But is it still the most effective way to improve our fitness? Our aim was to do a small experiment in which we would compare the benefits and ease of doing 10, steps against something called, " Active 10 ". With Active 10 you don't need to count steps. You simply aim to do three brisk minute walks a day. Our volunteers all had different reasons for wanting to get fitter.
Dave said: "I'm very aware that I'm not as fit as I used to be and I've put a lot of weight on," while Judy confessed: "My only activity at the moment is knitting. And Nathan, who has a six-year-old daughter, said: "She runs so fast, and I run so slowly, I can't catch her up. Our small group of volunteers was fitted with activity monitors so we could not only monitor what they did, but also how vigorously they did it. Rob then split them into two groups.
One was asked to hit the 10,step target - around five miles - in a day, while the other group was asked to do three sessions of "Active 10" - which adds up to around 1. The Active 10 group were also told that their aim was not to amble but to get their pace up so that they would be working their heart and lungs. Prof Copeland told them: "You are aiming to walk fast enough so that you can still talk but not sing. When we looked at the volunteers' results, two out of the three asked to do 10, steps had managed to hit their target.
But they had all struggled. The Active 10 group, on the other hand, had found it relatively easy. They had formed a small walking group and met together at convenient times during their working day to go for a brisk walk together. So 10, steps was harder to achieve - but which activity was better for health? Next article. Getting back into exercise after having a baby can be tough. But gentle movement and small steps can get you feeling strong and in control, one day at a time.
Exercise How to walk 10, steps Taking on the challenge to walk 10, steps a day is a great decision for better health. What are the health benefits? What does 10, steps look like? Some examples of moderate intensity activity include: Swimming Cycling Horse riding Rowing Dancing Active gardening e. Some examples of high intensity activity include: Circuit training Aerobics Brisk rowing Fast cycling Jogging Competitive sport e. How to reach 10, steps Use an activity tracker Pedometers have come a long way — there is now a huge range of fitness gadgets available that are comfortable to wear, attractive and technologically advanced, including smart watches and handy apps for your mobile phone.
Enlist your friends, family or co-workers in a challenge Doing anything as a group is a great way to boost your motivation and enthusiasm. Set reminders Using whatever method works best for you — notes on your desk, calendar pop-ups, an alarm on your phone, or alerts from your fitness device — set a few reminders throughout the day to keep you inspired and motivated to get moving.
Make opportunities for activity A great way to reach your goal is to divide your walking between active exercise and incidental activity.
Embrace the household chores — and try to move as much as you can while doing them Walk around while talking on the phone Play active games with the kids The benefits of regular walks are fantastic and have little health risks but, if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program of physical activity. Written by Medibank. Tags Exercise Lifestyle Wellbeing health Walking.
Previous article How to trick yourself into enjoying exercise. Next article How to work out together, apart. Skip list. Related articles. Read more. How does exercise help with osteoarthritis? Physiotherapist Charissa Fermelis shares some advice. As far as she knows, the actual health merits of that number have never been validated by research. Scientific or not, this bit of branding ingenuity transmogrified into a pearl of wisdom that traveled around the globe over the next half century, and eventually found its way onto the wrists and into the pockets of millions of Americans.
In her research, Lee put it to the test by observing the step totals and mortality rates of more than 16, elderly American women.
If they did more, their mortality rates continued to drop, until they reached about 7, steps, at which point the rates leveled out. Ultimately, increasing daily physical activity by as little as 2, steps—less than a mile of walking—was associated with positive health outcomes for the elderly women. Read: How self-tracking apps exclude women.
You need to be more creative. Is this a person who needs to go to a gym class or the pool, or sit on a stationary bike? Adding in a little extra physical activity is good for most people both physiologically and psychologically, regardless of goals or benchmarks.
At the same time, setting the same goal for everyone can be discouraging to the people who need activity the most.
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