After reading that Dan John had begun walking with heavyhands, while using a backpack, I began to resurrect this forgotten method. Walking while swinging light dumbbells, moving them in many different directions…alternate presses, curls, hammer curls, laterals, pull aparts, etc. Heart rate has usually been mid 50s, now sometimes drops to upper 40s. Blood pressure previously would be borderline “so so,” was measured at 110/64 recently. Now, the whole idea of throwing the wights around looks pretty silly (even Dan has said so), but arms and legs working in this manner really keeps the heart rate (and breathing going). By the end of the 1980s, this concept was lost, along with leg warmers and Richard Simmons/Jane Fonda. However, Leonard Schwartz was really onto a great program for conditioning. He walked the walk, so to speak.
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Old post, but new to me. This reminds me of a video interview I heard recently with Steve Reeves when he was (I think) in his sixties. Steve Reeves Exclusive Interview By Pat Henry and Tony Quinn. Never Before Publicly Released! - YouTube He talks about “power walking.” Listen carefully, because he says it quickly. He power walks with weights in his hands. Keep listening to the end and you will get the recipe for his secret power shake!
And then there was - Walking sticks!
More recently even with built in resistance. I have a pair of these in storage (called BungyPump) that I am considering using to amplify my 15 min walk back and forth from work. There seems to be some science behind it, according to the manufacturer.
Anyone tried these?