Walking Is A Better Workout Than You Might Think
Every four years, the world enjoys a collective giggle over Olympic race walking. Sure, it looks like a few dozen people waddling down the street desperately in need of a…
Athletes compete during the Men’s 20km Race Walk on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sapporo Odori Park on August 05, 2021 in Sapporo, Japan. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesEvery four years, the world enjoys a collective giggle over Olympic race walking. Sure, it looks like a few dozen people waddling down the street desperately in need of a restroom, but doing it for 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) requires a serious level of fitness. In fact, time and time again, walking has proven to be one of the best forms of exercise.
Numerous studies have found that walking on a regular basis can lead to better physical and mental health, an increased level of mindfulness, and even enhanced communication skills. Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and mind-body coach in professional sports told CNN, “Walking is the most underrated, corrective, mind-body, fat-burning exercise available to humans.”
Lintao Zhang/Getty ImagesAntonella Palmisano of Team Italy crosses the finish line to win the Women's 20km Race Walk on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sapporo Odori Park on August 06, 2021 in Sapporo, Japan. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
A lot of folks worry about making sure they get 10,000 steps a day, but we may want to look to those Olympic race walkers for inspiration. According to Discover, walking faster could reduce disease risk and help you live longer. And the National Institutes of Health suggest the magic number may actually be closer to 7,500 steps per day.
The bottom line is that once you start walking for fitness, you'll set yourself up to enjoy a variety of benefits:
- It's easy to get started - Walking can be safe and easy exercise for newbies. Later, you can ramp up the intensity with bursts of running, adding hand or ankle weights, or going up and down hills.
- Walking improves your health - Research from Harvard Medical School finds walking can do more to combat disease than pretty much everything else. Walking for just under 22 minutes a day may reduce your risk of heart disease by an impressive 30%.
- It improves memory and cognitive capability - Lots of studies have shown that walking is a brain booster, including research from the University of Virginia that finds walking can lower the risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s.
- Walking is energizing AND helps you sleep - It can raise energy levels, but it won’t interfere with sleep. The Arthritis Foundation found that women over 50 who walked for an hour every morning were less likely to have insomnia than those who didn’t walk.
- It boosts mood and lowers stress - Just a few minutes of walking a day can ease anxiety and improve mood, especially when you’re outside in nature, according to Yale E360.
- Walking is free and can be done anywhere - No pricey gym membership required. All you need are shoes and a place to walk, even if it's inside a mall when the weather is bad.
- It can build community and family bonds - Walking is a great way to get to know your neighbors. Talking your kids along can enhance communication and even boost their academic success.
If you're worried about staying motivated to walk every day, adopting a dog is a great way to make sure you stick with it. My step count has definitely increased since we brought our new puppy home. And if you want to see how the best in the world do it, check out some of this year's Olympic race walking highlights HERE.
