Why we suggest you walk more

Living in an increasingly sedentary society, there’s one thing the average person needs more of: activity, no matter which form it is in. There’s a growing trend within the fitness space for more intense types of cardio, with people favouring circuit training and HIIT classes over slower paced movement, and this is completely okay. If people enjoy an activity, then that’s cool! However, higher effort forms of exercise aren’t the only option. People need to move more, but that movement doesn’t need to be all or nothing. A lot of people don’t enjoy high intensity training, and yo-yo between forcing themselves to another class, and resorting to completely sedentary days.

There is a middle ground. This middle ground is walking, and it may just be the most underrated form of activity there is. Moving more, to a point, is better for you. There is a strong, studied correlation between activity level and life expectancy. As a whole, those with daily step counts between six and ten thousand have longer life expectancies than those with lower step counts. You may be literally walking away from an early grave. But that’s not the only benefit walking has. In comparison to higher intensity forms of activity, such as HIIIT, walking has a much lower recovery cost.

For those that don’t regularly train in the gym or for sport, this may not be an issue. However, for those that do, walking presents a method for increasing daily activity without beating their bodies up and negatively impacting training sessions. The low impact nature of walking means it can be easily fit into an already intense training schedule. Unlike many other forms of activity, walking requires low levels of concentration and effort. This means that other tasks/hobbies can be completed at the same time. Walking presents a great opportunity to catch up with friends ( maybe grab a coffee), listen to a podcast, or give the dog a much needed run.

For those living lifestyles jam packed with work, kids and everything in between, walking can serve to increase movement without having to discard other priorities. Perhaps the most under-recognised benefit of walking, is the positive impact it can have on mental health. Walking outside is an excellent way to destress, get some vitamin D, and a quick breath of fresh air. For those that spend their working hours in offices or sitting at computer screens, getting outside for 15-20 minutes a day can do wonders for both mental and physical health.