Is running or walking better for you?

I hated physical education at school. Cross-country was the worst: cold, boring and lung-burning. “Run, don’t walk!” the teacher would shout as we jogged reluctantly through the mud, only to walk as soon as we were out of sight.

Over the following four decades, my PE trainer’s angry barks have been echoed in the constant media reports telling me that I should run, whether informing me that jogging could increase my life span by years or that training for a marathon would make my heart younger.

The benefits of exercise are huge. If it were a drug, it would be a miracle cure. It keeps our hearts strong and blood vessels supple, lessens chronic inflammation and reduces the harmful effects of stress.

But do we need to run to get the benefits or can we get a sufficient dose just from walking in the limited time we have for exercise?

And what about those who warn about the toll on joints from pounding the pavement?

It is common knowledge that running causes arthritis and ruins the knees and hips – but does the evidence back this up?

I wanted to find out if my PE trainer’s mantra was right.

Walking and running are both excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise. Neither is necessarily “better” than the other.

The choice that’s best for you depends entirely on your fitness and health goals.

If you’re looking to burn more calories or lose weight fast, running is a better choice. But walking can also offer numerous benefits for your health, including helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Benefits of cardio

Walking and running are both aerobic cardiovascular, or “cardio” exercise. Some of the health benefits of cardio include:

Helps you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight

Increases stamina

Boosts immune system

Helps prevent or manage chronic conditions

Strengthens your heart can extend your life

Cardiovascular exercise is also good for your mental health. I say that just 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise three times a week reduces anxiety and depression. It can also improve your mood and self-esteem.

I do believe that it’s not necessary to exercise for 30 straight minutes to experience these benefits. Walking for 10 minutes at a time three times a day resulted in the same mental health boost.

Disclaimer:?The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensure discussion or debate.

Thank you?...Is walking better than running?

Walking can provide a lot of the same benefits of running. But running burns nearly double the number of calories as walking.

For example, for someone who’s 160 pounds, running at 5 miles per hour (mph) burns 606 calories? Walking briskly for the same amount of time at 3.5 mph burns just 314 calories.

You need to burn approximately 3500 calories to lose one pound. If your goal is to lose weight, running is a better choice than walking.

If you’re new to exercise or aren’t able to run, walking can still help you get in shape. Walking is accessible for nearly all fitness levels. It can boost your heart and give you more energy overall.

Speed and power walking vs. running

Speed walking is walking at a brisk pace, usually 3 mph or greater. Your heart rate is elevated during speed walking. You can burn more calories this way than walking at your usual pace.

Power walking is usually considered from 3 mph to 5 mph, but some power walkers reach speeds of 7 to 10 mph. Power walking burns a similar number of calories as running.

For example, power walking at 4.5 mph for one hour would burn the same as jogging at 4.5 mph for one hour.

For an effective workout, try pace training. Increase your speed for two minutes at a time, then slow back down.

Do you want to add a word or two?....?

Speed walking doesn’t burn as many calories as running, but it can be an effective workout to elevate your heart rate, boost your mood, and improve your aerobic fitness level.

Incline walking vs. running

Incline walking involves walking uphill. It can burn a similar number of calories as running. You burn more calories at an incline than just walking on a flat surface.

Look for a hilly area or walk on an incline on the treadmill. Increase the incline by 5, 10, or 15 percent at a time to practice incline walking.

If you’re new to incline walking, you can start gradually and work up to a 15 percent incline.

Benefits vs. risks

Running is a great way to get in shape and lose weight. But it’s a high-impact exercise. High-impact workouts can be harder on your body than low-impact exercises like walking.

Over time, running may lead to common overuse injuries such as:

Stress fractures

Shin splints?

ITB friction syndrome (ITB syndrome is a condition that results in pain in the hip and down the leg. The pain is caused by the ITB, a thick band of tissue that runs from the hip to the knee, rubbing against the thighbone.)

Your comments ….

In fact, runners have a much higher risk for exercise-related injury than walkers. Walkers have an approximate 1 to 5 percent injury risk, while runners have a 20 to 70 percent chance.

If you’re a runner, you can take steps to stay injury-free. Don’t increase your mileage too quickly and try to cross –train several times a week. Or, try walking instead.

Walking offers many of the health benefits of running without the same risks for injury.

There are many different styles of running, each with their own unique purpose and benefits.

These are the most popular types:

Base runs: What most people would call a normal run. They are short-to-moderate length runs around 6 miles (10 km) and done at your natural pace.

Long runs: Longer versions of base runs done at the same pace but over a greater distance of around 10–12 miles (15–20 km). They help improve your overall fitness and endurance.

Interval runs: Short, intense runs repeated several times with short breaks in between. For example, 5 x 0.5 mile runs with 1/4 mile (400 meters) light jogging between each interval. These runs train your running power and speed.

Hill repeats: Similar to interval runs but done uphill. For example, 10 x 1-minute hill repeats. They train your running power and speed while improving stamina.

Recovery runs: Slow runs done after harder runs like hill repeats to add extra distance to your overall run. For example, a 4-minute run at a comfortable pace after a harder run.

Progression runs: These mimic competition-style runs by starting slow and finishing at a faster pace. They build endurance, speed and reduce fatigue. For example, 5 miles (8 km) at a natural pace, then 1 mile (1.5 km) at a fast pace.

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