Going for a walk is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to stay moving—and you can make it even better by upping your pace. 

Whether you're a morning or post-dinner walker, going for a stroll offers plenty of health benefits. Walking just 20 minutes a day has been shown to strengthen bones, improve mobility, and help prevent chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes.

If you want an extra boost from your daily walk, consider picking up the pace. A 2023 study following over 390,000 participants found that walking at an average or brisk pace can help delay the onset of cancer or cardiovascular disorders and a “lower transition to disease development.”

In the study, a 75-year-old woman reporting a brisk walking pace spent around 8.4 years of the next 10 years in a healthy state. This is, on average, eight months longer than a woman of the same age walking at a slow pace. 

Keeping a pace of around four to six kilometres per hour promotes the highest benefits.

Want to get the most of your workout routine? Complement your daily walk with a quick strengthening exercise.

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