What is race-walking?
Race-walking is a competitive sport that differs from walking or running. Since the 1904 Olympics, it has been an official event, and judging is strict on correct form, timing and violations. It's an efficient method of moving on two legs, and to do it correctly, the walker must always have one foot on the ground. The leg holding the most weight must stay straight until the body has passed it over. Bending or lifting the leg wrongly can result in a competitive violation.
As its name implies, race-walking is much faster than regular walking. Professional race-walkers can move almost as fast as a runner. Race-walking was first part of the Olympics as a short race, but today it's a major part of the track and field schedule. The first women's event took place in 1992 in Barcelona; while female race-walkers are usually slower than males, their records are fairly close.
The scoring system has seen its share of controversy, because violations are judged by the human eye. To minimize the risk of error, most competitive events allow for three violations before a walker is disqualified. At the top levels, disqualifications happen with surprising frequency, and they can sometimes cause more controversy than the scoring system itself.
As a form of exercise, race-walking can be both challenging and fun, and training is needed for correct form. Race-walking emphasizes different muscles than running, but it can be a good alternative for runners who are recovering from injury. The sport is increasing in popularity, and it's easier than it ever has been to find experts and classes on form and technique.