How to walk faster?
- Thread starter Abide
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Hey Abide. For me a fast walking pace is almost more effort than a very slow run, like trotting I guess. I have a gray area around 13 mm to 16 mm. I use a run/walk strategy when tired to stay out of that range. Of course, elevation and technical trails can change that. Trekking poles on steep uphills seem to help, but on downhills and flats they seem to slow me down.
The only way I can get below 16 mm walking pace without increasing effort is to wear shoes and open up the stride. This does mean heel striking, but as long as I'm not hearing "clomp, clomp, clomp" I don't think this is wrong.
The only way I can get below 16 mm walking pace without increasing effort is to wear shoes and open up the stride. This does mean heel striking, but as long as I'm not hearing "clomp, clomp, clomp" I don't think this is wrong.
First, why are you interesting in fast walking? Is this for hiking?
Second, Lieberman describes the same thing as Rick. After a certain threshold, it becomes easier / more efficient to run slowly than to walk quickly. For me the threshold is around 15mm or so. To walk much faster than that you have adopt an unnatural-feeling stride length, like Rick says. I've done it when I'm in a hurry, and it's tiring. The temptation is always to transition into a jog.
Heel-striking is natural in the walking gait. You say you'll be walking in shoes, but if you decide to do it barefoot, it will take time to build up your heel calluses. My heel calluses always develop fissures in the winter due to underuse, as I rarely walk barefoot outside of the house when it's 35-40F degrees or less out, although I still run.
Second, Lieberman describes the same thing as Rick. After a certain threshold, it becomes easier / more efficient to run slowly than to walk quickly. For me the threshold is around 15mm or so. To walk much faster than that you have adopt an unnatural-feeling stride length, like Rick says. I've done it when I'm in a hurry, and it's tiring. The temptation is always to transition into a jog.
Heel-striking is natural in the walking gait. You say you'll be walking in shoes, but if you decide to do it barefoot, it will take time to build up your heel calluses. My heel calluses always develop fissures in the winter due to underuse, as I rarely walk barefoot outside of the house when it's 35-40F degrees or less out, although I still run.
NickW
Guest
See walking with a heel strike hurts for me. Way to jarring on my body. I tend to walk with a midfoot strike at normal paces. Only times I walk with a heel strike are when I walk faster than 3 mph, in which case it actually feels more natural to just run/jog. The other times I walk with heel strike is in shoes. For some reason shoes feel easier to walk that way, even most minshoes.
Yah, for me, I would say I walk with more of a heel strike with shoes. Barefoot, it's a softer landing. On rough surfaces barefoot, it's flat or midfoot, kind of reaching.
You doing this Abide?
Do we have any barefoot race-walkers among us?
Walking fast is a big challenge for me too. With shoes, or when walking barefoot on a softer surface it's not that bad. But walking barefoot on cement or some other hard surface is always slow for me. I've gotten to about the same place you have, a 15:00ish pace isn't too bad, but anything faster is awkward
I started walking a few years ago then moved to Xeroshoe's 3 months ago - I've been walking faster than ever...my body just responds so much better in my Xero's than shod shoes, I'm striking my heels much less,and I allow my body to fall slightly foward that helps me. I try to keep my steps smaller that helps me not to hit heels too much and not to overstride.
Best solution I can offer is to walk naturally the way you've always done, over a long distance it will be less fatiguing so you're running pace will remain faster for longer.
Swings and roundabouts really, change one thing and it effects another also many of the speed walking techniques adopt an unnatural gait. that's why it often looks silly.
Swings and roundabouts really, change one thing and it effects another also many of the speed walking techniques adopt an unnatural gait. that's why it often looks silly.
I looked at that racewalking stuff and it seems very difficult to do barefoot, contradictory actually. I've tried some of the techniques in shoes but then it becomes an efficiency issue and a slow run is easier.
Thanks for the tips, weighted walking did not help. I'm gonna try some poles one of these days. I've also tried various shoes and sandals and there did not seem to be too much of a difference between them all.
The one thing that has helped is an active arm swing. I've read before that your arm swing can control your cadence while running (chi running?) and it does seem to help keep your speed up while walking as well. Until you forget to actively swing, which I do after about 30 seconds.
Thanks for the tips, weighted walking did not help. I'm gonna try some poles one of these days. I've also tried various shoes and sandals and there did not seem to be too much of a difference between them all.
The one thing that has helped is an active arm swing. I've read before that your arm swing can control your cadence while running (chi running?) and it does seem to help keep your speed up while walking as well. Until you forget to actively swing, which I do after about 30 seconds.
If you have trouble with focus on a long distance run wear a colored wrist band and associate with the task you want to remember, in your case arm swinging.
So when ever the band catches your attention you will be reminded of the task.
It's not 100% infallible but a good trick to use when your memory goes south at mile 20.
I often have bands associated with happy memories to help through the tough bits, it's amazing how a little distraction can switch things around.
Thats a good idea. I have thought about using my garmin and setting a beep if I drop below a 15 minute pace too.
Is there an ideal cadence/stride rate actually? Just discovered mine is 120/min walking (and (today) 188 running). Maybe part of the answer (and the next question probably
) can be found here?
Edit: makes me think I count from one to seven to stay in the right 'speedzone' and stay focused. Maybe counting helps? (No ultrarunner here)
) can be found here?Edit: makes me think I count from one to seven to stay in the right 'speedzone' and stay focused. Maybe counting helps? (No ultrarunner here)
Is there an ideal cadence/stride rate actually? Just discovered mine is 120/min walking (and (today) 188 running). Maybe part of the answer (and the next question probably
Edit: makes me think I count from one to seven to stay in the right 'speedzone' and stay focused. Maybe counting helps? (No ultrarunner here)
Its a good question, according to that article an efficient speed is 5k/hour so if each step was 0.75M then 111/min.
Didn't read the full article, but isn't efficient the same as 'feels good' (or 'feels least bad' for the current state I'm in)? 120 feels like pretty fast te me, but also light and easy etc etc
What's your stride rate then?
They used muscle activation, but yeah probably an easy pace that is maintable for long distances. 120 does sound like a good rate though for walking. I think a heart monitor could give you a pretty good indication of efficiency as well.
I've never actually counted my steps, I will do so and report back.
