Walking at a moderate pace (5 km/hour) can largely achieve these benefits, especially if it's done in continuous bouts (say, 10 minutes or more at a time).
An average walking pace on country and forestry footpaths is: 20 minutes per mile (3 miles per hour) 12 minutes per kilometre (5 kilometres per hour)
According to researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, walking about 100 steps per minute is considered “moderate” and 130 steps per minute can be considered “vigorous” or intense.
A simple 5km walk is a surprisingly effective and versatile way to check most (if not all) of your fitness boxes, depending on how creative you want to get with it!! … It is long enough to reap plenty of benefits (see below) and gives you enough time to throw in some variety (interval training, anyone?)
Common walking paces are: Easy walk: 20:00 minutes per mile (3 mph) or 12:25 minutes per kilometer or slower. Moderate to brisk walk: 15:00 to 20:00 minutes per mile or 9:19 to 12:25 minutes per kilometer. Fast walk: 15:00 minutes per mile or 9:19 minutes per kilometer or faster.
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)
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.
The Importance of Walking 5km or at least 30 Minutes a Day
Walking for at least 30 minutes a day can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease. This risk is further reduced when you increase the duration or distance of your daily walk. Taking a short walk after eating may also lower blood sugar levels.
The average walker finishes a 5K in 45 to 60 minutes.
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.
Examples of moderate activity include brisk walking and dancing.
Most healthy people will be able to maintain a walking speed of 6 km per hour for a longer duration. Listed below are some examples to help you find the speed that is best suited for you. Elderly people or children should feel comfortable while maintaining a speed of 3.5 km per hour.
The researchers found, for most people, brisk walking could be defined as moving at a pace of 2.7 miles per hour or 100 steps per minute for adults under about age 60.
One study measured the number of calories people of average fitness level burned after walking at a brisk pace of 3.2 miles (5 km) per hour or running at a pace of 6 mph for about a mile. Results showed that those who walked at a brisk pace burned an average of 90 calories per mile ( 12 ).
Brisk Walking Speeds
This is equivalent to 6.4 kilometers per hour. To achieve a 15-minute mile walking pace, you will need to walk at 4 to 5 miles per hour (6.4 to 8 kilometers per hour). You can calculate your walking pace after measuring the time it takes you to walk a mile or a kilometer.
Generally, older adults in good physical shape walk somewhere between 2,000 and 9,000 steps daily. This translates into walking distances of 1 and 4-1/2 miles respectively. Increasing the walking distance by roughly a mile will produce health benefits.
The World Health Organisation and the National Heart Foundation of Australia recommend 10,000 steps (approximately eight kilometres) per day to improve general health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Five kilometers equals 3.1 miles. At a typical walking pace, you can walk a 5K in 45 minutes. If you are a slower or beginner walker, you might take 60 minutes or more. When choosing a 5K event, make sure it welcomes walkers and has a long enough time limit so you can comfortably finish.
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.
Walking might not be the most strenuous form of exercise, but it is an effective way to get in shape and burn fat. While you can't spot-reduce fat, walking can help reduce overall fat (including belly fat), which, despite being one of the most dangerous types of fat, is also one of the easiest to lose.
Talking a stroll is one of the allowed forms of exercise, and it turns out, even walking slowly can be remarkably beneficial. Walking slowly not only burns more calories per mile, but it may also save wear and tear on the joints of those who are obese.
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.
You might start with five minutes a day the first week, and then increase your time by five minutes each week until you reach at least 30 minutes. For even more health benefits, aim for at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.