Walking Is Underrated: How a Simple Habit Can Support Your Fitness

Walking doesn't always receive the same attention as running, cycling or gym training.

But for many people over 50, walking can be an excellent foundation for physical activity.

And unlike many forms of exercise, it's remarkably accessible.

Walking counts

Physical activity doesn't need to happen inside a gym.

The WHO guidelines recognise walking and other everyday activities as legitimate forms of physical activity. 

The UK guidance similarly emphasises that some activity is better than none and encourages older adults to remain active every day. 

Walking can contribute towards your aerobic activity while also providing an opportunity to spend time outdoors.

Make walking progressively harder

If you already walk regularly, you don't necessarily need to walk farther every time.

You can change:

• Speed

• Hills

• Terrain

• Duration

• Frequency

• Backpack weight

• Route difficulty

A gentle walk and a steep two-hour hill walk are both "walking", but they provide very different training stimuli.

Walking can become adventure training

If you are preparing for a charity trek or hiking challenge, walking is particularly useful because it allows you to practise the activity itself.

Eventually you can introduce:

Hills → build climbing capacity.

Longer walks → build endurance.

Uneven ground → challenge balance.

Backpack → prepare for carrying.

Back-to-back walks → practise recovering between sessions.

That is much more specific than simply doing cardio on a stationary bike.

Don't neglect strength

Walking alone isn't necessarily enough to develop all the strength needed for healthy ageing or adventure activities.

The evidence supports combining aerobic activity with resistance and balance training. WHO recommends strength training on at least two days each week and multicomponent balance and strength activities for older adults. 

Think of walking as one piece of the puzzle.

A simple weekly programme could include:

• Several walks

• Two strength sessions

• Some balance work

• Occasional longer outdoor activity

It doesn't have to be complicated.

Start where you are

If you're currently inactive, don't worry about reaching a perfect target immediately.

The WHO specifically recommends that people who cannot yet meet the guidelines should be physically active according to their abilities and gradually increase frequency, intensity and duration. 

Five minutes today can be more valuable than an imaginary one-hour workout that never happens.

The best exercise programme is the one you can actually stick with.

References

1. World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. 2020. WHO Guidelines

2. World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour: recommendations for older adults. 

3. UK Chief Medical Officers. Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults. UK Government.

4. Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.