Sorry but if walking is your only exercise, it simply isn't enough

Sorry but if walking is your only exercise, it simply isn’t enough

Van Marinos

August 4, 2020 – 1:38PM

If you’re a big fan of walking as your main mode of exercise, accredited exercise scientist Van Marinos has some potentially bad news for you. While great for a myriad or reasons, there’s one big factor that means you’ll do a little bit more to stay healthy and fit in the long term.

Anne and Katy have a few things in common. They are both women in their 60s, they previously used walking as their main form of physical activity, and they were both diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2018.

Walking is a nice form of physical activity. It get’s us moving, increases the heart rate a little bit, and can be great for our mental health. It’s also a great place to start for people recovering from injury or illness, or those starting an exercise regime for the first time.

However, when it comes to making a significant impact on your overall health and helping improve your physical capacity and function, it may not be enough.

Why walking alone isn’t enough?

When looking specifically at osteoporosis, the science and recommendations are pretty clear. Our bones need weight bearing exercise. Things like resistance training, Step classes, stair climbing, Pilates, even brisk walking would all have a positive impact. They key lies in the delineation between exercise and physical activity.

Physical activity could really be any task that requires some form of physical exertion. You could argue, for example, that going shopping was similar to going for a walk. You still get your 10,000 steps, you climbed a set of stairs, and were on your feet for a few hours.

Exercise is something that is planned and executed with the intention of improving your health. It is performed regularly, routinely, and is part of your life. Like attending group exercise classes three times a week.

One of these will have a positive effect on your bone mineral density, one probably won’t.

How to step it up, literally

When Anne and Katy used to just walk, they would usually be accompanied by their furry little canine companions. In fact, that was the purpose of their walk in the first place. Although this activity was regular and routine, it wasn’t designed to improve their own health, it was more for that of their dog. Maybe they didn’t walk fast enough (the faster we walk, the greater the force we place on our bones with each step), maybe they didn’t walk for long enough. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t enough to stop them from developing osteoporosis.

Fast forward two years and Anne and Katy have both now been attending over 50s gym, Community Moves Health & Fitness in Sydney for over 18 months. They attend three sessions per week on average. They regularly perform resistance training sessions, core stability exercises, and aerobic work that requires them to step up, step down, jump, run on the spot, side step, and shuffle. They have both improved their bone mineral density by 8-9%.

Anne and Katy still enjoy walking their dogs. The only difference now is that they do it after they’ve done their own exercise.

The key? To mix things up.

Van Marinos is an accredited exercise scientist with Exercise & Sports Science Australia, and the founder of Community Moves Health & Fitness in Sydney. Community Moves delivers group exercise classes and personal training services to local over 50s looking to improve their health and quality of life.