Walkers should aim for 100 steps per minute

What does this really mean?

"People who walk for exercise should aim for a pace of 100 steps per minute to ensure their workout is intense enough, according to researchers...

In the new study, researchers found that the average walker should aim for 100 steps per minute at a minimum in order to get a moderate-intensity workout...

The findings are based on exercise tests given to 97 healthy adults with an average age of 32. In general, men needed to walk at a pace of 92 to 102 steps per minute to achieve a moderately intense workout for their hearts. The range for women was between 91 and 115 steps per minute.

'We believe that these data support a general recommendation of walking at more than 100 steps per minute on level terrain to meet the minimum of the moderate-intensity guideline,' Marshall said."

I deal with this matter here, here and here.

Briefly, 100 steps per minute gets you to the low end of moderate intensity physical activity. ("...meet the minimum of the moderate-intensity guideline.")

The difference between the low end and the high end of moderate intensity physical activity is a factor of 2.

This means that to do moderate intensity physical activity, but at the high end, you have to take 200 steps per minute.

The range for moderate intensity physical activity then is between 100 and 200 steps per minute or 1.67 and 3.34 steps per second.

In the 1984 Olympics, the fastest humans on earth apparently moved their legs between 185 and 200 or between 3.08 and 3.34 times per second.

So the recommendations of the experts are to move your legs half as fast or even faster than the fastest humans on earth. ("We believe that these data support a general recommendation of walking at more than 100 steps per minute on level terrain to meet the minimum of the moderate-intensity guideline.")

Good luck with that.

Insane or what?

And these are your experts.

For a rational approach to weight loss and fitness, go here.