I Started Walking for Exercise and It Changed My Life

Professional coaches, athletes and trainers all agree on one thing: the most important aspect of any fitness routine is movement. And as we grow older, the priority shifts from having the ability to run hard and fast to consistently being able to move day in and out.

While running is a great sport, there are pros and cons and we make a case why walking is the superior form of exercise long term

	Running	Walking
Difficulty	Medium to high effort depending on target pace	Usually low effort
Skills required	Some technique required depending on level of running	None required
Injury risk	Medium to high depending on level of running	Low
Calorie burning	High burn, average 750 cals/hour	Low-medium burn, average 275 cals/hour
Practicality	Preferred running weather and route	Walk anywhere, anytime
Goal	Performance-driven, achieving Personal Records	Just walk for a certain duration or distance
Equipment	Some required depending on level of running (performance shoes, GPS, hydration, etc)	Walking shoes only

In summary walking is easier to do, requires little preparation or equipment and has a low risk of injury. This in theory allows you to exercise more consistently and enjoyably, say 3-4 times per week for 2-3 km each time - covering the same distance as you would doing a 10k marathon!

What’s your experience walking for exercise? Pls share your thoughts in the comments section!