Walking and running are great for your health. The best one for you depends on your goals, mobility, and what you prefer. Learn more below.
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Walking and running are both excellent for your heart and overall health. Neither is necessarily better than the other. The best choice depends on your fitness and health goals.
If you want to burn more calories or lose weight quickly, running is a better choice. But walking also has many health benefits, like helping you maintain a healthy weight.
Read on to learn more about the benefits, risks, and types of walking and running that match your health goals.
Benefits of Cardio Exercise Walking and running are both aerobic, or "cardio," exercises. Some health benefits of cardio include:
Helps you lose or maintain weight
Boosts your immune system
Prevents or manages chronic conditions
Strengthens your heart
Can help you live longer
Cardio is also good for your mental health. One study found that running and walking can reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and self-esteem.
Another study found that just 10 minutes of moderate running improved participants' moods. So, you don’t need to run for hours to get benefits.
Is Walking Better Than Running? Walking can offer many of the same benefits as running. One study found that running burns about twice as many calories as walking.
To lose one pound, you need to burn about 3,500 calories. If your goal is to lose weight, running is a better choice than walking.
If you’re new to exercise or can’t 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.
Walking vs. Running for Weight Loss
Speed and Power Walking vs. Running Speed walking means walking at a brisk pace, usually 3 mph or more. Your heart rate goes up during speed walking. You can burn more calories per minute speed walking than walking at your usual pace.
Power walking is usually considered to be between 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 burns the same calories as jogging at 4.5 mph for one hour.
For an effective workout, try pace training. Increase your speed for two minutes, then slow down.
Speed walking doesn’t burn calories as fast as running. To burn the same amount of calories as running, you would need to speed walk for longer. But it can still be a good workout to increase your heart rate, boost your mood, and improve your fitness level.
Walking with a Weighted Vest Walking with a weighted vest may help you burn more calories. To stay safe, wear a vest that’s no more than 5 to 10% of your body weight.
If you want another way to lose weight or tone your muscles, try interval walking. Walk faster for a short time, then slow down. Or try walking with light dumbbells in each hand.
Incline Walking vs. Running Incline walking means walking uphill. It can burn a similar number of calories as running. If you keep the same speed as walking on flat ground, you burn more calories on an incline.
Find a hilly area or walk on a treadmill at an incline. Increase the incline gradually, starting with 5%, then 10%, then 15%.
Benefits vs. Risks Running is a great way to get in shape and lose weight, but it’s high-impact. High-impact exercise can be harder on your body than low-impact exercises like walking.
Over time, running can lead to common overuse injuries such as:
Stress fractures
Plantar fasciitis
ITB friction syndrome
About 50% of runners get injured each year, preventing them from running.
If you’re a runner, you can take steps to avoid injuries. Don’t increase
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