Walking and hiking
Walking counts as real exercise, and walks of any length add up. Aim for a pace where you can talk but not sing, start small, and add time before speed. For hikes, begin with a short, easy, well-marked trail close to home.
At a glance
- Walking counts as real exercise, and short walks add up.
- Brisk means you can talk but not sing.
- Start small and add time first, before speed, hills or distance.
- For a first hike, choose a short, easy, well-marked trail close to home.
Is walking enough exercise?
Walking can count as real exercise. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (the WHO range is 150–300), or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix; walks of any length count towards it1. Walking doesn't cover strength, so also aim for muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week. If you're 65 or over, add varied activity that emphasises balance and strength on at least 3 days a week.
Read the full answer: Is walking enough exercise?
How brisk is a brisk walk?
A brisk walk is one at moderate effort: you can talk but not sing. At vigorous effort you can't say more than a few words without pausing for breath. If you prefer numbers, brisk is about 100 steps a minute or more for most adults, or roughly 2.5–3 mph (4–5 km/h) or faster; a cadence above about 100 steps a minute is an established marker of moderate intensity2. These are rough guides. What is brisk for you depends on your height, age, fitness and any disability, so go at a pace that suits you.
Read the full answer: How brisk is a brisk walk?
How do you start hiking safely?
Start with a short, easy, well-marked trail close to home, and be realistic about your fitness3. For a first hike, choose a trail without too many steep climbs. Each time, go a little farther or try a slightly steeper trail, but not both at once4. If you're walking with others, choose a hike that suits the least experienced or least fit person5.
Where your area grades its trails, use the grades. Grades usually run from very easy to very hard3. The easiest tracks need no experience and have a flat, even surface with no steps or steep sections6. The track grade, the weather and your general health and fitness together decide how hard a hike will be3.
Before you go:
- Check the weather forecast the day before, and again on the day in case your plans need to change7.
- Check the latest conditions and park closures before you leave home7.
- Walk within your capabilities, and choose walks that suit your experience and fitness6.
How do you build up how far you walk?
Start with small amounts and add a little at a time. The WHO advises that if you're not yet meeting the guideline, you begin small and slowly increase how often, how hard and how long you're active, and that building up gradually helps manage any potential harms1. Some activity is better than none. The weekly amounts above are minimums to aim for: going beyond them is fine, and the biggest gains come in the first 100 or so minutes a week, so doing less than the goal isn't wasted.
One staged example starts with a gentle 15-minute walk daily and builds to a brisk 30-minute walk daily, moving on only when you're ready8. It adds time (up to 30 minutes) before speed, and suggests asking at the end of each week whether it's time to move on or whether another week at the same stage would feel more comfortable8. That plan was written for people after cardiac events. If you have a heart condition, follow the advice of your own cardiac rehabilitation team.
If you count steps, there's no single target. Benefits tend to level off at around 6000–8000 steps a day for adults aged 60 and over, and 8000–10 000 for younger adults, and they show up below 10 0009. The gains are steepest at low step counts, so adding steps matters most if you walk little now9. Step counts from devices can differ by 20% or more, so treat any number as approximate9.
When to check with a health professional
If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first.
For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio.
Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe.
For anything else, such as a sore muscle or joint, or dizziness that settles, stop or ease off, and see a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse. Sore muscles a day or two after a new or longer walk are normal and fade within a few days, but pain during a walk is a signal to stop or ease off. Unusual tiredness isn't something to push through or ease off for; get it checked by a doctor.
Quick answers
Is walking as good as going to the gym?
Both count towards your weekly activity. Brisk walking reaches moderate effort, and the best choice is usually the one you'll keep doing. A gym can be handy for strengthening exercises, which you can also do at home, so many people combine walking with a little strength work.
Should I walk with a group or on my own?
Either can work, so choose what suits you. In a group, pick a walk that suits the least experienced or least fit person, so nobody is pushed past their limits. On your own, know your route before you set off, and keep to a distance and pace you can manage comfortably.
More questions from this guide
Related guides
- GuideRunning and joggingStart with short runs mixed with walking, about three times a week with rest days between. A free plan such as the NHS Couch to 5K builds up over 9 weeks or longer, at your own pace. parkrun is a free weekly 5km where walking is welcome.
- GuideGetting started at the gymBook an induction so an instructor can show you the equipment and guide your first workout, then start with light weights on machines two or three times a week. Feeling self-conscious is common and tends to ease with time. Fewer sessions still count.
- GuideCyclingCycling is a good way to start being more active. It's an aerobic activity that's easier on the joints than jogging, short rides count, and an e-bike is a lower-effort option that still counts as exercise for most people. Start small, somewhere flat and traffic-free.
- GuideGardening, housework and active choresGardening and housework count as physical activity, and activity at home counts towards your weekly amounts. If you can talk but not sing while you do a job, it's at a moderate effort. Start small, add little movements to chores you already do, and build up gradually.
- GuideSwimming and water exerciseWater exercise, such as aqua classes and water walking, is a gentle way to get moving, especially if your joints are sore. Benefits for joint pain tend to be small, and it isn't clearly better than the same exercise on land. You don't need to swim well; many classes let you keep a foot on the floor.
- GuideStrength training basicsAim for strength activities on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups. You can start at home with your own body weight, using light effort and building up slowly over weeks. It helps at every age, and any strength work is better than none.
Sources
- Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
- Murtagh EM et al. (2021). Outdoor walking speeds of apparently healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine.
- Parks Victoria. Hiking and bushwalking.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BAM! Physical activity: hiking.
- Parks Canada (2024). How to prepare for a hike.
- Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania. Safety in parks.
- Parks Victoria. Hiking safety.
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Cardiac rehabilitation walking guidelines and programme.
- Paluch AE et al. (2022). Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts. The Lancet Public Health, 7(3), e219–e228.
General information to help you get active, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or symptoms, check with a health professional.
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