It’s free, it calms the mind, and it’s the only form of exercise I want to do when it’s hot—walking is great, and the research continues to pile up in its favor for protecting the body and brain from aging.
A recent study adds weight to existing evidence that walking improves memory and may help prevent cognitive decline; a finding for older adults, regular 30-minute walks strengthen connections in brain networks that help people think clearly and remember things.
Analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that doing just 11 minutes of brisk walking a day – which equates to half the recommended amount of moderate-intensity activity prescribed by the NHS per week – was enough to reduce the risk from the development of heart disease, stroke and a number of cancers. Brisk walking—or dancing or gardening for that matter—may even reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people at high genetic risk, another study found.
“Walking gives us many health benefits, improving our aerobic fitness and emotional well-being, with minimal risk and no recovery time (for most people), meaning you can get your steps in every day,” says the sports scientist and personal trainer Luke Worthington.
“One of the great advantages of low-intensity steady-state (LISS) exercise such as walking is that it is cumulative. So you can build up your steps throughout the day – breaking them into manageable chunks doesn’t reduce any health benefits. Higher-intensity exercise has other benefits, but it doesn’t have to be done daily.
However, there are changes you can make to increase the intensity of your daily walk, says Sam Shaw, personal trainer and founder of Lemon Studios. “Walking is so versatile that a few simple changes in your stride and pace can greatly improve your cardiovascular fitness and strengthen your muscles.”
So from Nordic walking to perfecting your pace, here’s how to improve your walking to get the most health benefits possible.
Is 10,000 steps a day a myth?
The 10,000 step figure is hammered home as the holy grail of daily fitness goals, but where does that figure come from? It actually dates back to a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer, Manpo-kei, which literally means 10,000 steps, in the run-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
“As arbitrary as that number may have been initially, in the time between then and now, research has shown that it’s not too far off the mark,” says Worthington. “It’s more of a reasonable goal than an absolute.” Still, a recent meta-analysis of research suggests the sweet spot may be lower, around 7,500 steps per day. “After that point, there are still additional health benefits, but the rate of improvement (matching number of steps to reduced mortality) starts to plateau.”
A separate large study published in the bJournal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) last year found that taking 10,000 steps a day reduced the risk of dementia by 50 percent, but the risk was reduced by 25 percent with just 3,800 steps a day. Interestingly, a faster pace showed benefits above and beyond the number of steps taken. Ultimately, how many steps you take per day will depend on your lifestyle and personal fitness levels, a fitness tracker or simply a pedometer on your phone will help you keep track of them and serve as a reminder to keep moving, but try not to obsess over the numbers – a more intuitive approach will be more enjoyable.
Wave those arms
Mastering your technique will turn your next walk into more of a full-body workout. “Stand up straight, squeeze your glutes and aim for long strides,” Shaw instructs. Exaggerating an arm swing with an opposite leg swing “acts like a mechanical pump that helps improve breathing mechanics, blood flow, and even digestion,” adds Worthington. “You can increase the effectiveness of this by making the exhalation longer than the inhalation—inhale for two strides, then exhale for four.”
Mix up your pace
Alternate the pace of your walking to add short bursts of higher intensity, suggests Shaw. “On a scale of zero to 10, if 10 is super power walking, go between a five for a minute or two, then a 10 for a minute. Do this for 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how much time you have) to give yourself a real cardiovascular fitness boost.
Add a weight burn
Adding wrist weights, light dumbbells, or wearing a weighted vest, backpack, or just carrying groceries will work your upper body as well, adding a small element of strength to your walk. But avoid ankle weights altogether, Worthington warns, “it can be harmful to the connective tissue in the knees, so it’s not something I would ever recommend.”
“Adding wrist weights or light dumbbells will work your upper body” (Photo: Dougal/Getty Images)
Consider the terrain
Incorporating inclines through hills (if you can find them) or stairs to your walks will increase your cardiovascular fitness by raising your heart rate. “Walking uphill strengthens the glutes and hamstrings as you walk against gravity,” explains Shaw. “When climbing stairs, try to take two steps at a time.”
Walking on uneven terrain—think sand, rocky paths, and paths with roots—can have the added benefit of improving leg strength and flexibility, adds Worthington, “which has been shown to positively correlate with reduced pain and the prevalence of foot injuries.” knees and lower back.”
Try Nordic walking
Originating in Finland as a summer training method for the national cross-country skiing team, Nordic walking has gained popularity among non-athletes for its fantastic health benefits.
“It engages the muscles of the whole body, from the legs and glutes to the stomach, back, chest and arms, and is a fantastic way to build strength while giving the heart and lungs a good workout,” explains Laura Kinnunen, who is originally from Finland and runs Brockley Nordic Walking in South East London.
“Using specially designed Nordic walking poles, with belt-like wrist straps and angled rubber feet called ‘paws’, and a specific walking technique, it’s a great way to relieve back pain and improve your posture (it as it is impossible to bend over when using the poles).’
Poles help take weight off the hips and knees into the lower body, making it suitable for anyone with joint problems as well. “Adding poles to any walk, whether in a local park or on a long out-of-town walk, increases the intensity,” she says. “The more pressure applied to the bars of the pole, the greater the engagement of the upper body and core, and the higher the speed. It’s very social and a great way to make friends; walking and talking while enjoying the outdoors is great for our mental health.”
Look up
Need another reason to get outside and walk? “Optic flow,” or the flow of objects past our eyes as we move forward (which updates the brain where you are in space), has been shown to have a positive effect on our mood and creativity, Worthington says. “Different stimulation when objects pass us or we pass them activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), as opposed to focusing on a fixed object such as a screen, which activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight).
It’s one of the reasons we often have more creative thoughts and better conversations when we go for walks.” Walking dates and catching up with friends are great ways to increase your step count, “with that added neurological advantage, they’re likely to be and more productive.”