I used to think power walking looked a bit over the top. All that arm swinging, hip rocking, and fast pace just seemed unnecessary. That was until a colleague told me what just 30 minutes of power walking can do to your body: building strength, boosting cardiovascular fitness, and even improving wellbeing and mental sharpness. It sounded like a smart way to get more out of my daily walks.
Since walking was already part of my routine, whether it was a trip to the local coffee shop, running errands, or getting in some steps over lunch, I figured trying power walking for a week would be a simple upgrade. The only real change was making sure I laced up in a pair of the best running shoes to provide extra support and comfort for upping the pace.
Once I got past feeling a little self-conscious about swinging my hips and striding confidently through my neighborhood, I started to really enjoy power walking.
What is power walking?
Power walking is like regular walking’s more purposeful, fast-paced sibling. It’s all about striding with intent, arms pumping, posture tall, and a pace brisk enough to get your heart rate up, but not so fast you’re breaking into a jog. Think of it as the happy middle ground between a leisurely stroll and a full-on run.
It’s low-impact, surprisingly energizing, and requires zero fancy gear, just a comfy pair of shoes and a bit of determination. Keep reading to find out what I really think of power walking after incorporating it into my routine every day for a week.
It felt a lot more beneficial than my usual walking pace
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t totally convinced at first. Walking is walking, right? How different could it really feel just by picking up the pace a little? I imagined it would be the same as my usual walking, just with slightly less time to dawdle by the coffee shop.
But after a few minutes of walking with a bit more intent — arms moving, posture upright, and pace just brisk enough to make me feel like I was going somewhere — it started to click. My breathing got a little quicker, I felt more focused, and I could sense my muscles actually doing some work.
It wasn’t dramatic, and I wasn’t breaking a sweat, but compared to my usual leisurely stroll, it felt like I was getting more exercise benefits from dialing up my walking pace.
I felt a little silly
I’ll admit, I felt a little silly at first. There’s something about striding purposefully down the street, arms swinging like you mean business, that feels a bit dramatic, especially when everyone else seems to be shuffling along or glued to their phones. But sometimes I need a gentle reality check: no one’s really paying that much attention.
Most people are too wrapped up in their own day to notice how fast I’m walking or what my arms are doing. And to be honest, you don’t need perfect form to feel the benefits. Just upping the pace a little makes a difference. You can ease into it and move in a way that feels natural.
Walk like you mean it, just try not to charge straight into anyone.
I didn’t plan to keep power walking — but I did
What I didn’t expect was how quickly the pace stuck. Even when I wasn’t trying to, I found myself walking a little faster than usual, slipping into that steady rhythm without really thinking about it.
I also started noticing I was clocking more steps than normal on my best fitness tracker. My step count crept up, and I was walking more without making a big effort to do so. I found I was getting places quicker, so I started choosing to walk more often. Short trips that used to feel like a hassle suddenly felt manageable, and it all added up without me needing to carve out extra time in the day.
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