“The Discovery Cape Times Big Walk is happening this weekend, so I thought I would share this press release with you, in the event that you are participating!” ~ Super Mom Blog

DISCOVERY CAPE TIMES BIG WALK

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO THE DISCOVERY CAPE TIMES BIG WALK

By Dr Craig Nossel, Discovery Head of Vitality Wellness 

With just five days to go till the 2012 Discovery Cape Times Big Walk on the 11^th of November 2012, it’s time for the Cape Town community to make sure they are fit and ready to make the most of this active and fun walking experience.

Improve fitness and strength training

Improving your fitness ahead of the Discovery Cape Times Big Walk can include walking up hills, as this is one of the best ways of performing cardio training; it boosts your fitness levels, burns kilojoules and gives your buttock muscles a work out.

Before performing such training, make sure that each session includes a warm up and ends with a cool down and stretching. Structuring your training in this manner will help you avoid injury, improve your performance and get the most benefit from walking.

Warm up exercises are crucial, as they are designed to increase blood supply to your working muscles and to prepare your body for more vigorous activity. Warm up for five minutes before walking briskly.  You can do this by starting out at a relaxed, leisurely pace to prepare your muscles for more intense activity, and then pick up the speed.

Suggested hill session

• After warming up, preferably choose a route that includes three to four 300m hills,
• When going uphill, lean forward slightly and pump your arms
• Walk briskly and try not to slow down too much
• Do expect to be a little breathless, but you can recover on the flats or downhills. After finishing your main walk, continue to walk at a very leisurely pace for five minutes to cool down and assist the body in returning to its normal, resting state. Once the body has cooled down, perform stretching exercises. This may help improve your physical performance by increasing your flexibility, lowering your risk of injury and improving your coordination and balance
• If this type of training is new to you, do no more than one hill session a week

The Importance of stretching

Most people make the mistake of stretching before they walk, but by stretching cold muscles you risk straining or tearing them. You should do static stretches after your walk, while your muscles are warm.

“Golden rules” to keep in mind when stretching:

• Always warm up before stretching – It’s best to do static stretches after your walk or any other cardiovascular workout
• Static stretching should be slow and controlled, with no bouncing
• Always hold each stretch at a point of mild tension for 20 to 30 seconds
• Repeat each stretch twice
• Do not greatly extend, flex, twist or lock any joints
• Do not stretch through pain – release the stretch if you feel any pain
• Try to stretch four to five times a week

It is extremely important to prepare correctly for any exercise-focused events, such as the upcoming Discovery Cape Times Big Walk. Doing so will go a long way to prevent injury and will also afford you the best chance of a strong finish.

Free health screenings will be offered from Wednesday, 07 November until Saturday, 10 November at the Good Hope Centre, leading up to the actual walk which takes place at Rhodes High School on Sunday, 11 November 2012. Vitality members will be able to earn up 26 000 Vitality points, with bonus points rewarded for results that are in a healthy range.

To find out more about the Big Walk and visit their website click here.

Image: My Cape Town Stay