How Fast Do You Have To Walk for It To Count as Cardio?
Walking is perhaps the most accessible type of physical activity that exists. If you’re just beginning your fitness journey or are recovering from an injury, it’s the perfect way to start moving your body.
But sometimes, you may be out for a walk and inevitably pass a runner speeding past you (uphill, no less). When this happens, it can be easy to compare yourself to them. Does walking even count as cardio? Can you log it as an exercise on your smartwatch?
Simply put, yes and yes. “Many people worry that walking isn't challenging or intense enough to be considered effective exercise, however, walking is a very beneficial, simple form of exercise with options for increasing intensity and challenge, and is one of the types of physical activities recommended by the CDC,” says Shellie Wingate, a personal trainer and certified health coach specializing in helping women over 40.
Walking at any speed has many health benefits. Curious as to what they are? Keep reading to find out as well as to get tips on how to make your own walking workout more challenging.
Related: Yes, You Can Lose Weight From Walking Alone—Here's How to Use Walking to Get In the Best Shape Ever
Does Walking Count As Cardio?
Like Wingate, personal trainer and Leading Edge co-founder Noelle McKenzie says that walking is a cardio workout. “Walking at all speeds is beneficial cardio especially if you are not used to walking much,” she says. McKenzie adds that walking at any speed that’s a challenge helps improve stamina and one’s resting heart rate.
If you’re walking with the purpose of it being a cardio workout, McKenzie says that how long you should walk is based on how fast you’re going. “If you walk faster, you can walk for a shorter time and if you walk slower, you can walk for a longer time,” she says.
Paying attention to your heart rate, or how fast your heart is beating, is a good way to know how hard your body is working during your walk. If your pulse is pretty much the same as when you’re sitting on the couch, it’s an indicator that you can step it up—literally. “If you are walking at an appropriate pace for cardio, you should be able to have a casual conversation, but you won't be able to sing a song,” Wingate says. “However, walking at a leisurely pace can still help to reduce health risks and help to maintain or improve mobility, making activities of daily living easier and prolonging independent living as you age.”
How often should you walk as a cardio workout? McKenzie points to the CDC’s guidelines of aiming for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. That means walking at a brisk pace that increases your heart rate. Wingate says that this translates to about 30 minutes of walking most days of the week. If that’s a stretch for you, she recommends starting with 10 minutes of walking most days of the week, slowly increasing the duration as your body adapts.
Maybe it’s not your fitness level that makes it difficult to walk for 30 minutes; maybe you just can’t find the time. If this is the case, Wingate recommends dividing the 30 minutes up, going on three 10-minute walks or two 15-minute walks throughout the day instead.
“Walking for transportation, where safely possible, is a great way to ‘sneak’ in some exercise,” Wingate says. ”Even if you live too far away from your destination to walk the full distance, you can try parking a block or two away from work, a restaurant or a store.”
Related: How To Lose Weight Through Walking
What Are the Benefits of Walking?
Both personal trainers say that walking at any speed is greatly beneficial for both physical and mental health. Scientific studies have shown that people who walk regularly are at a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes and obesity. It’s also great for brain health. Walking helps lower the risk of cognitive decline and can also help lower depression and anxiety.
If you have a goal of losing weight in a healthy way, McKenzie says walking is a great way to burn calories. Unlike other forms of exercise, walking can often be done while doing something else at the same time. For example, you can walk on the treadmill while watching a TV show you like or go for a walk outside while catching up with a friend on the phone.
McKenzie says that walking at a brisk pace helps to improve aerobic threshold and stamina. This will spill over into other forms of physical activity, making them easier than they would be otherwise.
“Walking can also improve your quality of sleep,” Wingate says. Scientific studies back her up showing that it really is possible to walk your way to a better night’s sleep.
How To Make Your Walking Cardio Workout More Challenging
If you’re a regular walker, maybe you’re looking for some easy ways to make your workout more challenging. One way to rev up your heart rate according to Wingate: take on hills. If you’re walking on a treadmill, increasing the incline has the same effect.
Wingate says that another option for making your walking workout more challenging is to increase your speed. “Increase your walking speed for between 30 and 90 seconds and then slow it back down for another 30 to 90 seconds,” she says, instructing you to continue this for the duration of your walk. If you don’t want to increase your speed, McKenzie says that increasing your distance is another way to step up your walking game.
Wearing a weighted walking vest can also make your walking workout more challenging, Wingate says. These vests increase the load that the muscles need to carry, which makes them work harder.
Every time you go for a walk, you’re doing your entire body some good. So next time you see a runner on your walk, give them a smile. You’re both improving your health one step at a time.
Next up, learn about the benefits of walking with weights.
Sources
Shellie Wingate, personal trainer and certified health coach
Noelle McKenzie, personal trainer and co-founder of Leading Edge
