Harder isn’t always better. As more people become concerned with longevity—the number of healthy years we live—we’re moving away from a “go hard or go home” workout mentality and recognizing the benefits of low-impact exercises. See: the soaring popularity of LISS, aka low-intensity steady state training. And one modality of LISS in particular is having its time in the spotlight: power walking.
Yes, once considered to be “for the olds,” power walking is now gaining popularity among people of all ages. And a new study suggests power walkers are on the right track, because doing this type of exercise can actually help us live longer.
Here’s what to know: the study followed 47,000 participants over seven years and looked at how power walking influenced mortality rates. One key takeaway from the study was that if we all power walked for 10 extra minutes a day, it could prevent over 111,000 deaths a year. Or, to look at it another way, adding 10 extra minutes of power walking a day can increase our lifespan and longevity.
Meaning, for those of us who do zero minutes of power walking currently, committing to just 10 minutes a day can help us live longer. Those of us who already incorporate some power walking can keep doing what we’re doing, just for 10 minutes longer.
Just keep in mind that power walking is more intense than regular walking—though not by much, so all you cardio-haters can relax. Basically, power walking is moving at a brisk pace and exerting yourself enough to elevate your heart rate a bit, but at a level where you can still carry on a conversation. Time to pick up the pace on those hot girl walks.
Up next, be the first to know our weekly content and sign up for our Poosh newsletter.
