Walking 10,000 steps a day reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, strengthens lower body muscles, effectively reduces weight, improves mood and concentration.
Walking 10,000 steps a day is considered an exercise goal for many people. The effectiveness depends on the individual’s physical condition, but this exercise brings many benefits to overall health.
Improve cardiovascular health: Walking promotes blood circulation, helping the heart work better. Walking 10,000 steps a day enhances the benefits of walking in general, improving blood pumping and oxygen supply to the brain and muscles. From there, people who often walk can reduce the risk of cardiovascular-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke and high cholesterol.
Strengthens leg muscles and strength: Walking requires smooth coordination of muscles in the lower body including hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and buttocks. Maintaining proper posture when walking also helps train the core muscles.
People with joint pain who regularly perform low-impact exercises such as walking can reduce pain and prevent joint-related problems in the long term. Walking helps increase joint fluid and blood circulation to muscle tissue, so they stay healthy and move well.
People walk and exercise along the Han River, Da Nang, May 2024. Illustration photo: Nguyen Dong
Burn calories: Walking 10,000 steps a day can burn about 300-500 calories. Continuous movement to reach 10,000 steps boosts metabolism. Therefore, this exercise is very beneficial for people who want to lose weight or maintain weight, especially when combined with a healthy diet.
Increase energy and focus: In addition to feeling relaxed, walking also increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain and muscles, so energy and ability to concentrate increase during the day.
Physical activity also triggers the release of endorphins – feel-good chemicals that can relieve negative emotions and reduce stress. In particular, walking outdoors in nature can significantly improve mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to a 2022 meta-analysis published in Journal of Clinical Medicine. Regular walking also improves cognitive function and memory, according to 2023 research published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports.
Walking does not require any special training or equipment and can be done anywhere. This is also a low-impact exercise so the risk of injury is minimal. To prevent risks such as muscle strain and injury, practitioners should choose appropriate shoes and warm up at a slow speed before accelerating. You should only increase your distance, time or intensity by about 10% each week.
Make sure to hydrate your body, eat nutritious foods, and get enough sleep to help your body recover. It’s not necessary to take a break from walking, but you can reduce your steps on some days if you feel overwhelmed.
Note that 10,000 steps is not the optimal goal for everyone. The best number of steps for each person can vary daily, weekly, or monthly, based on a number of factors such as age, fitness, weight, personal goals, and general physical activity habits. People new to exercise may reduce the number of steps they take per day, while people who do short-term high-intensity activities may increase their number of steps.