Is Walking Enough Exercise?

Quick Intro

Walking covers a large part of what health needs, especially if you walk regularly and at a reasonably brisk pace. What it does not do well is build strength or challenge balance much, so adding a little strength work on two days a week covers most of the rest. For many people, walking plus that small addition is all the exercise they need for health.

This article explains what walking does well, how to get more from it and what to add.

What Walking Does Well

Walking is one of the best-studied activities there is, and the findings are encouraging.

It lowers health risk. In large studies, people who took more steps each day had a lower risk of dying over the following years. The benefit rose with steps, then levelled off, at a lower daily count for older adults than for younger ones.
It helps mood. Walking or jogging showed some of the largest benefits for low mood among the kinds of exercise studied.
It is easy to fit in. Walking needs no equipment, no booking and no special skill. You can do it on the way to work, at lunch or with a friend.
It is gentle. For most people it carries little risk of injury, which makes it a good base for anyone starting out or coming back after a break.

Pace Matters as Well as Distance

Steps are not the only lever. In a large British study, people who said they usually walked at an average or brisk pace had a lower risk of dying over the following years than people who walked slowly, and the link was stronger in people over sixty.

You do not need to march. Brisk walking means a pace where you are breathing a little harder and could talk but not sing. Brisk Walking explains the technique. If you already walk a lot, walking a little faster for part of the time is an easy way to get more out of it. Walking up hills or stairs adds effort too.

What Walking Leaves Out

Walking trains stamina and keeps the legs working, but it does three things poorly:

Strength. It does little to build muscle strength, especially in the upper body, and only a little in the legs once you are used to it. Strength matters for lifting, carrying, getting up from low seats and staying independent with age.
Balance. Walking on flat ground does not challenge balance much. Balance training clearly reduces falls in older adults.
Bone loading. Walking loads the bones only lightly. Lifting, carrying heavier loads and activities with some impact load them more, and lifting has been shown to strengthen bone.

This is why general guidance adds strength work on two days a week to aerobic activity like walking, and balance work for older adults.

What to Add

The addition can be small. Two short sessions a week, perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes each, covering a few basic movements:

a squat, such as a Bodyweight Squat or a Chair Squat
a push, such as a Wall Push-up or a Push-up
a hip exercise, such as a Glute Bridge
a pull, such as a Resistance Band Row
a carry, such as a Farmer’s Carry with shopping bags or dumbbells

For balance, standing on one leg near a support for a short time each day, or walking heel to toe along a line, is a good start.

When Walking Is Not Enough

Walking is enough for health for most people, but not for every goal. If you want to run a race, play a fast sport, lift heavy or build a lot of muscle, you will need training aimed at that goal. Walking still works well as a base and for easy days around harder training.

Who This Applies To

This applies to most adults. If you have a heart or lung condition, joint problems that make walking painful or have not been active for a long time, a doctor or physiotherapist can help you choose a safe starting pace and distance.

FAQ

How many steps a day should I aim for?

There is no single magic number. More steps are linked to lower risk up to a point, and that point is lower for older adults. If you walk little now, adding steps gradually is more useful than chasing a round figure.

Is walking better than running?

They do similar jobs for health. Running is harder, so it builds stamina in less time, but walking is gentler and easier to keep up. The better choice is the one you will do regularly.

Does walking build muscle?

Very little once you are used to it. It keeps the legs working, but strength work builds muscle far more effectively.

Is a slow walk still worth it?

Yes. Any walking is better than none, and a slow walk still counts. Walking a little faster when you can adds extra benefit.