You may ask... why backpack? Well, here is what I throw in mine:
- Water Bottle (for hydration)
- Camera (To capture beautiful shots along the way)
- Car keys & wallet (if I drive to my destination)
- (When walking the dog) Poopie Bags, Additional Water and Doggie Drinking bowl
Today, on my way home, my Anterior Tibialis (front part of my leg) was burning and bulging. I decided to do some research to find out if walking was actually causing my leg muscles to grow (heaven knows that I don't want bulky legs!).
During my "investigation" I uncovered a few really cool facts and thought I would share them with you. First off, I was shocked to learn that there are two types of muscle fibers in our body, slow-twitch and fast-twitch. Depending on which of these fibers you work out depends on if you bulk up or slim down.
A lot of "bigger" walkers (like myself) think that their leg muscles are bulking up. However, the truth is there is still a lot of "fat" underneath there. If you eat healthy and do the right type of exercises your legs will get leaner. If you notice "skinny" walkers and hikers actually have smaller legs.
Back to the slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers I was referring to earlier...
Slow-twitch fibers do not grow in size. These fibers are for sustained activity. For example, you are using slow-twitch fibers when you walk, riding a bike, taking dance lessons, jogging, etc.
Fast-twitch fibers do have the ability to grow in size. It is all about having the proper training. Fast-twitch exercises include a high intensity exercise for a very short duration. An example of this type of activity would be a short distance speed skater who needs a quick burst of speed help them win a short distance speed race. The fast-twitch fibers are the best at doing this kind of "quick" burst.
Now that you know it is safe to walk without bulking up those legs of yours, it is time to figure out how many calories you can burn during this exercise. Click Here and see for yourself!
(source: About.com)
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