Walking is low impact, accessible, and free. But does walking build muscle?
In a study on global participation rates in sport, walking was found to be the most popular physical activity among adults in four of six global regions including the Americas. But are we accomplishing anything more than getting away from our desks for a few minutes?
“From a physiological perspective, walking is a whole body activity,” says Professor Brian Carson, exercise physiologist at the University of Limerick and head of science at Whole Supp. “When we walk we use our muscles to propel us, which increases our energy expenditure, thus increasing the metabolic demands placed on our muscles and the body as a whole.”
As with any exercise, our breathing speeds up in order to deliver more oxygen to our muscles. But, because walking is relatively steady state—i.e. not too taxing—we’re unlikely to get out of breath unless there’s an added stressor, like going uphill or at a faster pace.
There’s also a neurological effect. “Our brain and nervous system become more active as we take in and process sensory information from the environment around us and from the movement itself, while at the same time providing stimulatory output to the muscles in a coordinated sequence to help us move fluently,” says Carson.
In fact, a 2014 Stanford University study determined that walking provides a significant boost to creative thinking during and after the activity, with an 81% increase in creativity measured in a divergent thinking test compared to when sitting down. Walking outside promoted the highest levels of creativity.
And while all of this is happening, our body is taking nutrients from our muscle, fat and liver tissues in order to convert them into energy.
Unless you’re dragging a petulant dog after you, walking is generally considered a good way to unwind. This is because when we walk at a comfortable pace, our parasympathetic nervous system is activated, triggering a reduction in cortisol, the stress hormone.
Walking can also help our brains grow. A 2011 study involving 120 older adults found that regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, increased the size of the hippocampus and raised levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. “This is like fertilizer for your brain, helping brain cells to grow, strengthen and communicate more effectively with each other,” explains Abigail Ireland, peak performance strategist at Understanding Performance.
One of the key benefits of walking is to interrupt sedentary behaviors such as sitting, Carson’s colleagues found in a meta analysis carried out at the University of Limerick.
“The speed at which we walk has an influence, with faster walking resulting in better health outcomes such as predictors of all cause and cardiovascular mortality,” Carson adds.
Gym lore has it that cardio kills gains as our bodies metabolize our muscles for energy. And it turns out that walking doesn't really build size—although Carson points out that in a study where step counts were reduced to below 1,500 steps per day, participants saw muscle protein synthesis reduced by 28%, even after a high protein meal, and significant reductions in leg lean mass. Another study found some walking was better than sitting all day. Ireland points to a third study which found that walking combined with resistance training is much more effective in maintaining muscle mass.
Rucking—more intense hiking wearing a weighted vest or backpack—can dial up the intensity of walking. “Rucking encourages the core and lower body to work harder, also increasing heart rate,” says Ireland.
While walking has a minimal impact on helping you build muscle, its effect on weight loss is slightly more pronounced. When it comes to rucking, a 2020 study found that weight loading reduces fat mass and body weight, for example. Your results will depend on the effort you put in.
“As with anything, our approach impacts the outcome. We can adjust levers like speed, incline and intensity to influence our results,” says Ireland. “Walking involves low intensity, steady state (LISS) cardiovascular activity, meaning we are likely to be in the fat burning zone. At the same time, we are using a huge range of large and small muscles to move—everything from the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves to the abdominal muscles and arms.”
Unless you’ve developed the ability to fly everywhere, walking is still worthwhile. Any exercise is great, and it’s definitely better than cruising everywhere on an electric scooter.
“We should think of walking as the foundation of our physical activity and a means to maintaining or improving our health,” says Carson, who calls walking a great Zone 2 workout.
“I wouldn’t call walking a fitness hack; it’s literally how we are supposed to move,” says Ireland. “Walking is a great way to support the body and mind, but we also need to integrate the three Ss: Strength, Stamina and Suppleness.”
This means weight training, getting the heart rate up through higher intensity cardio activity, and incorporating stretching to support flexibility and mobility throughout life. Walking can be great, but maybe consider taking your daily walk to the gym.