The Benefits of Walking: Key Takeaways
- Walking builds and maintains lean muscle, primarily in the lower body
- It improves muscle endurance more than muscle size or bulk
- Muscle-building benefits increase with a faster pace, hills, or added resistance
- Walking supports long-term fitness, joint health, and overall well-being
Does Walking Build Muscle?
If you ever told me back in the day that walking would make a huge difference in my results ... I probably would have laughed at you.
But it's true! A huge, but very common, misconception is that you need to beat down your body in the gym every day to see results. I'm here to tell you that just isn't true.
I know what you are thinking ... how could that be?
With all the hype around extreme workouts, we sometimes fall into the trap of believing that getting fit and improving our health needs to be an intense process.
I know I did! So, what do we do?
We push. We sweat. We grit our teeth. We absolutely destroy the barriers that stand in our way.
There are a few circumstances where the best fitness solution is also the simplest ... but this happens to be one of them.
How Walking Builds Muscle
Walking can help to strengthen and tone leg, abdominal, and even arm muscles (if you're using correct form). I'm not saying you will pack on a ton of muscle just from walking. However, that doesn't mean you can't get in shape.
Even more importantly, walking is essential for developing muscle endurance. That's because walking helps build slow-twitch muscle fibers. These fibers are essential for sustaining long periods of activity.
How Intensity Increases Muscle-Building While Walking
Walking becomes more muscle-building when intensity or resistance increases. Walking uphill, increasing speed, adding intervals, or carrying extra weight (such as a weighted vest or backpack) places greater demand on the muscles.
These changes increase muscle activation in the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and core. This can lead to greater strength and endurance adaptations over time.
What Muscles Does Walking Work?
Walking can help to strengthen and tone leg, abdominal, and even arm muscles (if you're using correct form).
Muscle Endurance and Slow-Twitch Fibers
Walking is essential for developing muscle endurance. That's because walking helps build slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are muscle fibers designed for long-lasting, low-intensity activity rather than short bursts of power. These fibers are essential for sustaining long periods of activity.
Does Walking Build Leg Muscle?
I'm not saying you will pack on a ton of muscle just from walking. However, that doesn't mean you can't get in shape. Walking can help to strengthen and tone leg muscles (and more) when you're using correct form.
Why Should We All Be Walking?
How many times have you circled a parking lot, looking for a close spot to the entrance? Then, you end up wasting 5-10 minutes because you're unwilling to park in the back.
I've done it ... and I'm sure you've done it plenty of times yourself too. But just think about that, and let it sink in for a minute.
We are willing to pay to get fit, but we won’t walk a few extra yards any time we get the chance? Why is that?
Well, the joke's on us, because every step we take (or choose not to take) has an impact on our fitness.
If we are going out of our way to avoid walking, we are missing out on a free, low-impact exercise that carries with it a whole slew of benefits.
More and more research is discovering just how harmful too much sitting can be as well. Therefore, we should all make getting up, getting out, and walking around a part of our daily routine ... especially if you have a desk job or you're rather sedentary throughout the day, like me.
But enough of the sermon; you’re not here for platitudes. You’re here to see what the benefits of walking actually are.
So let’s get to it...
Top 8 Health Benefits of Walking
Walking does more than move you from point A to point B. It’s a simple, low-impact activity that supports long-term health in multiple ways, including:
1) Enhanced Joint Support
Walking promotes the circulation of joint fluid, delivering oxygen and nutrients to cartilage while helping flush out waste. Regular movement supports joint mobility and reduces stiffness over time.
2) Reduced Bone Loss
As a weight-bearing activity, walking stimulates bone remodeling and helps maintain bone density, lowering the risk of age-related bone loss.
3) Improved or Elevated Mood
Walking triggers the release of endorphins, supporting stress reduction and emotional well-being. Higher daily step counts are consistently linked to improved mood.
4) Improved Circulation and Cardiovascular Health
Walking increases heart rate, improves blood flow, and supports healthy blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
5) Better Sleep
Regular walking helps regulate circadian rhythms, making it easier to fall asleep and achieve deeper, more restorative rest.
6) Heightened Immune Function
Consistent walking supports immune health by increasing white blood cell circulation and lowering stress, both of which help the body fight illness.
Also, the benefits of lower stress and better sleep can contribute to a stronger immune system. So really, walking kills quite a few birds with one stone.
7) Better Weight Management
Finally, it’s no secret that regular walking burns calories. Even if the calorie burn seems low compared to running, it's still not something to overlook.
Even a couple of hundred calories a day can make a huge difference.
It has also been suggested that walking may help reduce food cravings (1).
8) Walking Is Low Impact
That's right - walking is low impact. This means it’s going to put less stress on your body than other exercises, like running or weight lifting.
It can even help to reduce the need for rest days so you can remain consistently active.
Walking vs Resistance Training
Now, ideally you'd want to do some form of resistance training 3-5 times a week ... but don't underestimate the power of walking as well. However, once again, I don't recommend using walking as your main form of exercise.
On The Path To Better Health
If you’re interested in taking a more active role in your fitness and don't know where to start ... a daily walk may be just the perfect thing for you!
So, the next time you’re headed to the gym (or the store, or nearly anywhere else), consider walking.
Or, if you're too far to walk, consider parking at the back of the lot to get some extra steps in.
The benefits of walking every day are significant and impactful. It's a great strategy to help you reach your fitness goals and maintain them long-term.
But, I get it ... knowing exactly what you need to do to reach your goals and see amazing results is hard. That’s where quality nutrition and supplementation can make a real difference. If you’re looking for support with recovery, energy, immunity, or overall wellness as you build healthy habits, 1st Phorm supplements offer a range of options to help you stay consistent and feel your best. After all, everybody is different ... there is no clear-cut plan.
If you're having trouble getting started, seeing results, or have any questions ... don't hesitate to reach out to us. We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri.
Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com. We're available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8 PM Central and Saturday & Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
We're here to make sure you're on track to see the best possible results, so don't hesitate to use us as a resource.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does walking replace resistance training?
No. Walking supports overall fitness and muscle endurance, but resistance training is still necessary for building significant muscle mass.
How can I make walking more effective for muscle strength?
Increase intensity by walking faster, adding hills, using intervals, or carrying light resistance.
Is walking enough exercise on its own?
Walking is an excellent foundation for health, but it works best when combined with strength training and proper nutrition.
References:
(1) Ledochowski, L., et al. “Acute Effects of Brisk Walking on Sugary Snack Cravings in Overweight People, Affect, and Responses to a Manipulated Stress Situation and to a Sugary Snack Cue: A Crossover Study.” PLoS One, vol. 10, no. 3, 2015, article e0119278.
