Older adults are less likely to get the suggested amounts of weekly exercise, which can contribute to physical decline. On average, men walk faster than women, with the speeds between the sexes being most similar when people are in their 20s.
Both men and women have a walking speed that stays fairly consistent until reaching their 60s, which is when it starts to decline considerably. In general, women are less likely than men to get the recommended amount of weekly physical activity. Your speed is determined, in part, by your fitness level. Many fitness experts consider a brisk walking pace to be steps per minute or 3 to 3. A brisk pace is relative since it refers to your level of exertion, which depends on your fitness level.
In order for it to be considered a brisk pace, you need to raise your heart and breathing rate. You may feel slightly out of breath or sweaty when walking briskly. You can use an app or a speedometer to measure your speed. Or you can measure your heart rate using a pulse monitor, fitness band, or calculator.
Brisk walking counts as moderate-intensity exercise and is a terrific way to increase your physical activity. This type of exercise gets your heart rate going, makes you breathe harder and faster, and supports healthy blood flow. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends that you get at least minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week.
The faster you walk, the better. You can work on speeding up your walking pace by working on your technique. This includes improving your posture, stride, and arm motion. Wear comfortable athletic shoes and clothing that allows for optimum movement. Walking at a brisk pace helps to improve your overall fitness and has many health benefits.
Moderate-intensity activity increases your breathing and heart rate and improves your balance and coordination.
Brisk walking keeps your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy. It also helps to decrease the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Physical exercise such as walking may help to improve your memory, slow mental decline, and decrease your risk of dementia, especially when you boost your pace. Increasing your physical activity level by walking can help to maintain a healthy weight , lower blood pressure, and boost your mood.
You may be less likely to have a stroke or develop type 2 diabetes. These benefits are greater the further and more frequently you walk. According to research from , walking at a fast pace can help to increase your life expectancy. Brisk walking more effectively decreases the risk of all causes of mortality, including cardiovascular disease, when compared to slow walking.
Some power walkers use hand weights in an attempt to burn more calories or build upper-body strength. But physical therapists warn that wearable ankle weights can cause strain on the neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. You should also avoid using ankle weights or specially designed weighted shoes , which can increase your risk of strain and injury. Experts advise saving the weights for a separate strength-training workout.
Looking to start walking off the weight? Our free guide offers tips, workouts, and a printable schedule to help you get on the right track.
American College of Sports Medicine. Starting a Walking Program. Med Sci Sports Exerc. The effects of muscle damage on walking biomechanics are speed-dependent. Eur J Appl Physiol. From normal to fast walking: Impact of cadence and stride length on lower extremity joint moments.
Gait Posture. Davis IS, Futrell E. Gait retraining: altering the fingerprint of gait. The influence of footwear on foot motion during walking and running. J Biomech. The prevention of shin splints in sports: a systematic review of literature.
Harvard Health Publishing. Wearable weights: How they can help or hurt. Updated May Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFit. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. But as you might imagine, Olympic race-walkers move much faster than most people. So, when schlepping from, say, your apartment to your local coffee shop, how fast are you walking?
Adults walk at an average speed of 3 to 4 miles per hour , which equates roughly to 1 mile every 15 to 20 minutes. This figure varies based on a few factors, including:. Walking speed usually decreases with age, starting around age A study defined brisk walking as a pace of to steps per minute.
According to the CDC , a brisk walk is one where you can talk but not sing. It sounds a little weird, but try singing your go-to karaoke song as you stroll along.
There are other ways to determine your approximate speed. Researchers suggest counting how many steps you take in 10 seconds and multiplying that number by 6. You can also track your pace with a smartwatch like an Apple Watch , a Fitbit, or another device that monitors your physical activity.
According to the American Heart Association, during a brisk walk you should aim to cruise at 50 to 85 percent of your max heart rate. You should get at least minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise like brisk walking each week.
If you really wanna sweat, at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week will also suffice. Jogging, cycling, and channeling your inner Williams sister are all ways to do this. Walking is kick-ass exercise. The average American walks 3, to 4, steps a day.
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