WALKING
walking for cardio is probably the most underrated exercise out there and i'm tired of people acting like you need to be dying on a treadmill to get a good workout.
1. forget everything you've heard about needing to hit some random number of steps
yeah 10k is fine if that works for you but honestly just walking more than you did yesterday is progress. started with like 15 minutes around my neighborhood because that's all i could handle without getting winded. now i can easily do an hour and actually look forward to it.
2. pace
you want to walk fast enough that you can still hold a conversation but you'd rather not. like if someone called you while walking you could talk but you'd be slightly out of breath. that's your sweet spot. too slow and you're just strolling, too fast and you'll burn out in ten minutes.
3. hills are your friend even though they suck at first
find a route with some inclines because that's where walking actually becomes cardio instead of just moving around. my usual route has this one hill that kicks my ass every time but i can feel the difference in my legs and lungs. flat walking is fine but hills make it count.
4. music or podcasts help but don't become dependent on them
sometimes i walk with nothing and just think or notice stuff around me. makes the time pass differently and you're not fucked if your phone dies.
5. wear ACTUAL walking shoes
your feet will thank you after a few weeks of regular walks. also dress in layers because you'll warm up after the first ten minutes even if it feels cold when you start.
I recommend:
NEW BALANCE 530
from a reddit user:
6. biggest mistake people make is thinking they need to walk for like an hour right off the bat
build up gradually or you'll just hate it and quit. 20 minutes consistently beats one 60 minute walk that makes you never want to do it again.
7. weather's not really an excuse unless it's actually dangerous
light rain is fine, cold is fine once you get moving, hot weather just means go earlier or later. mall walking is boring but it works if the weather's truly shit.
walking for cardio is probably the most underrated exercise out there and i'm tired of people acting like you need to be dying on a treadmill to get a good workout.
1. forget everything you've heard about needing to hit some random number of steps
yeah 10k is fine if that works for you but honestly just walking more than you did yesterday is progress. started with like 15 minutes around my neighborhood because that's all i could handle without getting winded. now i can easily do an hour and actually look forward to it.
2. pace
you want to walk fast enough that you can still hold a conversation but you'd rather not. like if someone called you while walking you could talk but you'd be slightly out of breath. that's your sweet spot. too slow and you're just strolling, too fast and you'll burn out in ten minutes.
3. hills are your friend even though they suck at first
find a route with some inclines because that's where walking actually becomes cardio instead of just moving around. my usual route has this one hill that kicks my ass every time but i can feel the difference in my legs and lungs. flat walking is fine but hills make it count.
4. music or podcasts help but don't become dependent on them
sometimes i walk with nothing and just think or notice stuff around me. makes the time pass differently and you're not fucked if your phone dies.
5. wear ACTUAL walking shoes
your feet will thank you after a few weeks of regular walks. also dress in layers because you'll warm up after the first ten minutes even if it feels cold when you start.
I recommend:
NEW BALANCE 530
from a reddit user:
6. biggest mistake people make is thinking they need to walk for like an hour right off the bat
build up gradually or you'll just hate it and quit. 20 minutes consistently beats one 60 minute walk that makes you never want to do it again.
7. weather's not really an excuse unless it's actually dangerous
light rain is fine, cold is fine once you get moving, hot weather just means go earlier or later. mall walking is boring but it works if the weather's truly shit.
there's actually a ton of solid research on walking as cardio that people don't really talk about
one major review found that:
the cardiovascular benefits are legit backed up by data.
what's interesting is the pace thing i mentioned actually matters according to research. one study showed:
older research showed:
even small amounts help but there are bigger benefits if you can get closer to 10k
the mechanism stuff is pretty cool too. walking improves blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles through multiple pathways. it's actually changing how your cardiovascular system works at a cellular level.
one major review found that:
which basically confirms what i said about it being underrated. it's literally designed for everyone"walking is eminently suited to physical activity prescription for inactive individuals as it is accessible to men and women of all age and social groups and poses little risk of injury"
Walking – the first steps in cardiovascular disease prevention - PMC
Health professionals are presented with the challenge of prescribing physical activity that is likely to be sustained by the sedentary majority. Walking is eminently suited to physical activity prescription for inactive individuals as it is ...pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
the cardiovascular benefits are legit backed up by data.
according to one study on older adults. that's less than 35 minutes a day which is totally doable for most people"Walking more than 4 hours/week may reduce the risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease events"
Does walking decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease hospitalizations and death in older adults? - PubMed
Walking more than 4 hours/week may reduce the risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease events. The association of walking more than 4 hours/week with reduced risk of death may be mediated by effects of walking on other risk factors. These findings provide much stronger evidence than...pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
what's interesting is the pace thing i mentioned actually matters according to research. one study showed:
so yeah, that sweet spot where you're slightly out of breath but can still talk is backed by science"a faster pace to a 34% decrease in heart failure risk"
How Your Walking Speed Impacts Heart Health
Can walking faster lower your risk of heart disease? Find out what the research says.health.clevelandclinic.org
older research showed:
so it's not just heart stuff"walking has also been shown to reduce anxiety and tension and aid in weight loss. regular walking may help improve cholesterol profile, help control hypertension, and slow the process of osteoporosis"
Walking for health and fitness - PubMed
Recent studies have linked regular physical activity with reduced likelihood of developing coronary heart disease. Even low- and moderate-intensity exercise such as walking, when carried out consistently, is associated with important cardiovascular health benefits. Walking has also been shown to...
even small amounts help but there are bigger benefits if you can get closer to 10k
How Much Walking Is Needed To Improve Cardiorespiratory Fitness? An Examination of the 2007 ACSM/AHA Physical Activity Recommendations - PMC
The 2007 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) physical activity guidelines recommend adults engage in either 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 60 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per ...
the mechanism stuff is pretty cool too. walking improves blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles through multiple pathways. it's actually changing how your cardiovascular system works at a cellular level.
mirin
