What's the Difference Between a "Walk" and "Cardio"

[daisysunshine]

This might sound weird. But I'm trying to figure out what the difference is between plain old walking (outside) vs say doing a Leslie Walk vs. doing something like Firm Express or Cardio Pump Fusion or something.

I'm trying to "reduce" cardio, but I do want to take a walk in the afternoon or something. and I was like - I hate walking outside, but doing regular part isn't a problem and I can do like 30 minutes really low impact or something. But I know "walking" is really good.

So like what's the difference?

[Terry]

Cardio is about working your heart muscle; i.e. getting your heart beat to go faster. Breathing and body temp go up as well.

Walking is cardio. If you stroll slowly and stop to look at flowers along the way, you'll get your heart rate up above what it is while playing like a couch potato, but if you walk very quickly intentionally you can get your heart rate (along with breathing rate and sweating) up just as well or better than you can with Leslie.

Shoot for a 15-minute mile and you'll be doing yourself a great job cardio-wise. There are people who can walk faster than normal fast/brisk walking. I think I read that the slowest race walking is a 12-minute mile. I tried that once; couldn't do it. I made it to a 13-minute mile and it was very hard mentally. To do a mile faster than 13 or so minutes, most people have to run.

[topfitmama]

Daisy, may I ask, why don't you like walking outdoors? It has always done wonders for me. I have walked outdoors in the city and now I walk on a path between fields. Even living in the city, where the air was obviously polluted, I would always get home feeling so much better! I would usually try to walk through parks as much as possible, just because I hate cars and hectic.
As Terri said (and you probably know already) cardio is about working your heart. You can walk at a comfortable pace, then kick it up a notch by walking a bit faster, then bring it back down to the comfortable pace (intervals), or you can go for steady state and walk at a pace that you can keep up.
Anyway, whatever you choose to do, walking is great! My weight goes up when it rains a lot and I don't walk as much

[imhere2dance]

Originally Posted by topfitmama

My weight goes up when it rains a lot and I don't walk as much

That's why I love my DVDs. The "weather" is always perfect in front of the TV.

I don't like walking outside because we rarely have comfortable weather. It's usually either very humid or very cold. Bugs, wind, other people, uneven ground, dogs, cars... Yuck!

[topfitmama]

Originally Posted by imhere2dance

That's why I love my DVDs. The "weather" is always perfect in front of the TV.

I don't like walking outside because we rarely have comfortable weather. It's usually either very humid or very cold. Bugs, wind, other people, uneven ground, dogs, cars... Yuck!

Yes, true. I just find it harder to get enough cardio because I'm so used to walking outdoors. I walk in heat, cold, snow, just not pouring rain!

[Jane P.]

I don't walk outside. I live semi in the country and the narrow lane that leads to my house has almost no shoulder to walk on. The area has become more popular, so traffic is now fairly heavy and it's downright dangerous to walk along the side of the road.

I agree that Leslie's 12 minute miles don't seem to be as hard as walking a measured mile.
She goes by the bpm, but I wonder if that's accurate.

[DRD0]

Originally Posted by topfitmama

Daisy, may I ask, why don't you like walking outdoors? It has always done wonders for me. I have walked outdoors in the city and now I walk on a path between fields. Even living in the city, where the air was obviously polluted, I would always get home feeling so much better! I would usually try to walk through parks as much as possible, just because I hate cars and hectic.
As Terri said (and you probably know already) cardio is about working your heart. You can walk at a comfortable pace, then kick it up a notch by walking a bit faster, then bring it back down to the comfortable pace (intervals), or you can go for steady state and walk at a pace that you can keep up.
Anyway, whatever you choose to do, walking is great! My weight goes up when it rains a lot and I don't walk as much

I was wondering the same thing. I love the summer because I can walk outdoors. We have a trail that goes through a beautiful county park with hills(at least hills for Illinois), and it is wonderful and makes me feel better. I also can get my heart rate up doing a nice little clip. It is a nice change from working out inside.

[PeakFitness]

There's no difference, Firm Express and walking are both cardio, except Firm Express would probably get the heart rate up faster, so you'd burn more calories with FE. But they're both cardio. The only difference between walking outdoors and Leslie, is that Leslie claims to do 12 minute miles, but she's totally inaccurate because it takes me 20 minutes to walk a mile (I'm 5 feet tall, short legs, no way I can walk a mile in 12 minutes). Leslie is really going at a much slower pace than when I walk outdoors - i can tell because I feel less exersion.