Walking doesn’t look impressive. And yet, it might be one of the most powerful things you can do for your heart. Most people think heart health needs intense workouts. Long runs. Heavy weights. Something that leaves you breathless and sore. But the heart doesn’t really care about drama. It cares about consistency. And walking delivers that in a way few exercises can.Walking works, even when it feels “too easy”. Walking gets your heart rate up just enough. Just enough to make your heart work a little harder, pump a little better, and over time, get stronger. A large Harvard study that followed over 70,000 women found that brisk walking for about 30 minutes a day significantly reduced the risk of heart disease. And the benefits weren’t limited to athletes or fitness lovers. Ordinary women, ordinary lives, ordinary walks. The key wasn’t speed. It was showing up regularly.And that’s what makes walking different. You don’t need motivation levels through the roof. You don’t need perfect weather. You just step out and go.A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that people who walked regularly had a lower risk of cardiovascular events, even if they didn’t meet traditional exercise targets. That’s huge. It means walking still counts, even if it’s broken into small chunks across the day.
Why is there less awareness?
Walking has an image problem. It’s too simple, too normal, too… basic. When people think about heart health, they picture treadmills, HIIT workouts, marathon runners, or sweaty gym sessions. Walking doesn’t look like “real exercise,” so it gets overlooked. If it doesn’t leave you exhausted, we assume it’s not doing much. But that’s more about perception than science.And then there’s daily life. Walking feels like something we already do, so we don’t think of it as intentional exercise. It blends into routine. People want a “special” solution for heart health, not something as ordinary as putting one foot in front of the other.To clear the confusion, TOI Health spoke to Dr. Binay Kumar Pandey, Director & HOD- Interventional Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital Faridabad about the benefits of walking and how to walk for a healthy heart.
What’s the difference between just walking and walking in a way that actually strengthens the heart?
Casual walking is an example of appropriate gentle movement, while heart-strengthening walking is purposeful and much more intense. When walking to improve heart health, your breathing rate will be elevated and you may have light perspiration (sweat) as you still can speak but are not able to sing. Good posture, arm movements and a consistent speed allow for larger muscle groups to be used therefore improving blood flow, heart efficiency, and overall cardiovascular fitness.
How long and how often should someone walk to see real benefits for their heart?
A majority of individuals will experience heart benefits from brisk walking (moderate pace) at least 30 minutes most days (5 or more) of the week; this amount can be broken down into smaller increments of time. The frequency and consistency of activity are more important than walking speed, however, gradually increasing your walking intensity and/or time will continue to help you build endurance, reduce your blood pressure, and increase your heart muscle strength over time.
Can walking replace other forms of exercise, or should it be combined with other workouts?
Walking is a great starter exercise that helps meet the minimum recommendations for cardiovascular activity. When done together with strength training, flexibility, and some higher intensity activity at least occasionally walking can offer you more benefits. By using a balanced method, you will get all the benefits of increasing muscle mass, metabolic rate, bone health, and level of fitness while keeping your heart healthy.
What common mistakes do people make while walking that reduce its heart-boosting benefits?
Common mistakes made when walking are walking too slowly; poor posture while walking; not being consistent in your walking routine; stopping as soon as you feel slight fatigue; wearing non-supportive shoes; and walking only on flat ground all produce less than optimal benefits. To maximize your heart’s health, you need to walk at a faster rate, maintain proper technique, walk regularly and gradually increase your level of exertion.Medical experts consulted This article includes expert inputs shared with TOI Health by: Dr. Binay Kumar Pandey, Director & HOD- Interventional Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital FaridabadInputs were used to explain how to walk better for a healthy heart.
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