Not really, according to a Spaulding Rehab expert. Instead, concentrate on this while taking a walk.

It is not important how fast you walk because that will depend on who you are and where you are walking. Target heart rate and rate of perceived exertion are the two main variables that can be measured.

It won't make a difference and won't have much of an impact on your health if you just take a leisurely stroll or a stroll around the grocery store. You must increase your heart rate in order to exercise and induce physiological change.

Your maximum heart rate can be calculated by simply taking 220 and deducting your age; this method is the typical estimation. And to receive any training benefits, you should exercise at a percentage between 65 and 75.This is referred to as your target heart rate. Consider a person who is 60 years old; 220 minus 60 is an estimated maximal heart rate of 160. They must accept 104, or 65 percent. So, they should aim to raise their heart rate to 104 beats per minute when walking.

You can monitor that using a Fitbit or a smart watch. You can utilize the rate of perceived exertion in the absence of one (RPE). It's a straightforward scale of one to ten. One, you're not even really breathing, and ten is working way too hard. You should be working at a moderate level, between four and six.

The American Heart Association advises engaging in cardiovascular exercise for 150 minutes per week, or 30 minutes per day for five days. That is ideally what you are doing. If you've been idle for a while, that will be something you progressively work toward. I might begin by exercising for five minutes every other day, building up to a 30-minute workout over time.

It's up to you where you walk; it depends on your preferences. The benefit of walking outdoors is the variety of terrain. Hence, walking up and down hills will need more effort than walking on a flat terrain. To make them work a little bit harder and raise their heart rates, we would advise folks who want to walk on a treadmill to walk at a slight inclination or to adjust the incline as they are walking.

— As described to Anna Lamb