Boosting Your Walking Speed for Better Health and Longevity
Walking is more than just a casual stroll in the park – it’s a powerful tool for improving your health, fitness, and even extending your lifespan. Recent research has shown that picking up the pace can lead to significant health benefits and potentially add years to your life. Let’s explore why speed matters and how you can step up your walking game.
The Speed-Health Connection
A study published by Stamatakis et al. in 2018 revealed some eye-opening findings:
– Fast-paced walking is associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.
– The relationship between walking pace and health outcomes was consistent across different BMI categories, suggesting that walking faster benefits everyone, regardless of weight.
Moreover, a review of nine studies involving over 34,000 participants found that gait speed in older adults is a strong predictor of survival, health, functional status, and overall well-being (Studenski et al., 2011).
Why Speed Matters
1. Cardiovascular Health: A faster pace elevates your heart rate, providing greater benefits for your heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
2. Muscle Engagement: Speeding up engages more muscles in your stride, leading to better conditioning and toning, particularly in your thighs, buttocks, hips, abs, and back.
3. Calorie Burn: The faster you walk, the more calories you burn, aiding in weight management.
4. Longevity: For older adults, walking speeds can be indicative of life expectancy. Speeds above 2.2 mph suggest better-than-average life expectancy, with speeds over 2.7 mph potentially linked to exceptional longevity.
4 Tips to Boost Your Walking Speed
Ready to pick up the pace? Here are four techniques to help you walk faster and reap more health benefits:
1. Walk the Line: Imagine walking on a straight line, with your feet landing one in front of the other. This technique naturally lengthens your stride and increases your speed.
2. Speed Up Your Arm Swing: Your arms and legs work in unison. To walk faster, start by quickening your arm movements. Keep a 90-degree bend in your elbows and swing your arms from 7 o’clock to 4 o’clock positions.
3. Engage Your Glutes: As you push off with your toes at the end of each stride, squeeze the gluteal muscles in the same leg. This helps propel you forward and tones your backside.
4. Perfect Your Stride: Focus on a heel-to-toe rolling motion as your foot strikes the ground. Push off actively with your toes at the end of each stride, and maintain a comfortable stride length without overextending.
Walking Speed Benchmarks
Understanding typical walking speeds can help you set goals:
– Less than 1.3 mph: May indicate increased health risks for older adults
– 1.8 mph: Average speed for healthy older adults
– 2.2 mph: Associated with better-than-average life expectancy
– Above 2.7 mph: Potentially linked to exceptional life expectancy
Remember, these are general guidelines. Always consult with a healthcare professional before significantly changing your exercise routine.
Walking faster isn’t about racing or exhausting yourself. It’s about finding a challenging yet sustainable pace that pushes your fitness to new levels. By increasing your walking speed, you’re not just burning more calories – you’re investing in your long-term health and longevity.
So lace up those shoes, find your power pace, and step into a healthier future!
