Sitting all day in front of a screen has become the norm for most of us, whether it’s for work or as a way to unwind after getting home. That’s why the famous recommendation to take 10,000 steps a day is repeatedly shared across social networks, touted as the “ultimate solution” to break with sedentary living. But is it really necessary to reach this figure? Personal trainer José Ruiz has shed light on this common question in an interview with THE OBJECTIVE, insisting that you should not obsess over a number like that: «The 10,000 steps are not a magical figure. It does not mean that with 9,000 you haven’t accomplished anything nor that with 10,000 your health is guaranteed.»
However, even if reaching such a number isn’t essential, the expert clarifies that walking too little is also “a danger.” If, when you start walking, you find that you can’t reach even 2,000 or 3,000 steps per day, you should worry, because spending almost the entire day seated while moving very little causes your capacity to decline as life becomes more sedentary. The good news is that health benefits begin long before you might expect.
According to the trainer, current research shows that a large portion of the heart-related benefits and of living longer begin to become noticeable at around 4,000 to 4,500 steps per day. So you don’t need to try to walk a lot all at once; it’s enough to keep moving gradually, as that approach will frustrate you far less and help you stay motivated. “A person who goes from 3,000 steps a day to 6,000 has already made a huge leap,” insists José. In fact, the expert explains that an initial goal you could set would be 6,000 or 7,000 steps daily.
Is slow walking enough, or should you speed up the pace?
Walking will always be beneficial and will improve your health, especially if you’re starting from zero or you haven’t done anything in a long time. But if your goal is to protect and improve your heart health, the intensity of your walking is key. It’s not the same to take a gentle stroll that barely challenges your body as it is to walk with the aim of tiring yourself a bit.
When you speed up your step, you notice your breathing becoming faster, you heat up, and you find it hard to sustain a long conversation. That small effort is precisely the stimulus your heart needs to strengthen. By walking with a bit more rhythm, you achieve an improved respiratory capacity, burn more energy, and enhance insulin sensitivity (which helps regulate blood sugar). In fact, to know whether you’ve reached the necessary pace, José Ruiz suggests a very simple way to tell: “If you can talk while walking, but can’t comfortably sing, you’re probably at an interesting intensity.”
Moreover, the expert has explained in detail why walking fast is among the best exercises you can do thanks to the great heart benefits it provides. According to José, when you speed up, the heart pumps faster, blood circulates more efficiently, more muscles are engaged, and you gain greater endurance in daily life. It’s also an excellent way to lose fat and tone the body. Not to mention that fast walking has three major practical advantages: it costs nothing because you don’t need to pay for a gym, you don’t need to buy any special equipment, and your knees and joints don’t suffer as much as when you go running, making it a perfect option if you have pain or are overweight.
