Walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world. much more Most popular in America. There’s a good reason for that. Because it’s simple, accessible, and effective. Taking regular walks reduces your risk of many health problems, including anxiety, depression, diabetes, and some cancers.
However, once your body gets used to walking, you may want to pick up the pace, says Alyssa Olenick, an exercise physiologist and postdoctoral fellow in the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
If you can replace some of your walking with running, you can get similar physical benefits and benefits. spiritual You will reap the benefits in much less time. But just how good has running become? And how can you turn a walk into a run?
Why walking is good for your health
When considering the health benefits of activities like walking and running, there are two relevant factors to keep in mind. One is how a workout affects your fitness, how it improves the efficiency of your heart and lungs. The second is an ultimately positive outcome. Does it help you live longer?
of gold standard To assess your fitness, VO2 max is a measure of how much oxygen your body uses during intense exercise.That’s strong too predictor Dr. Alison Zielinski, a sports cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine’s Bloom Heart and Vascular Institute, says that longevity:
Even small amounts of activity, such as walking at slower paces throughout the day, can improve your VO2 max slightly compared to staying fully active. sedentary, according to a 2021 survey of 2,000 middle-aged men and women. But the bigger benefits come from starting to walk faster, increasing your heart rate and breathing rate.
If you are trying hard enough and can speak but not sing, you have passed from light to light. moderate physical activity. According to research, Moderate activity strengthens the heart and create new mitochondriawhich produces fuel for the muscles, Dr. Olenick said.
Things that make running even better
So, what is the difference between running and walking? Dak-chul Lee, a professor of physical activity epidemiology at Iowa State University, says it’s more efficient.
why? It’s more than just a speed increase. Running involves a series of bounces rather than lifting one leg at a time. This requires more strength, energy, and power than walking, Dr. Olenick says. For many beginners, running at any pace, even a slow jog, puts a lot of strain on the heart and lungs. This can increase the level of effort to so-called strenuous activities. This means you are breathing so heavily that you can only speak a few words at a time.
federal health guidelines We recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, per week, or half that amount of vigorous exercise. This may suggest that running is twice as effective as walking. But when it comes to the important outcome of longevity, some studies have found that running is even more effective.
In 2011, Taiwanese researcher asked more than 400,000 adults how often they engaged in vigorous exercise (such as jogging or running) and moderate exercise (such as brisk walking).They are found Regular 5-minute runs extended lifespans as much as 15-minute walks. Regularly running for 25 minutes and walking for 105 minutes reduced his risk of death by about 35% over the next eight years.
These numbers make sense when you consider the impact running has on fitness. in 2014 study, Dr. Lee and his colleagues found that regular runners, including those who jog at less than 6 miles per hour, are 30 percent healthier than walkers or sedentary people. He also had a 30% lower risk of dying over the next 15 years.
Although Dr. Lee is a big supporter of running, he suggested thinking of walking and running as a continuum. “The biggest benefits occur when you go from no exercise to a little exercise,” he said.
Whether walking or running, consistency is paramount. However, after that, adding at least some intense exercise to your daily routine will help you get even more benefits.
How to run after starting to walk
Running also has its downsides. It has a big impact, strain on connective tissue.
The researchers are Myths debunked I always break my knees when I run, Short-term injuries are common in runners than Walker. Dr. Bela Mehta, a rheumatologist at the New York Hospital for Special Surgery, says starting by walking first gives your body time to adapt, which reduces your risk.
In fact, even experienced runners should recover gradually if they take a break. Dr. Zielinski said, “It’s always better to start or build up your exercise program slowly and low.”
If you’re trying running for the first time or want to get back into it, try this progression.
Step 1: Add steps.
Dr. Lee says to increase your step count. If you don’t exercise at all, start by taking an extra 3,000 steps per day, at least a few days a week.
Step 2: Slowly increase your pace.
Dr. Olenick says to set aside time for a 10-minute brisk walk three to four times a week. As for his effort level, he aims for a 3-5 out of 10. Gradually increase the time until you can stand for an hour.
Step 3: Sprinkle while running.
As you get fitter, you’ll find that you need to walk even faster to reach moderate intensity. Once this happens, usually after a month or two, he will start adding more intervals between runs and walks. Warm up with a 5-minute brisk walk. Next, alternate between 1 minute of jogging and 3 minutes of walking. Repeat this 3 to 5 times.
Step 4: Try running it continuously.
Increase the time between your runs and decrease the time you walk every 1 to 2 weeks until you can run consistently.
Dr. Zielinski says if you’re being treated for heart disease or other chronic conditions, or if you’re experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, talk to your doctor first. You may be required to undergo a stress test or other evaluation before being allowed to engage in strenuous activity.
If you can’t (or don’t want to) run, Dr. Olenick says there are other ways to increase your strength. For example, add some hills to your walking route and increase your pace as you climb them. You can also jump on a trampoline on land or in the pool, or try a HIIT workout.
Best of all, combine them. Walk briskly or do some other moderate-intensity exercise on some days, do more vigorous exercise on other days, and increase your step count on days when you can’t focus on exercise.
“Take a little bit of everything,” preferably every week, says Dr. Olenick. “It all adds up.”
Cindy Kuzma is a Chicago-based journalist and co-author of Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart.
