Regular walking is good exercise. But if you want to burn more calories without the jarring impact of running, consider speed walking. This form of exercise still normally allows for a good workout but without the downsides of running.
Speed walking is also sometimes called power walking, fitness walking, health walking, exercise walking or striding. This is walking fast without breaking into a jog or run. One foot is on the ground at all times. Your stride will be longer and considerably quicker than in a leisurely stroll. Speed walkers generally walk between 3.5 and 5.5 miles per hour.
How many calories you burn during a speed-walking workout depends on such factors as your weight, the length of your workout, the pace of your walk and how hard you swing your arms.
Walking at a fast pace of 4.5 mph on even ground burns about 440 calories per hour if you weigh 150 pounds. Running slowly would burn about the same number of calories. Heavier people burn more calories per hour no matter what activity they are doing, and lighter people burn fewer. Walking on gravel or grass burns slightly more calories than walking on a treadmill. You can also burn more calories by speed walking on hilly terrain or on an incline on a treadmill.
Surprisingly, walking harder or faster only slightly increases the calories you burn. It is better to increase the time you walk to burn more calories.
Speed walking one to three hours a week makes you 30 percent less likely to develop heart disease or suffer a heart attack compared to those who are sedentary. People who walked three hours weekly were 35 percent less likely to have problems with their heart. Walking five or more hours a week reduced the risk of cardiac problems by more than 40 percent.
Speed walking also provides a lower- and upper-body workout because of the accentuated use of the back, shoulders and arms.
Speed walkers and race-walkers also enjoy a low injury rate. If you keep an erect posture, the likelihood of back injuries is also small.
On the downside, if you walk too slowly, you may not be able to raise your heart rate enough to achieve strong cardiovascular health.
Depending where you live and work, you may not have access to the proper place to speed walk for long distances. Another problem can be boredom, because some people find walking to be rather boring.
Speed walking also can lead to foot pain if the soles of your walking shoes are worn or too thin. This also can be a problem if your shoes do not have enough arch support, are too loose around the heels, or lack proper shock absorbency.