A walking expert says 10,000 steps may be worthless if you don’t do them

In a world where most people sit down to work, travel and relax, daily goals can be a simple and effective way to increase your activity. But you won’t get the full benefit of walking 10,000 steps a day if you don’t consider another important factor: cadence AKA how many steps you take in one minute.

If you want to enjoy more benefits, you are walking at a speed of 100-plus steps per minute and Keeping your daily step count is the way to go, according to walking expert Dr Elroy Aguiar. His team’s research, which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that this cadence was a good indicator of “fitness” exercise.

This is important because, “all research in this area shows that many benefits [from walking] accumulation gradually or even more,” Dr Aguiar explains.

Why is walking cadence important?

Walking 100 steps per minute can unlock more health benefits than a slow amble, and this comes with how hard your body is working. Walking fast will require more effort, so your heart rate needs to be faster to increase the supply of oxygen to your body and working muscles. As a result, the strength of the work is increased, and it can be classified as “exercise” exercises.

This is in line with the World Health Organization’s (and NHS’s) physical activity guidelines which provide at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a similar combination. of the two.

Fortunately, Dr Aguiar says walking at 100 steps per minute shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for most people.

“Having said that, if most people walk down the street, they’ll automatically take 110 to 115 steps per minute, so 100 is the most likely number,” he says.

“If you want to speed up the pace, you can walk at about 130 steps per minute. If you are walking in the same area or a little higher, you can change gears and get the most out of what you are doing.”

How many steps should you walk a day?

Dr Aguiar says that the research is “little known” about the importance of walking volume (the number of steps you take per day) when it is done without a high cadence and strength.

While many studies show the benefits of walking a few steps a day, “similar studies have shown that volume isn’t necessary unless you’re also doing it at a high intensity,” he explains.

To cover all the bases, Dr Aguiar advises you to maintain a high level of steps every day and a brisk walk. And they say you don’t need to walk 10,000 steps a day to reap the many health benefits it offers.

“The research shows around 7,000 to 8,000 steps per day depending on the amount, and a portion should include 20 to 30 minutes of walking at 100 to 130 steps per minute or faster,” says Dr Aguiar. “That would be a very useful combination to get the benefit of volume and scale.”

Although, he adds, “there is no upper limit to the amount of walking activity that is good or bad for you – the more steps you get, the better”.

The quality of travel

For a free service with a low barrier to entry, mobility offers significant benefits.

“It is possible that a person who has started a sedentary lifestyle may change their mood or exercise due to walking,” says Dr Aguiar.

“That’s especially true if they’re going from the high energy to the high energy side of things — walking in a way that starts to make you breathe a little, make you explore and sweat a little.”

“If you’re walking 130 steps per minute, which would be about 5mph, you’re moving faster. You’re getting your heart rate up, you’re using more oxygen, and that’s going to help you get more fit.”

“The research is clear on this point – people with good aerobic fitness have a lower risk of chronic disease than those with low fitness.”

The recommendations of the World Health Organization speak clearly about the benefits of physical activity, but they also help promote the benefits of walking. Exercising regularly, can lead to “great physical and mental benefits” such as preventing chronic diseases, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and improving quality of life, among many others.

That’s why, if you’re looking for the low-hanging fruit of exercise to improve your health and fitness, daily walking should be your first port of call — not just dragging your heels.

Read more: I walked 10,000 steps with a heavy bag every day for a week – here’s why