Does walking count as exercise?

Yes. Brisk walking is moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, and it counts toward the 150 minutes a week the guidelines recommend. A slow stroll is still good for you, but for a walk to count as a workout, you want a pace where you can talk but not sing.

The short answer

Brisk walking counts. The U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines list brisk walking as a moderate-intensity aerobic activity, the same category as easy cycling or water aerobics. Moderate activity is what the 150-minutes-a-week guideline is built on.

So a 30-minute brisk walk five days a week meets the aerobic part of the guidelines on its own.

How fast is "brisk"?

Three simple ways to tell:

1. The talk test. You can talk in full sentences, but you couldn't sing. If you can sing, speed up a little.
2. Speed. Around 3 miles per hour (5 km/h) or faster is a common benchmark for moderate walking.
3. Cadence. Research on walking cadence (Tudor-Locke and colleagues, 2019) found that about 100 steps per minute lines up with moderate intensity for many adults. Count your steps for 15 seconds and multiply by four.

Fitness, age and terrain change what feels brisk. Hills make the same speed harder, which is a useful trick.

Steps: how many help?

A 2022 meta-analysis of 15 cohorts (Paluch and colleagues, Lancet Public Health) found that more daily steps were linked with lower mortality, with the benefit leveling off around 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day for adults 60 and over and 8,000 to 10,000 for younger adults. The study shows an association, not cause and effect, but the practical takeaway is clear: if you're at 3,000 steps, getting to 5,000 is worth it.

How to turn a walk into a workout

• Pick up the pace for part of it. Alternate 2 minutes brisk with 1 minute fast.
• Find a hill. Walk up briskly, recover on the way down.
• Go longer once a week. A 45 to 60-minute walk at a steady pace builds endurance.
• Add strength on the way. Ten squats, push-ups on a bench, step-ups on a low wall.
• Carry a little weight. A backpack with a couple of water bottles (keep it light and centered).

Walking vs other cardio

Walking and your streak

In Daily Workout, a walk is a workout. If you moved on purpose, it counts: tap Done and it's logged (one-tap logging). If your iPhone or Apple Watch records walks as workouts in Apple Health, Premium can import them so they show up in your history and analytics (Apple Health sync).

On days when energy is low, a walk is also the perfect minimum. It keeps you moving, keeps the habit alive and doesn't wreck tomorrow's session.

What walking doesn't cover

Walking is aerobic exercise. The guidelines also recommend muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days a week. Two short strength sessions (20 minutes is plenty, see is 20 minutes enough?) plus regular brisk walking is a complete, simple week.

Making walking a habit

The best walking plan is the one that fits into a day you already have:

• Walk part of a commute. Get off a stop early or park at the far end of the lot.
• Take walking calls. One-on-ones and phone calls work well on foot.
• Walk after meals. A 10 to 15-minute walk after dinner is easy to repeat and pleasant.
• Pair it with something you enjoy. A podcast, an audiobook or a friend.
• Have a bad-weather backup. A mall, a covered car park, stairs at home, or an indoor bike.

A simple walking week

That's well over 150 minutes of moderate activity and two strength days.

This page is general fitness information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a health condition, are pregnant or have been inactive for a long time. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort.