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In a world where most people sit for work, travel, and leisure, a daily step goal can be a simple and effective way to increase your activity levels. But you may not get all the rewards walking 10,000 steps a day If you don’t consider another key factor: cadence, i.e. how many steps you take per minute.
If you want to get maximum profit, Walking at a speed of more than 100 steps per minute And According to walking experts, maintaining a high daily step count is the way forward Dr. Elroy AguirreHis team’s research, which was published in British Journal of Sports Medicinefound that this particular cadence was a good indicator of “moderate-intensity” Exercise,
This is important because “all the research in this area shows that most of the benefits [from walking] Accumulate at moderate or high intensity,” explains Dr. Aguirre.
Why is walking rhythm important?
Walking 100 steps per minute may provide greater physical health benefits than a slower pace, and this depends on how hard your body is working. Running faster will take more effort, so your heart rate needs to speed up to increase the supply of oxygen to your body and working muscles. As a result, the intensity of the activity increases, and it can be classified as “moderate-intensity” exercise.
This is linked to the physical activity guidelines shared by World Health Organization (and echoed by NHS) which prescribes a weekly total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
Luckily, Dr. Aguiar says walking at a pace of 100 steps per minute shouldn’t be too difficult for most people.
“To put it in context, if most people went for a walk across the street, they would self-select a cadence of around 110 to 115 steps per minute, so 100 is a very achievable number,” he says.
“If you want to walk at a moderate intensity, you can walk about 130 steps per minute or walk up a steep slope. If you walk within or slightly above that range, you can switch gears and get more benefit from the activity you’re doing.”
How many steps do you need to walk a day?
Dr. Aguiar says the research on the importance of walking volume (the number of steps you take per day) when walking without high cadence and intensity is “a little vague.”
While many studies highlight the benefits of walking a certain number of steps per day, “Similar studies have shown that quantity is not important unless you also do it at a high intensity,” he explains.
To cover all the bases, Dr. Aguirre recommends maintaining both a high daily step count and a brisk walking cadence. and he tells you No need to walk 10,000 steps a day To experience the most of the health benefits on offer.
“The Research “In terms of volume, the recommended daily intake is about 7,000 to 8,000 steps, and a portion of that should include 20 to 30 minutes of walking at 100 to 130 steps per minute or a brisk pace,” says Dr. Aguiar. “This will be the most efficient combination to achieve volume and intensity benefits.”
However he adds, “There is no upper limit to how much walking activity is good or bad for you – the more steps you walk, the better”.
Benefits of walking
For a cost-free activity with a low barrier to entry, walking offers an impressive number of benefits.
“It is possible that a person starting out with a sedentary lifestyle with a low activity level may achieve some cardiovascular improvements or improvements in aerobic fitness through increased walking,” says Dr. Aguiar.
“This is especially true if they move from moderate intensity to the intense side of things—moving to the point that you start having trouble breathing a little bit, making you jittery and mildly sweaty.”
“If you’re walking 130 steps per minute, which would be about 5 miles per hour, you’re really starting to walk faster. You’re speeding up your heart rate, you’re increasing your oxygen consumption, and that’s going to translate into improvements in aerobic fitness.”
“The research is very clear on this – individuals who have better aerobic fitness have a lower risk of chronic disease than individuals with lower fitness.”
The World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines speak more broadly to the benefits of physical activity but still serve to reinforce the benefits of walking. It says regular exercise can have “significant physical and mental health benefits”, such as prevention of chronic diseases, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improved overall health, among many others.
That’s why, if you’re looking for some underrated fitness fruit to boost your health and activity levels, daily walking should be your first step — just don’t drag your heels.
Read more: I Walked 10,000 Steps With a Heavy Backpack Every Day for a Week – Here’s How