Is walking really an exercise?

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

– Arthur Ashe

Is walking an exercise or a pastime?

Well, it depends.

Walking can be an exercise. It can also be a terrific pastime. Or both.

One might say, Hey, at least I’m walking! Better than sitting on the couch, right?

Meh, sort of. It really comes down to what you want to achieve.

So, let’s get into it…

I love walking. Love it! And, I walk a lot. I walk trails and I walk around town, typically listening to a book or a podcast. Who knows, when I reach my seventies or eighties, walking may be my only option; might as well be good at it!

That said, I don’t walk to get in shape. If I want to train, I must run. Walking isn’t enough to get stronger, leaner, or build muscle. I don’t have an injury nor am I over-weight, and, I’ve been training for years. For someone like me, it comes down to what type of shape I want to be in. Do I want the easy path or the hard path? Like anything in life, the easy path yields easy results, not great results, which, for someone like me, easy is not acceptable. Said a different way, casual walking is not exercise.

Then there’s the other side of the equation - what if you’re overweight, unhealthy, and starting from scratch? What if running is a pipe dream that perhaps died decades ago? You might be one who struggles to walk from the couch to the bathroom. Then I’d say for you, you must start walking and do it now for your health! The body responds positively to movement. Maybe you only start out walking down your street. Gradually work up to circling your block. If you’re committed, you will get better. Stronger. Work your way up to walking a mile. You can do it!

Now, if you’re one who says I’ll never be able to run and so you take a slow walk and then go home and stuff your face with potato chips, cookies, or fried gizzards (or all the above), then deciding whether or not to walk is the least of your problems. You have bigger things to work on. Much bigger things.

But walking can help! Often, when we commit to exercise, just doing the exercise itself will prompt us to eat better. You don’t want to work your ass off walking (or running) two or three miles and then go home and eat half a pizza!

Bottom line, you must know where you are. What you can do. What you have.

Is walking an exercise? If that’s where you’re starting, then yes, it absolutely is! But you must continue challenging yourself, always seek self-improvement. Always strive for more!

Do not put off starting something. Start where you are!

Your effort, your choice, your life!

David Odle is a trainer, fitness enthusiast, and author. He spent seven years in the military, primarily in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is a Spartan Race competitor, an avid fitness fan, and a 5k enthusiast. David's mission is to help people transform into better versions of themselves by tapping into their dormant capability. If you’d like to reach out to David, you can find him at www.davidodle.com.