Fit for the summer season

The summer season is closer again and we are looking for easy ways to improve fitness. 

Is it possible to train endurance only with walking and with steps counting and what are easy exercises to train the abdominal muscles?

Training endurance with walking

When walking at a fast pace, the strain on the cardiovascular system is in general less than 50 percent of the maximum efficiency. Endurance however improves at 60 or 70 percent of the maximum efficiency.
If you are already athletic, you will probably not have a training effect only by walking. However, if you haven’t done sports in a long time and have little endurance, walking has a positive effect on your endurance.

With one hour of walking you burn about as many calories, as with 20 minutes of jogging –that’s about 200 calories. When walking, you burn calories mainly through the fat metabolism.

Health benefits of walking

With regular fast walks, you can also build muscle. You also train the oxygen supply of the body, strengthen the heart, the circulation and you reduce stress. In general, walking has many positive effects on health.
It was found, that long, little intense movement like walking has more health benefits, than short and intense activity.
A fast walk with 30 to 45 minutes per day is healthy and an effective endurance training.

When walking, you train mainly the following muscles: shin, calves, thighs, feet, belly, buttocks, neck and back.

If you are more ambitious, you can also try interval-walking. With interval-walking you alternate between a normal waking speed and a high walking speed and with it you burn more calories.

Abdominal exercises for summer 

For many, training the stomach is often part of the summer season. The following exercises are for instance well suited for a training.

Mountain Climbers

• Go into a support position. The torso is straight, the back is parallel to the floor. The head looks straight ahead.
• Move the right knee to the front and back, then the left. Both legs should move at the same time: While one knee moves to the front, the other one moves back. 
• Do this exercise as fast and for as long as possible.
  This exercise trains mainly the straight abdominal muscles.

Scissors

• Lie down on the back and lift the legs off the floor. The hands lie on the side of the head. Lift the head lightly.  
• In alternation, cross over the legs, like scissors. Keep your legs straight.
• Do this exercise for 30 seconds and repeat it several times.
  This exercise trains mainly the lateral abdominal muscles.

Bicycle Crunch

• Lie down on the back and pull the knees up in a 90 degree angle. The upper body is slightly bent. 
• Bring together alternately the right shoulder and the left knee, then the left shoulder and the right knee.
• Repeat this exercise several times.
  This exercise trains mainly the straight abdominal muscles.

Criss-Cross

• Lie down on the back. You can put down the arms stretched out next to the body. 
• Bend your legs in a 90 degree angle, so that the calfs are parallel to the floor. Tense the stomach.
• Let the legs swing alternating to the left and to the right. The legs are lowered so that they almost touch the floor.
  This exercise trains mainly the lateral abdominal muscles and the back.

Russian Twist

• Sit down on the floor or on a mat. Angle the legs, put your heels on the floor and tense your abdominal muscles. 
• Now lift the angled legs and lean back the upper body, until you feel a pull in the stomach. The abdominal muscles are tensed. 
• Move the upper body to the left, tab with both hands on the floor and repeat the exercise on the other side. 
• Do 3 x 15 repetitions.
  This exercise trains mainly the back- and the abdominal muscles.