Aerobic Requirements for Moving Handweights Through Various Ranges of Motion While Walking

In brief: This study compared the aerobic metabolic requirements of normal walking (without handweights and with normal arm motions) with requirements of walking while pumping 1-,2-, or 3-lb handweights through Various ranges of motion. Nine male subjects Walked with and without handweights at speeds of 1.12 to 1.79 m· sec(-1). Adding hand-Weighted arm movements significantly increased the oxygen consumption (V O2) of normal walking by 2.1 to 25.5 ml· kg(-1)· min(-1). The V O2 for handweighted walking ranged from 17 to 43 ml· kg(-1)· min(-1), or 113% to 255% of normal walking requirements at any given speed. These results indicate that walking while moving handweights through large ranges of motion provides a combined upper and lower body aerobic stimulus that is sufficient for endurance training for persons with poor to excellent levels of aerobic fitness.