Walking ‘A Method for Rapid Improvement of Physical Fitness * Yehuda Shoenteld, MD; Gad Keren, MO; Tuvia Shimoni, MO; : ‘Cheim Bientls; Ezra Sohar, MO ci This study examined the efficiency of walking with a backpack load ‘a method for improving physical fitness. Forty-four subjects (average age, ) marched at a speed of 5 km/hr for 30 minutes a day, five days a with a 2-kg backpack load; 6 subjects marched for 4 weeks with the same load; 6 subjects marched for 3 weeks with a 3-kg load, and with a 6-kg load during the fourth week. A statistically significant in In aerobic work capacity (Vor) Was observed in all three groups, but was most pronounced Inthe *" (JAMA 243:2062-2083, 1980) _ 7 Walking ‘has been suggest harmless and suitable method. for people with low physical fines(Mhe resent study was designed to exam- ine the efficiency of walking with backpack load as a method for improving physical fitness of seden- tary males. PHYSICAL fitness programs, such as + continuous endurance training or in- - terval or circuit training, have had no success in inducing the majority of the population to be physically active. ‘Leap. For editorial comment oe 2067. “‘Gourse and immediately on its termina * “taken: height, weight, heart rate by BCG, Jogging, although efficient in improv- ing aerobie eapacity, is unsuitable for © large population groups. Moreover, it “has been found to eause some harmful side effects.” Hachomer re! (Or Shoat. he Subjects and Methods Forty-four young men, aged 18 t0 22 years (meantS0, 188409 year), 1846 tm in height and weighing To9ti02 kp Participated in the stodys Theta mean aerobic working eapacity (Vo,...) was 22472 ce of O,/ug of body weight Gv) BW/min (range, to ST ce of Oke of BW /min) The subjects walked at a ined of 5 km/hr ith a 3bg backpack ead tor 90 minutes a day, five Gaya 2 | nest for tres weeks thirty-two pare [ants (grosp A) tertinated the exper ‘ent at hie sage. The remaining 1 pr {pants ‘continued to march potter srk ai (group B waled fh the same the ie eters backpacks. 25. sits ~Prior to the beginning of the tra tion, the following measurements were ‘and predicted Vou. by the mul ‘ergometric method according to Astrand nd Rodaht on ergometric Beles (Mon- ark, Sweden). sg ‘The paired Student's ¢ test and x’ test, al evaluation of the 3 considered signif: ‘oxygen uptake before the beginning. of the training course and following the third and fourth week of walking, as well as the mean increase in Vom, of the three groups. Group A, which included 32 participants who marehed three weeks with a 3-kg load, showed an increase of predicted VOinu from ‘Table 1-—Pradicted Aerobie Work Capacity (Vow) fore and Aller Training Course Group k =a) BW indicates body woh JAMA, May 23130, Lf z kins = 1980—vot 24s, No. 20 5S kun fhe Walking and Physical Fitn 2 s 2 ll = 3 nile /AXTable 2.—Maximal Aerobie Capaciy (Vo,W.) in Subiecte With Low Intel Physical Fitness and Subjects With High ital Physical Fitness Before and After Training Course Von € 0 kg oF BW mi Wo, of Sibecta * “win 320% iar Tmprovenant improvement _~"_ improvement ’ To ital pial Fess =P) Tian ta pvicl Rana GT) 2 pm ean 704 asin hans ar . “BW indicates by woh BISET2 to 364460 ce of Ovkg of BW/min (15%). Group B, whose ‘members marched four weeks with a 8-kg load, showed an increase in Vom: from 30.7429 to 36.2442 ce of O/kg of BW/min (18%). In group C, whose members walked three weeks with a ‘kg load and the fourth week with a 6-kg load, the Vom, inereased by 92%, from 30272 to SOAUTS ce of O/kg of BW/min. ‘An improvement of more than 20% in Vou was observed in 11 of 32 participants in group A, 3 of 6 in group B, and 4 of 6 in group C. Table 2 summarizes the mean predicted VO: of two groups of subjects culled from group “A, one with a lower initial physical fitness (VO, 20 to 25 ee of O,/kg of BW/min), and the second with a higher initial predicted VO (240 ec of 0./kg of BW/min). An inereage of 69436 ce of O,/kg of BW/min (304%) in predicted Vou. ‘was noted in the group with the lower initial physical fitness, whereas the ‘group with the higher predicted Vos showed a rise of only 1.1 ec of O,/kg of BW/min, An improvement of more than 20% from the initial Von. was noted in four of the seven subjects with a lower initial value, and in none of the participants with a high initial Voinu: ‘The difference between the two” groups is highly significant (P<. 005). é eve * “Comment ‘This study shows that it is possible to improve substantially aerobic physical fitness in three weeks by walking daily with a light backpack Toad. This program is most useful for people who have low initial aerobic work eapacity.)Th in VOina in participants carrying 3 kg was 15% after three weeks, 18% after four weeks, and 90% when the load was JAMA, May 25/90, 1980—Vol 243, No. doubled during the fourth week of marching. Pollock et al* examined the im- provement of aerobie work capacity in a group of subjects whose average age was 48 years and who partici pated in a walking training course. ‘They marched at a speed of 4 to 5 km/hr for 40 minutes a day, four times a week, for 20 weeks without & backpack. An improvement of 28% in Vosnm was found. Our study, although it involved young people, proved that ‘even during a short period of three weeks walking can improve physical fitness significantly. ¢.3..sra5ea Walking is safe and comparatively harmless. Moreover, it can easily become away of life and be reco ‘mended as a popular method of physi ‘eal activity, even for elderly people. Tn our study, the main determinant -* the rapid increase in VO: was not che speed or duration of walking, but the increase of the weight of the ‘backpack load.)Our subjects marched at a rate of 5 km/hr, which they found convenient: and which is known to be efficent Walking at a slower ppace causes too small a load on the cardiovascular system, and a longer period is needed to ackiove a statist cally , significant improvement in Ton the other hand, higher speeds of ‘walking are inconvenient and inefficient. Walking at a speed of 5 km/hr was found to be a sufficient Toad and to increase heart rates 12 more than 130 beats per minute* ‘As in other physial training meth- oils, this study. proved again that participants with a lower initial phys- feal fitness improve their Vos. more significantly than the subjects who start with a higher one (Table 2)* Walking is recommended as a grad val and safe method for improving physical fitness, mainly for people a ‘Walking and Physical Fitness Shoonifeld et at who have a low initial work eapac ‘Walking can be easily adapted as a ‘way of life: everyone ean use a brief- ease or shopping bag instead of backpack load. (This method can also improve physical fitness in people with high initial aerobie capacity and even in sportsmen, by inereasing the time of marching, the speed up to 7 km/hr,’ the slope of the road,’ and the backpack load" Doubling the load during the fourth week in the third group improved, aerobie capacity al- Iost twice. In a previous study, we have shown that backpack load of 30 kg ean be carried 12 km without harm or undue exertion” No wonder that Shs metbod is adie te nay armies as a major component in the effort to improve physical fitness of soldiers. a jeiiesictio pies “in J Spr ed 021, 1 Pit Bi Prowrtingereriae-waing and ‘ehog 8 ath Mot) sine aa, 38 rand PO Rodale Telok of Wor hywolocy New tere McGraw Bont Co 1070, p 3s, 38-80, allo ML, Miler HS, Janeway Ry et ak fet of walking. on body composition and eri tn fe ned en Phyo 013610, 171, Wyadham CH, Strydom NB, Yan Croan eta. Walk or Jog for health: Energy cost Scscatkng or running a ferent speeds SAP Says asso. a9 Karvonen A, Kestla K, Mastala 0: The fete of training hear rie A longltuleal iy Aim Med Bip Bio 350 85,1961 1, Butbert AG. Energy expeditere im level a rade wang J nt Pret 101108), oan ayes nt 10, Sole BG, "Pando KE, Goldman RF: fspenditate. of Beary oad eariage iar 89 a 197 GP Showntld , Udaasn R, Shapiro Y, et ab val backpack lad for short dieance keg. ‘Breh Phye Med Beha 30281-23198. Te, Shoeneld¥, Shapiro Y, PrtagueeeD, et i Maximal backpack load for Tong dltacee Biking J Sports Med LETS 197 2063