What is Race Walking?

May 26, 2010 by admin

People do walking to lose weight and to remain healthy and fit. A very popular saying is “walking 100 steps is better than running 50 steps”. No one can deny with the importance of running but physics prefer walking for people to live fit and fine. However walking style is not only simple walking without any rules and regulations, there is another art of walking, called “Race Walking”.

Race walking is that athletic event which is very different from power walking or running. It is a spirited track and field sport. Racewalking became the part of Olympics games in 1904 and now has a biennial world cup event.  I know, you are thinking that if it is a foot race than how it is different from running. To answer the question here are some points to understand race walking.

• Race walking is a sport in which rules and regulations are applied.
• There are two rules of race walking.
• The first rule is that if you are doing race walking than your one foot should always remain in contact with the earth. It means during race walking you have not allowed, that keep your foot complete out of contact from ground for a single moment.
• The second rule is that you have to keep your leg, which is carrying your weight, complete straight your front foot touches the ground.
• Race walking is as faster than simple walking that some professional race walkers have the record of elite runners.
• In Olympics, men can qualify for 20 km and 50 km race walking, while women can take a part in 20 km race walking.
• As stride is short in race walking, so competitors must have to improve their cadence rate or number of revolutions per minute to become professional race walker.