Strengthens Muscles
While walking isn’t the same as strength training, you still get some strength-building benefits from engaging muscles throughout your body as you walk. What muscles does walking work?
“We think of walking as primarily cardiovascular training — which it is. But walking also works our entire lower body, including legs, calves, and hips,” Schemper says.
And, depending on the terrain you’re walking on, you can tap into specific muscle zones.
“Walking up hills or on an incline really targets our glutes and hamstrings,” she adds. “And walking [in general] requires significant core stabilization, so your abdominal muscles are also engaging with every step.” Best of all, because walking keeps the core engaged, the mile-a-day benefits might include improved posture, too.
Walking a mile a day will engage all of your lower-body muscles as well as your core and arms if your form is on point.
Boosts Bone Health
Your bones respond to the your movement, especially if that movement is weight-bearing — like walking a mile a day.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, your bone tissue responds and grows stronger when you exercise. Prioritizing exercise (such as walking a mile a day) can also help you prevent bone loss as you age.
Sets a Healthy Routine
Walking can be a great way to get some fresh air and time for yourself. Aside from the physical effects of daily walks, this habit gives you time to think, listen to music or a podcast, or catch up with a friend. There’s also something to be said about setting a goal and sticking to walking a mile a day because it builds consistency and routine.
“I think there’s value in routines and the discipline that requires, even aside from the physical benefits,” Stonehouse says.
Improves Cardiorespiratory Health
Walking is good for your heart. Research shows that incremental increases in daily step counts, up to 10,000 steps per day, were linked to a substantially lower risk for a major adverse cardiovascular event in adults living with hypertension.
Any time you move, your body has to “push blood and fluids and everything through your system, more than it would if you weren’t walking,” notes Stonehouse. That push gives your heart a workout and your body a boost.
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