Is Walking Enough Cardio?
Take a scroll on social media and it seems everyone is signing up for the latest fitness competitions, marathons, ultras and Ironmans, and completing athletic feats to rival an Olympian's efforts. But startling new evidence published in the BMJ indicates that just 21% of adults and 13% of older adults worldwide adhere to the recommended levels of physical activity.
We won't go too deep into the nuances of the disconnect between these two examples, but clearly it's important to meet people where they're at – and one of the best ways to do that, is to encourage walking.
However, is walking enough cardio? For the vast majority: yes. For the fitter among us, and those intent on improving their fitness for performance, we will likely need something a little more intense.
Is Walking Enough to Improve General Health?
Absolutely. According to a review published in The Lancet, taking more steps per day was associated with a progressively lower risk of all-cause mortality. The researchers found that mortality reduced among adults aged 60-plus taking 6,000-8,000 steps per day and among adults younger than 60 years with 8,000-10,000 steps per day. In another study published in JAMA Network Open, participants who walked 7,000 steps per day had a 50-70% lower risk of early death in comparison to those who walked less than 7,000. Some studies suggest even lower numbers such as 4,000 steps can improve health.
And the benefits of shorter, more intense bouts show health benefits. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that just 11 minutes a day of brisk walking was enough to reduce the risk of a range of illnesses.
So, the bottom line is: yes walking is great for general health, and studies generally indicate the ideal minimal step count is between 7,000-8,000 steps a day, however more is likely better for further health benefits.
Is Walking Enough for Heart Health?
A study published in Circulation supports that engaging in moderate physical activity with exercise such as walking, has significant benefits for heart health. Participants who exercised moderately 150 to 299 minutes per week showed a 19% to 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality compared to those who did not.
Those who reported 300 to 599 minutes per week experienced an additional reduction in mortality risk, although higher levels beyond this did not show further benefits or harm. Vigorous exercise did show further benefits for heart health, but for the majority, this further emphasises that walking is a great place to start.
Is Walking Enough for Weight Loss?
Yes. Weight loss largely comes down to creating an energy deficit with more calories burned than you consume. Walking is a great way to increase your energy expenditure, without increasing the need for recovery time or driving up your appetite. A review published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health concluded that brisk walking can create a significant reduction in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and fat mass.
Is Walking Enough to Improve Fitness Levels?
Finding your VO2 max is a good way to assess fitness levels – it's a measure of how much oxygen your body uses while exercising. Any exercise that increases your heart rate at a sustained rate can improve your VO2 max. So, knowing this, the extent to which walking will improve your fitness depends on your current levels.
For those who have been inactive: Walking might be enough to improve fitness levels. A study including obese participants walking briskly at 50% to 75% of their maximum heart rate saw significant improvements in their VO2 max after 12 weeks.
And for those who are fairly active: Brisk walking may improve your fitness levels. Brisk walking could be sufficient zone 2 training to support your endurance training efforts. Zone 2 training helps improve your 'aerobic base', meaning you become more efficient at performing steady state work for a long period of time. This can support your marathon or endurance goals.
For those who are already very fit: You will likely need something more challenging alongside walking to improve your fitness levels. And walking may even be too low a heart rate for zone 2 training. You should still include it to support your health however.
As your body adapts to the stimulus (walking), it will become more efficient and your heart rate will therefore be lower during that activity. We need to place stress on the lungs, muscles and blood vessels in order to force them to adapt, and if you're already fairly fit, walking might not be enough to achieve this. In which case more vigorous cardiovascular exercise than walking, such as running, cycling or other higher intensity activities will be needed to progress.
It's important to add that the heart rate zone you train in will largely depend on the type of activity you are training for. For example, the energy systems needed for CrossFit are quite different to those needed for a marathon.
You can also increase the intensity of your walks by:
Walking at a faster pace
Walking at an incline or on different terrain
Overall, something is better than nothing, and walking is a great entry level form of exercise everyone should take part in for a range of health benefits.
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