Why walking is good for your health
Walking is arguably the most popular form of exercise across the world, yet it draws a fair bit of flak from the “serious” fitness community. Most fitness coaches acknowledge the benefits of walking but, and there’s always a ‘but’, they argue that it is just a gateway activity to adopt proper forms of fitness routines.
Finally, science has armed all the walkers of the world with evidence of just how beneficial the activity actually is. In a new study, researchers found that walking reduces the risk of death, dementia and diseases. The most significant finding, however, was that while walking is good, brisk walking is even better.
Brisk walking is likely to be more beneficial since it helps to decrease blood pressure, bringing about better sugar control, and decreasing bad cholesterol. It is also helpful in reducing the extra fat in the body, hence it is more likely to have better outcomes for the management of heart health. When we go on a brisk walk, we train our heart to get accustomed to situations of heightened exertion, where it needs to work a bit harder. If you train your heart beforehand, it will be able to handle situations of overexertion better and you won’t face any problems. This can be done through power walking and not walking.
Steps performed at higher intensity resulted in stronger associations. The study says that the minimum number of steps to cut the risks is 3,826, while the optimal number of daily steps to have the maximum benefit is 9,826 steps per day. The study also zeroed in on the ideal peak cadence for a 30-minute walk—112 steps per minute. It also found that higher step counts may lower the risk of cardiovascular and cancer mortality and incident diabetes, particularly more intense steps.
The one thing to watch out for while power or brisk walking is your heart rate. During the power walk, the heart rate should not spike too much. In most people, the heart rate spikes during a power walk because they are unfit, living sedentary lives and consuming processed food. It is only by training consistently does the heat become accustomed to the level of exertion and the heart stays stable. One should be able to power walk for 30 minutes without any huffing, puffing or breathlessness, adding that one should do a minimum of 30 minutes of power walking daily. “This will help in reducing the risk of death and disease. One should also supplement this with stretching, yoga and meditation. The joints should not become stiff.”