Overview
Neither is necessarily “better” than the other. Which one is best for you depends entirely on your fitness level and health goals.
If you want to burn more calories or lose weight fast, running is a better choice. However, walking can also be healthy, for example to maintain a healthy weight.
Benefits of cardio exercise
Walking and jogging are aerobic cardiovascular exercises. Some of the health benefits of cardio exercise include:
Increase your endurance
Strengthen your immune system
Help prevent or manage chronic diseases.
Strengthen your heart
Can prolong your life
Cardiovascular exercise is also good for your mental health. One study by Trusted Source found that just 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise three times a week reduced anxiety and depression. It can also improve mood and self-esteem.
The study’s researchers also point out that you don’t need to exercise for 30 minutes to get these benefits. Walking for 10 minutes three times a day improved mental health by the same amount.
Is walking better than running?
Walking can have the same benefits as running. However, running burns almost twice as many calories as walking.
For example, a 160 kg person running at 5 miles per hour burns 606 calories. A brisk walk at 3.5 km/h for the same distance burns only 314 calories.
To lose one kilo, you need to burn about 3 500 calories. If your goal is to lose weight, running is a better choice than walking.
If you are a beginner or can’t run, walking can still help you get fit. Walking is available for almost all fitness levels. It can strengthen your heart and give you more energy.
Walking versus running for weight loss
Walking for speed and strength compared to jogging
Brisk walking is walking at a fast pace, usually at least 3 miles per hour. During power walking, the heart rate speeds up. This allows you to burn more calories than walking at a normal pace.
Walking speed is generally considered to be between 3 and 5 miles per hour, but some walkers reach speeds of 7 to 10 miles per hour. Power walking burns as many calories as running. For example, an hour of walking at 4.5 miles per hour burns as much as an hour of running at 4.5 miles per hour.
If you want an effective workout, try power pedalling. Increase your speed for two minutes and then decrease again. Pace running doesn’t burn as many calories as jogging, but it can be an effective exercise to raise your heart rate, improve your mood and improve your aerobic fitness.
Walk with a weighted vest
Walking with a weighted vest can increase the number of calories burned. It is safe to use vests that weigh no more than 5-10% of your body weight.
If you are looking for an alternative way to lose weight or strengthen your muscles, try interval walking. Increase your speed for a while before slowing down. You can also try walking with light dumbbells in each hand.
Incline walking versus jogging
During an incline walk, you walk uphill. It can burn a similar amount of calories as running. You burn more calories on an incline than walking on a flat surface.
Find a hilly area or walk on slopes on a treadmill. Increase the incline by 5, 10 or 15 per cent to practise walking on an incline. If you are new to inclined walking, start slowly and increase the incline to 15%.
Benefits and risks
Running is a great way to get fit and lose weight. But it is also a very strenuous exercise. High-impact exercises can be harder on your body than low-impact exercises such as walking.
Over time, running can cause common overuse injuries such as.
Stress fractures.
Shin muscles
ITB syndrome
In fact, runners are at much higher risk of exercise-related injuries than walkers. The risk of injury for walkers is about 1-5%, while for runners it is 20-70%.
If you are a runner, you can take steps to avoid injury. Don’t increase your mileage too quickly and try to exercise several times a week. Or try walking. Walking provides many of the health benefits of running without the same risk of injury.
To take with you
Both walking and jogging are great forms of cardiovascular exercise. For your health, do at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise a week.
Walking is a wise choice if you are just starting to exercise and hope to get fit. If you want to lose weight or burn more calories, try jogging.
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