influences of our own weight and without variation of it. Obesity could be a case that should be analyzed taking into account this type of effects: gravity, body weight and mass, significance in health (physical and mental), etc.
Let’s leave for the near future, to investigate and analyze what the force of gravity means in conjunction with our body weight and mass, in the practice of walking, as I have programmed it associated with the WALK-RWD system.
BENEFITS THROUGH THE USE OF EXTRA WEIGHTS ON THE BODY, WHILE WALKING:
Weights make it difficult for us to move while walking, but they strengthen our muscles and other mechanical and functional parts of our body.
In general, the benefits that are generated with extra weights, are:
1. Decrease in body weight, by increasing the consumption of calories (For obesity cases).
2. Improvement in cardiovascular disease
3. Strengthening of the lower limbs, with respect to joints, muscles, bones and tendons.
4. Improvement in the elasticity of the lower limbs, which avoids the vicissitude and incidence of falls.
5. Obtaining greater firmness in walking, which gives the individual, in turn, greater security to perform the other 3 structured activities within the WALK-RWD System.
It is very easy to define the sequence of cause-effect that generates an overweight in the lower limbs: With an overweight is achieved an extra work for our body, because the bones, muscles, tendons, joints, legs, feet and ankles, will work harder. With the ankles (or calves) loaded, it will take more effort to cover the same distances in the walks; which generates that more calories are burned in the same period of time. The latter will translate into greater weight loss per unit of time.
In addition, there is no doubt that the use of weights on legs and ankles achieves its strengthening and therefore improves the development of the walk itself, as well as its safety in the displacement.
It has also been demonstrated that loading the legs or ankles with weights (1/2 pound), the weight of the body can be reduced between 1 pound to 3 pounds, with walks of 1 hour daily, during 45 days. This can be achieved, as we have explained in the post COMBATING SOME ENEMIES WITH THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM: OBESITY, without the need to overload the body. Of course, this type of walking modality does not have the fundamental objective of losing weight, but to improve the health -both physical and mental- of the individual who practices it.
ASPECTS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT TO IMPROVE MUSCLES:
The following actions should be taken into very careful consideration in order to realize the various desired effects on a muscle, when the body is loaded with extra weight:
1. Frequency in exercising the muscle o Repetition of the exercise. Regularity in the practice of the exercise.
2. Duration of time of the exercise in which the muscle is maintained in alternating tension.
3. Magnitude of the tension or effort to which the muscle is subjected. (The loads to which the muscle is subjected).
4. Rhythm and cadence in the exercise of the muscle. Slow or fast speed.
5. Symmetry or asymmetry of the efforts to which the muscle will be subjected (Future Post THE BODY’S SYMMETRY, ITS BALANCE AND ITS WALK).
The combination of these 5 parameters is the basis of the methodology of the systematic use of weights on the lower extremities during the practice of walking.
RISKS OF CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHTS WITH THE BODY
It is necessary to keep in mind that walking with weights on the ankles can cause wounds, injuries or dislocations in the lower sections of the legs, knees, ankles and feet, in their joints, muscles and tendons due to the efforts deployed. Normal walking may be affected in terms of average performance rates as well as walking techniques, i.e., placing extra weights on the lower extremities disturbs normal walking, and the heavier the extra weight, the more our natural average walking will be affected.
PENDING ASPECTS TO BE RESOLVED IN THE FUTURE
However, there are still some unknowns to be resolved in the future when using these weights on the lower extremities. Does increasing the weight of the loads on the lower extremities improve their effects? We do not know for sure the limits that can be reached.
Regarding the average walking speed: Does it generate a break or an improvement in it, and what are the direct and indirect effects of its alteration?
Does it produce any improvement in the self-generation of organic substances, by our own body? (Post THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND THE SELF-PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES).
Is an improvement in mental capacities achieved? Posts ADDITIONAL BENEFITS IN CONDITIONING THE BODY AND MIND; THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM ENCOURAGES CREATIVE THINKING. PART I; THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS; INCREASE OF MENTAL CAPABILITIES).
On heart rate, it has been shown that carrying extra weight on the legs or ankles (1/4-1/2 pound) will increase by 5 beats per minute; likewise, placing that extra weight on the arms, wrists or hands, the heart rate is increased by 6 to 9 beats per minute. Both possibilities are achieved in a period of ½ hour of walking.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
The following indications (observations, tips) should be taken into account in order to avoid the greatest number of problems when carrying extra weights on the body:
1. Be aware that additional weight is being added to the body, which will generate difficulties in the movement.
2. The weights, as devices, should not be excessive.
3. This type of practice should not be performed if you suffer from any joint problem, no matter how small it may be.
4. You should start with very light weights and gradually increase their weight.
5. Warm-up exercises should be performed before starting to walk with the overweight.
6. Weights should be held gently on the ankles.
7. Avoid carrying extra weights on the lower extremities if you suffer from any severe pain in the muscles, legs, bones, feet or ankles, as well as feeling unusually fatigued, or any unusual symptomatology.
With or without extra weights, let’s get walking. Let’s let our two legs carry us. Let’s thank the left and the right, which have carried us all the days of our lives.