Walking has long established itself as a simple, practical form of movement that is often linked to the concept of “active ageing.” Although it is an exercise that can be very healthy at any age. If we know how to do it…
However, for this activity to be truly effective and sufficient to impact health, Álvaro Puche, a professional in Exercise Science and an expert in strength training for older adults, explains in an interview with Cuerpomente that the traditional approach should be reconsidered, prioritising intensity over duration or distance.
Therefore, Puche maintains that walking should be viewed as a complement, not as the central pillar of a fitness routine. In fact, he recommends strength training for those who only walk, describing it as urgent and important. The aim, he explains, is continual improvement, so one should not approach exercise with a maintenance mindset but with ideas of progression and progressive adaptation.
Strength as the Central Pillar
One of the premises the trainer explains in the interview is that, before taking to walking, it is necessary to develop conditioning and muscle function. Thus, the expert warns that one of the most common mistakes when walking is doing so with “established sarcopenia,” which means setting out to walk without a functioning muscle tissue. Therefore his unequivocal recommendation is that strength training should precede walking.
Indeed, Puche recommends strength training for those who only walk, describing it as urgent and important. The aim is continual improvement, so do not think in terms of mere maintenance but in terms of improvement and progressive adaptation.
Tips and Strategies for Walking Effectively
For walking to truly count as exercise and to provoke physiological adaptations, the trainer emphasises intensity. Hence health and performance require walking at high intensities, progressively increasing the exertion threshold.
The Interval Strategy
Puche recommends practising walking with intervals, as this improves fitness and maximises benefits. His favourite method is to perform “one-minute intervals of high intensity, paired with recovery intervals that allow you to feel you have recovered”. Progress should be gradual. “In walks I advise performing one-minute high-intensity intervals. You can start with three intervals, and each week add one more, until you reach ten or twelve,” he explains. Those who only walk should practise this format, at least twice a week.
Measuring Intensity
How can you tell if you’re hitting the desired intensity? For the expert, there’s a practical way to measure it: try to say ten words in one breath. The target high-intensity point is when you struggle to pronounce the third word; if you reach the tenth word without trouble, you should increase your speed. You must use the fastest possible pace on each high-intensity segment.
Changes in Terrain
Puche prefers this practice to take place “in the countryside or park and, if possible, also where there is some incline.” He believes hills are especially interesting for developing the hip-extensor capacity. Finally, the expert advises against focusing on the famous step count, which he regards as a myth that has prioritised quantity over quality. “It’s not about accumulating, as we tend to do in storage rooms, but about doing what we do with awareness and with a purpose,” he says. Because he insists that it is never too late to improve physical fitness.
