How long will you live? Well, often it depends on how fit and healthy you are. And all these can be initially seen in the way you walk-especially how fast you walk. Brisk walking can be a health, fitness, and life expectancy indicator, says American health experts.
This is true especially of older adults. If you can walk fast and without difficulty, you can be initially diagnosed as fit and healthy and may well live a long life. But this is not a final diagnosis. Health experts still stress the importance of having regular check ups with a medical doctor, overall health, and right diet. However, if you can't walk fast and with ease, it's an outright indicator that something's wrong with you. And this initial finding can be vital to a doctor's first-impression of your health and fitness.
How Fast is Fast?
How fast is a fit fast walk? It depends on your body. Each body has what it finds as a fast brisk walk. The important thing is that you can reach your fastest with ease of movement. If you are not into brisk walking, chances are you would walk awkwardly when you are at your fastest. And that means you are not fit, and probably not healthy either. You need to go see your doctor about it.
To give you a clue; walking 1 meter a second (or some 2.25 mph) is ideal. Average is a fast brisk walk of some 0.8 meters a second (or some 1.8 mph). If you can cover 0.8 meter with one step, that's good. If you can do it with two quick steps a second, it's still good. Walking slower than this may mean some health and fitness problems somewhere, and you may need to consult your doctor about it.
Now, fast brisk walking is not an elixir of life. It will not prolong your life expectancy. It just reflects how healthy you may be. Brisk walking is health, fitness, and life indicator, not assurance. What may prolong life is overall good health and fitness. And this means regular check ups, exercise, balanced diet, and peace of mind and real happiness.
Thumbs Up with Good Body Coordination
Walking fast and doing it well shows that your body has good energy level, control, and coordination. These three require good functions of multiple body systems like musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. It also initially indicates good brain function. Athletic performance like brisk walks involves tip-top health and fitness.
If you can brisk walk while maintaining conversation with a walking mate, you are showing a good health and fitness sign. It's like vital signs: If they are okay, you are okay.
How to Measure Brisk Walks:
- Use a wrist pedometer to measure your distance.
- If you have no pedometer, count your steps around a block. Remember where your 1000th step falls.
- Each time you reach the spot where your walk counts 1000, you walked 800 meters (if your step length is 0.8 meter a step). That's 0.5 miles a round.
- If you walked 4 times this much you covered 3200 meters or 1.98 miles. Time your speed in 1.98 miles.
- If you can cover that distance in 15 minutes, your walk speed is 7.92 miles an hour.