Is walking with a heavy load good for you

carlowplayer

Is walking with a heavy with say 10kg good for you or should it be avoided.I known using weights in you hand and legs is bad for you but if the load is held in a bag on my back is that good at all for you say for muscle building(or burning more calories) and/or building a stronger back

RoyMcC

In an athletics context I can't think of why you'd do that. There are far more efficient routines designed for strengthening various parts of the body.

Specitivity is the thing. If you want to be a coalman (do they still have coalmen?) then carry rocks on your back.

BobMac104

RoyMcC wrote: »

....
(do they still have coalmen?) .

its 2012, they have coalbots

SimonClarke

Before I joined the army I did a 3 month prep phase and one of the weekly activities including packing a rucksack with 40+lbs of weights and going for a walk or 'yomp' as it was called..

Helps condition and strengthen the muscles that keep you balanced..

For the record, I was not in the group of recruits who suffered during the exercises that required the large CEMO packs.

carlowplayer

SimonClarke wrote: »

Before I joined the army I did a 3 month prep phase and one of the weekly activities including packing a rucksack with 40+lbs of weights and going for a walk or 'yomp' as it was called..

Helps condition and strengthen the muscles that keep you balanced..

For the record, I was not in the group of recruits who suffered during the exercises that required the large CEMO packs.

What would be the safest weight to gradually build up to would you know?

Getonwithit

carlowplayer wrote: »

SimonClarke wrote: »

Before I joined the army I did a 3 month prep phase and one of the weekly activities including packing a rucksack with 40+lbs of weights and going for a walk or 'yomp' as it was called..

Helps condition and strengthen the muscles that keep you balanced..

For the record, I was not in the group of recruits who suffered during the exercises that required the large CEMO packs.

What would be the safest weight to gradually build up to would you know?

You can use a weighted vest

SimonClarke

carlowplayer wrote: »

What would be the safest weight to gradually build up to would you know?

Wouldn't have a clue based on knowing nothing about you.. What's your purpose, what size are you, what shape are you in etc etc..

As a general answer, start with a light weight, say 10-20lbs. If you have a weekly habit that involves a 1 or 2 mile walk to get to then bring the pack with you.. After that play it by feel, i.e add 5-10lbs with each walk until the walk starts to become uncomfortable.. Then reduce to the previous weight and stick with it for a month.. review every month and don't overdo it.

earnyourturns

It's not 'bad for you' anyway. I live in NZ, and regularly go away for 3-4 day hikes (or 'tramps', as they're called here) where you walk for up to 8 hours a day with a heavy pack. Last winter went on a backcountry ski trip where our packs probably weighed about 15-18kgs at the start when we had our skis and boots strapped to them (we had to walk to get to the snowline before we could start skiing). To put it into context, I'm a 5ft 4, 62kg woman. So you shouldn't do yourself too much harm

thirtyfoot

Duane Ladejo used to swear by running with a heavy load. Not sure there is evidence to back it up.

TFBubendorfer

William Sichel runs with a weighted vest and swears by it. It's hard to argue with his results.

On the other hand, most other coaches seem to agree that running with a vest hinders good training rather than helping it.

I have no idea what walking with a heavy vest would do for you. It will make you good at walking with additional weight, but would it do much for your running?

You never said why you would want to do that. What's your aim? Simply building upper body strength?

clear thinking

Running up a hill would have the same effect i would have thought?

ss43

I think it can be very beneficial at improving posture. It's important that you walk with a good body position. If you let the weight dominate you, you will bend forward at the hips and it will be detrimental to your posture and running. If you dominate the weight and keep your hips underneath your shoulders (not behind them) it will strengthen your postural muscles.

It could be seen as a step below 'base mileage' people talk about in the training pyramid. If you do long walks with heavy backpacks (or weight vests), it will prepare you for the more intensive running and strength sessions that will come later in the season.

Walk slowly and relaxed, building up neural patterns you want to carry into your running. Do it on hilly ground and barefoot if that's an option for you.