Hi burnt_toast,
Thank you for your interesting question.
USATF Olympic Q&A: Race walkers stride onto Crete
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:haWfVUk0dOAJ:www.american-trackandfield.com/news/racewalkerscrete04.html+describe+marathon+walking+strides&hl=en
Q: When you watch it, race walking seems so difficult.
DUNN: You have to keep one foot on the ground at all times, and your
leg must be straight when your foot hits the ground. The hip action
also helps you take a longer stride, which becomes an efficiency
issue. You can take a longer stride with the same amount of energy.
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Definition of Race Walking
http://members.optusnet.com.au/lisa/nswrwc/rules.htm
Race Walking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes
contact with the ground, so that no visible (to the human eyes) loss
of contact occurs. The advancing leg shall be straightened (i.e. not
bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground
until in the vertical upright position.
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Walking Fast: Racewalking, Powerwalking and Speedwalking
Walking fast comes in many forms and styles, from Olympic racewalking
for competition to powerwalking for fitness to informal speedwalking.
Learn how to walk faster.
Fast Walking Technique - How to Walk Faster
http://walking.about.com/cs/fitnesswalking/a/fasttech.htm
How to Walk Faster: Head and Torso
http://walking.about.com/cs/powerwalking/a/howfastposture.htm
How to Walk Faster: Arm Motion
http://walking.about.com/cs/powerwalking/a/howfastarms.htm
How to Walk Faster: Foot Motion
http://walking.about.com/cs/powerwalking/a/howfaststep.htm
How to Walk Faster: Leg Motion
http://walking.about.com/cs/powerwalking/a/howfaststride.htm
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Walking Technique and Form by Jo Ann Taylor
http://www.walkingconnection.com/Walking_Technique_Form.html
You may hear many different terms to describe walking styles, such as:
power walking, speed walking, aerobic walking, and race walking. Of
those names, race walking is the only form of walking that has a clear
cut definition because it is governed by a specific set of rules. The
other terms are often used simply to help validate walking as a real
form of exercise in the minds of the participants, and the different
names do not usually refer to a technique different than the one we
describe here. For the purposes of this Walk Training site, we will
not distinguish one from the other; we will simply call it "walking."
By closely following the technique and form described, you can
significantly improve your performance. This training can help enhance
the benefits you receive from walking. The benefits are:
* increased efficiency
* better use of energy supplies
* decreased risk of injury
* increased comfort
* faster times
In regards to your general fitness and overall health there are some
more great advantages:
* increased calorie burn
* increased muscle conditioning
* body shaping
Practicing and becoming comfortable with your form should be your first objective.
As you practice your technique, break each component down to an
individual motion and focus on one at a time. Then put it all
together. It is up to you to select the portions of the walking
stride that feel most comfortable and practice putting each piece into
place to build the muscle memory that will help you achieve the
consistency you will need. Each of us are individuals, and not all of
us can or will want to perfect this technique in its entirety. It
will be most productive if you select the pieces that you are most
comfortable with. Go at your own pace.
Taking It From the Top!
STAND TALL, WALK TALL
The foundation of a good basic stride is posture. The spine should be
elongated by standing straight -- not in a rigid military position,
merely straight, tall, and relaxed. You should be able to draw a
straight line from your ear down to your shoulder, to your hip, knee
and ankle. A common problem to look for here is an unnatural arch in
the lower back. Commonly known as a "sway back", this incorrect
posture can create great discomfort, especially when walking long
distances. To eliminate this problem, practice tucking your buttocks
under your body, putting the pelvis area in a more neutral position.
To accomplish this, pull in your abdominal muscles, and at the same
time squeeze your buns.
HEADS UP
The head should be level, eyes looking forward, and the chin parallel
to the ground. A protruding chin or tilting the head down to look at
the ground is a common mistake. If the head is allowed to tilt
forward, excess strain is put on the neck and shoulders and will lead
to undue fatigue. Focus on looking forward to about 12-20 feet in
front of you. If you need to look closer to where you are stepping,
lower your eyes, not your whole head.
ARM SWING
A walker's shoulders should be relaxed, not drawn up towards the ears.
Arms should swing naturally with each step, and should be bent at the
elbow at a 90? angle. This is important. Straight arms on long walks
lead to problems with swelling, tingling, and numbness of the fingers
or hands. Bending them will not only eliminate this problem, it will
help you gain upper body strength and tone your deltoids, biceps and
triceps.
For many walkers, weight loss is a goal. By bending the arms, you
will also burn 5-10% more calories. One more great reason to keep the
arms bent and moving in an athletic motion is that you will
immediately be able to pick up your pace for greater periods of time.
The bent arms should swing comfortable and naturally at about waist
level. Your hands should be relaxed and loosely closed. Any excess
tension in the arms or hands should be avoided -- it wastes energy.
The elbows should be close to the torso, with the hands going no
higher than the center of the chest on the forward swing, or past the
back of the hip on the back swing. Again, more motion than this is
wasted energy.
If you are new to this technique, you might initially find your arms
getting fatigued. When practicing, keep your arms bent for 5-10
minutes, then lower them to recover. As soon as you feel rested,
raise them again. As part of your training, you might consider doing
some upper body weight work (not while you are walking) to increase
your endurance. Specific exercises are suggested later.
BELOW THE BELT
The movement of the lower half of the body in this technique is the
most difficult to describe, and for many walkers, the most difficult
to achieve. This is usually due to the inflexibility of the hips.
Flexibility can be improved by consistently stretching the hip flexors
and lower back, and for most people, simply doing the technique will
help them considerably. People new to this should go slow and
practice. The time spent in learning and becoming comfortable with it
will be rewarded with more efficient movement.
In your lower body, the walking technique begins by using the
abdominal muscles and hip flexors to rotate the hip forward and lead
the leg in its forward motion. As the leg swings forward and
straightens, the body will land on the heel. The ankle should be
flexed with toes pointed upward at about a 45 degrees. angle from the
ground. The foot placement should be in front of the body, as if
almost walking along a straight line. Keep in mind the shortest
distance between two points is a straight line. As the body's weight
passes over the leading leg, the foot should roll forward and push off
from the toes to begin the next step. A strong push will give you
more momentum and power.
That's the basic technique. As you practice it and increase your hip
flexibility, you will naturally develop a slightly longer stride.
A word of caution: It is counter productive and potentially harmful to
your back if you try to increase the length of your stride by taking
longer unnatural steps. Speed and efficiency in walking are generated
by hip flexibility and quicker, not longer, steps.
THAT'S IT! At first, this technique may seem complicated; but
actually it is a natural motion where the whole body works in unison.
Because of its low impact nature, the head does not bob up and down.
When done correctly, it is a very fluid movement that is easier on the
body.
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Best regards,
tlspiegel |