MAKING STRIDES

As people head outdoors for some post-Christmas exercise, sports scientist Elroy Aguiar explains to Harry Bullmore how these four simple tweaks can make each step go further

- Harry Bullmore

“Walking is the best exercise you can do.” This is a statement likely to spark some healthy debate.

Cardio fans might claim running offers more bang for your buck, while gym-goers will doubtless say lifting weights is key for strength and longevity. But according to an expert in the subject, walking reigns supreme.

“It’s accessible, and for most people there are low barriers to entry in terms of cost, equipment or skill requirements — that’s why we say it’s the best,” says Dr Elroy Aguiar, an assistant professor in exercise science at the University of Alabama, who specialises in step-based physical activity.

But despite walking’s accessibility credentials, there are still many people who are chained to their desks, or run (quite literally) off their feet, who consequently can’t find time to squeeze in much health-boosting movement. For these people, Aguiar says there are ways to make the steps they are doing go even further.

Focus on cadence

The World Health Organisation’s physical activity guidelines state that adults “should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity or an equivalent combination of both throughout the week”.

This suggests that, while more movement is better, those with limited time will enjoy greater ROI from higher-intensity activities. And one of the easiest ways to increase the intensity of walking is to increase your step speed - aka cadence.

“Our studies [published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine] show that if you walk at a cadence of about 100 steps per minute, that’s equivalent to what’s called ‘moderate intensity,’” says Aguiar. “All of the research in this area suggests that most of the benefits [of walking] accumulate at a moderate or higher intensity.”