Brisk walking is a great cardio workout that can be done indoors or outdoors, at any time of day or night, and without the need for a gym membership or a lot of special gear. All you need for a walking workout is a comfortable, sturdy pair of shoes and the motivation to lace them up and get on your feet.
Generally, brisk walking has been shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and body composition. Limited evidence was presented on flexibility, muscular endurance and development and life satisfaction, and there was conflicting evidence on balance.
Brisk walking is considered a moderate-intensity, low-impact workout that does not exert excess strain on joints (hip, knee, ankles) that are susceptible to injury with higher-impact workouts. People may think that walking is not as effective as higher-impact workouts.
According to the CDC, a “brisk walking” pace for most people is 3 miles or 5 kilometers per hour, or about 20 minutes per mile and 12 minutes per kilometer. Walking faster than 4 miles per hour (under 15 minutes per mile) is considered a fast pace — and definitely cardio.
Summary. Walking for 30 minutes a day or more on most days of the week is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. If you can't manage 30 minutes a day, remember 'even a little is good, but more is better'. Walking with others can turn exercise into an enjoyable social occasion.
Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life. For example, regular brisk walking can help you: Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat. Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
In a new study, which looks at activity tracker data from 78,500 people, walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day led to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace.
Walking is not a strength-based exercise, but if you haven't exercised in a while, you'll notice gains in leg strength as a result of regular walking.
2. Strengthening bone muscles and joints. Practicing brisk walking as a daily exercise routine builds muscle strength and endurance.
On average, adults should strive for at least 150 minutes of cardio exercise each week. That's the equivalent of about 20 minutes a day each day of the week, 30 minutes five times a week, or 50 minutes three times a week. If time is your enemy, you can strive for a 20-minute dog walk or jog each day to meet your goal.
Regular, brisk walking may be a more effective method for weight loss than going to the gym, according to research.
The pace most often recommended is a brisk pace which translates to about 90-110 steps per minute or 4-5 km/hour. Slow down if you find it difficult to breathe easily; it is better to walk a little too slow than too fast.
Average walking speed by age:
20-29 years: 3.00 mph (4.83 km/h) 30-39 years: 2.82 mph (4.54 km/h) 40-49 years: 2.82 mph (4.54 km/h) 50-59 years: 2.75 mph (4.43 km/h)
Along with its many health benefits, walking also exercises several different muscles. The primary muscles used in walking include the quadriceps and hamstrings, the calf muscles and the hip adductors. The gluteal and the abdominal muscles also play a significant role in forward motion.
Walking is a great way to build endurance and strength, especially if you have not been exercising regularly.
Walking is a form of low impact, moderate intensity exercise that has a range of health benefits and few risks. As a result, the CDC recommend that most adults aim for 10,000 steps per day . For most people, this is the equivalent of about 8 kilometers, or 5 miles.
Studies show walking is one of the best ways to shed belly fat, in less time than you think. Researchers reviewed 40 years of studies on exercise and belly fat and found that just 2 1/2 hours of brisk walking a week--about 20 minutes a day--can shrink your belly by about 1 inch in 4 weeks.
Walking is a moderate-intensity exercise that can be easily incorporated into your daily life. Simply walking more often can help you lose weight and belly fat, as well as provide other excellent health benefits, including a decreased risk of disease and improved mood.
Frequency. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. If you follow the recommendation to exercise at a moderate pace for 150 minutes a week, a reasonable goal is to walk briskly for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
Walking is a great form of exercise, and doing so for 1 hour each day may aid in weight loss and provide other health benefits. Walking is an effective way to lose weight because it helps you burn more calories, especially when you monitor your calorie intake.
Typically, rest days aren't necessary for light cardio. This includes activities like leisurely walking or slow dancing. It's safe enough to do every day, unless your doctor says otherwise. But if you're doing moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, rest days are essential.
Yes, walking counts as exercise. Here's how to get the most out of it.
The average walking pace is 2.5 to 4 mph, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Factors that affect the speed of your pace include physical fitness levels, the incline and your age. Competitive walkers, for instance, can walk an 11-minute mile, according to a 2015 study on walking groups.
Speed Matters When Walking for Fitness
If you're walking for your health, a pace of about 3 miles per hour (or about 120 steps per minute) is about right. That's a 20-minute mile. To walk for weight loss, you'll have to pick up the pace to 4 miles per hour (or 135 steps per minute), a 15-minute mile.