3 benefits of walking

When was the last time you went for a walk? Maybe you walked to the shop or took the dog for a walk?

Most of the time, most of us probably don’t walk as much as we should because it’s quicker and easier to jump in the car instead.

But the benefits of walking are really worth remembering next time you automatically grab your car keys when you’ve got to get somewhere you could easily walk to. Getting from A to B on foot can sometimes take a little longer, but there are way more advantages to it, as you’ll soon find out…

What are the benefits of walking daily?

If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Is walking good for you?’ then take a look at the benefits below. Believe it or not, there are a fair few pluses to walking, here’s some of the most common ones:

How to get more from walking for exercise

Has this article got you all geared up to go for a walk now? Better still, are you planning on making walking exercise a regular thing?

If you’ve got your sights set on the latter, then it wouldn’t hurt to know some ‘insider’ tips for getting the most from your walk and mixing things up a bit so it doesn’t get samey. You can do this by:⁷

1. Counting your steps – grab a pedometer or something similar and see how many steps you can do while you’re out. Aim for 3,000 and then gradually build up to at least 5,000 steps a day.⁸
2. Picking up your pace – as you get used to walking for longer, see if you can walk faster too. The best way to do this is not by talking longer steps, as it could place added strain on your legs, ankles and feet. Instead, take faster steps.
3. Moving your arms – ideally, you want to swing them. You could swing them naturally or bend them at a 90 degree angle and pump from your shoulder, in the same way that race walkers do. Whichever option you choose, take care not to overexert your arms and shoulders.

Ways to get the walking bug

If you’ve gotten to this part of the article and are still wondering if walking’s for you, then you may be interested to read about these, they’re a list of tips/tricks, all designed to make it easier for you to embrace walking:⁹

Does the thought of going for a walk appeal to you now? We do hope so, not only is it something most people of all ages can do, it’s something we can all do for free!

With the Festival of Winter Walks taking place from December 15 to January 6, why not use this walking event to incorporate this enjoyable form of exercise into your life? You never know, you may be a natural born walker and wish you’d done it sooner.

If getting out for a walk is difficult for you, don’t worry, you can still incorporate more walking into your everyday regime. This article shares some ‘Walking exercises you can do at home.’

Last updated: 26 March 2021