Benefits of walking: the most underrated exercise for your health
No gym membership, kit or experience needed. How much to walk, how to tell your pace is brisk enough, and why walking is a great start at any age.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults get 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week. It sounds like a lot, but it is just 30–40 minutes of brisk walking a day. Walking works the heart and lungs, strengthens leg muscles and bones, helps control weight and noticeably lifts your mood.
What walking pace counts as brisk?
A simple test: you can talk, but you can no longer sing. Your breathing quickens and you feel warm. If you can easily hum a song, that is a stroll rather than exercise — still useful, but pick up the pace.
How can you start walking more every day?
- Start with 10 minutes of brisk walking and add 5 minutes each week.
- Split the total: 10 minutes in the morning, 10 at lunch, 10 in the evening — the effect is comparable.
- Get off a stop early, take the stairs, walk while on phone calls.
- Comfortable cushioned shoes matter more than any sportswear.
Is walking good for you after 55?
For people over 55, walking is one of the best basic forms of exercise: it is gentle on the joints and needs almost no recovery. Add balance and strength exercises — see "Joint mobility after 55" and "Strength training after 40".
If you have chronic heart or joint conditions or blood pressure problems, agree the amount of exercise with your doctor. But in most cases walking is exactly the activity to start with.
If you want more motivation to move, look at Y-Age Carnosine patches — LifeWave designed them to make movement a natural part of your lifestyle. For people who walk a lot, there are IceWave patches for comfort in motion and Energy Enhancer for caffeine-free energy.