8 ways to supercharge your walk

Getting your 10,000 steps a day has become the health mantra of the nation – and there’s good reason. 

Vitality data, undertaken with the London School of Economics, reveals that if half of the UK’s inactive population completed 10,000 steps three times a week, it could lower their risk of type-2 diabetes by more than 40%. 

This increases to almost 60% (57%) if they did 10,000 steps four times a week [1].

Meanwhile, doing 5,000 steps three times a week was found to increase life expectancy over a two-year period. Our data shows that men could add two and a half years to their life, while women saw a three-year increase in life expectancy by doing 5,000 steps three times in one week [2]. 

To help you get the most out of your steps, we've listed eight ways you can supercharge your walk today. 

Get your posture right

First things first, your posture when you walk is key. Keeping your head straight and neck stretched allows your shoulders and arms to move freely as they should, removing strain on your spine.

Also, slumping your hips puts more pressure on your hip joint. Instead, by lifting your hips when you walk (squeeze your pelvis towards your navel), your core and glutes will be brought into play, giving them a workout too.

Not only will a good posture help you to burn more calories and tone your muscles, but it will also prevent aches and pains during your walks.

Pump your arms

It may sound unbelievable, but by simply pumping your arms as you walk, you could get more of a workout.

Bend your elbows at about a 90° angle and swing from the shoulders like a pendulum. Make sure you keep your shoulders relaxed to avoid increasing tension in the neck and shoulder area.

Rhythm and speed

You may have heard of the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) methods that pack the same levels of fat burning into a short period that running for an hour would do.

The same technique can also be applied when walking. This type of training increases energy expenditure both during the activity, but more importantly you continue to burn energy even after you have finished.

This is called the EPOC (also known as ‘afterburn’) effect. Repeated short, sharp bursts of brisk walking followed by a few minutes at a moderate pace will create a walking circuit that will have you breaking out into a sweat.

Set yourself a goal

By setting sharp, clearly defined targets, you will have something to aim for with your walking. It will give you something to advance towards, with your long-term vision and short-term gains that you’ll see on a day-to-day basis acting as motivation.

Why not maximise this by tracking your progress using a wearable device? Just remember to set realistic goals – an unrealistic one can set you up to feel like you have failed.

Incorporate hills or a steeper incline

Going up an incline, whether out and about or on a treadmill, will burn significantly more calories than walking just on the flat. If in the gym, set the machine at a 1% incline, and increase this level depending on your ability.

It’s also kinder to your knees. Outdoors, climb a steep hill or climb the stairs at every opportunity to feel the burn.

Add weights to your walk

You may have seen weights that you can clip to your ankle, but these can cause joint strain if used incorrectly. Instead, wear a weighted vest – your core will be able to handle the load better than your ankles.

Turn up the tempo

An upbeat tempo can have a positive effect on the pace of your walk. While individual preferences exist, the majority of people seem to benefit most from upbeat tunes while they’re exercising.

In a study conducted at John Moores University, researchers found that volunteers riding a stationary bike pedalled faster and for longer when the tempo of the music was subtly increased by 10 percent.

The volunteers also reported enjoying the music more.

Walk with a friend

Research from the University of East Anglia has found that walking outdoors in a group could help reduce the risk of depression, as well as leading to a healthier lifestyle.

The meta-study found that those who regularly walk in groups have lower blood pressure, resting heart rates and total cholesterol, with the researchers believing that, as well as motivating you to do it all – if it’s just you, it’s easy not to bother – but walking with a group also brings a shared experience of wellness and a positive attitude towards physical activity.

If you're a Vitality member, you can make every step count with an activity tracker that earns you Vitality points for discounts off our partner rewards.  Find out more by downloading the Vitality Member app.

Or to discover more about Vitality plans to suit your needs, visit vitality.co.uk.

[1] The Vitality Habit Index, March 2024

[2] The Vitality Habit Index, March 2024