Walking is one of the most convenient forms of workout and the most natural way to exercise.
This article will look at eleven different types of walking and their pros and cons.
We’re also going to try to flex our vocabulary as we describe these walking styles so before we begin here is a quick glossary:
Walking Styles Glossary
- Amble – To walk in a slow relaxed pace.
- Limp – Walking with a damaged leg or foot.
- Lumber – To move in a heavy or awkward way.
- March – To walk in a military manner.
- Meander – To not walk in a straight line.
- Parade – To walk in a showy way designed to impress.
- Prowl – To go about in search of prey.
- Ramble – To walk in the countryside.
- Saunter – A slow relaxed walk.
- Skulk – To move around trying not to be seen.
- Stagger – To walk very unsteadily.
- Stalk – To walk following someone or something.
- Stride – To walk taking long steps.
- Stroll – A leisurely walk.
- Strut – To walk in an upright manner with self-importance.
- Stumble – To trip and almost fall while walking.
- Swagger – To walk with arrogance.
- Totter – To move in a feeble or unsteady way.
- Trudge – To walk slowly with heavy steps, perhaps not lifting your feet.
- Waddle – To talk with short steps and swing your body from side to side.
- Wade – To walk through water.
Now that we have our words at the ready let’s look at some different types of walking exercise.
Aqua Walking aka Pool Walking aka Water Walking
Aqua walking is just like regular walking but wading through water.
Most often the place you’ll see this is in the pool. So it’s known as pool walking too.
Aqua walking activity improves a person’s range of motion, core stability, and leg strength.
It is an enjoyable way to burn calories, but it also reduces the risk of falling and fractures that come with aging and osteoporosis. This makes it an ideal exercise for seniors.
Walking in water is harder than walking on land. To wade the length of the pool you need to overcome the resistance that the water creates. The buoyancy of the water also means you can walk without added stress on your joints.
The main downside of pool walking is that you need to find a quiet pool to do it in.
If there are swimmers wishing to use the pool they probably won’t appreciate you waddling up and down.
Speed Walking aka Power Walking aka Race Walking
Walking quickly can be a great cardio workout.
A normal walking speed might be around 3 mph.
If you up the pace a little to 3.5 mph you might call that a brisk walk. You’ll get your heart beating faster and burn more calories.
Faster still, walking at around 4 mph is sometimes called speed walking.
Power walking is walking fast and doing that strange wiggle. Power walkers go at around 4.5 to 5.5 mph.
Race walking is an olympian sport and could be considered to be competitive power walking.
These professional athletes walk faster than many people run and average 8 or 9 mph over a 90-minute race.
With these three different types of walking, you need to keep one foot on the ground at all times otherwise it becomes jogging or running.
Pros
- Speed walking is low impact and it doesn’t hurt like jogging or running.
- You can do it almost anywhere
- It takes less time than strolling around
- Walking quickly improves heart health
- Theoretically, you’ll lose weight faster so long as you eat compensatory calories
Cons
Some might say that you look a little funny.
But don’t worry what other people think!
If you like the sound of power walking then get out there and give it a try!
Hiking
Hiking basically means walking in nature.
Often this might be up a hill and back down again or it could be a ramble in the countryside.
Thru-hiking is long-distance hiking where you don’t return to the same place at the end of the day. For example, walking the Appalachian trail.
From the first step onto the path, hikers are enveloped in the fresh air and trees.
The natural outdoor environment is what differentiates hiking from other forms of walking.
From smells of pine and flowers to sights of beautiful fauna and breathtaking mountain ranges, hiking offers many different benefits, including fun workouts, stress relief, and being close to nature.
Some people hike for the sense of accomplishment, some hike for the beautiful views. As well as hiking there is also trekking and mountaineering. Check this video if you want to examine the differences.
Some people hike alone but many people hike in groups making it a fantastic social activity.
Which brings us to…
Walking With Friends
Meeting up with friends is beneficial for your mental health.
But compared to a stationary meet-up going walking with friends improves your mental health and your physical fitness.
Everyone knows that time flies when you are having fun.
A long walk can turn from a chore into a pleasure if you do it with good company.
Next time you are thinking of phoning a friend for a chat or meeting up in a cafe why not try going for a walk together instead?
Check out Hannah Reidy’s TEDx talk for more on how social interaction benefits our mental health.
Walking The Dog
This could have been called walking with fury friends!
If walking with friends is positive how about walking with man’s best friend?
Exercise is good for you and your dog.
It stops your dog from being bored and it keeps you both fit at the same time.
I wouldn’t advise anyone to get a dog only to force a daily walking habit. That’s not a good reason to take on the responsibility of pet ownership.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to deny that dog owners get much-needed exercise and they don’t have the same excuses to avoid walking.
Micro Habit Walking
Some people try to increase the number of steps they are taking each day by creating small walking habits.
This might take the form of taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
Or parking on the far side of the car park to force yourself to walk a little more.
Getting off the bus one stop early is another example.
By making small changes to our habits we can walk a lot more without needing to set aside time for exercise.
This video by Laura has more tips about how you can increase the number of steps you are taking each day by changing your habits.
Strolling
Strolling is leisurely walking so someone on a stroll is not in a hurry. A person strolling simply ambles along without any urgency.
While you won’t cover many miles per hour being on your feet and getting any exercise is better for your health than being sedentary.
So if walking sounds too much like hard work just saunter along at your own pace! You might find once you have started a walk that you then feel more inclined to pick up the pace mid walk.
Strolling is walking at a slower than normal pace, around 2 miles per hour could be considered a slow leisurely walk.
Don’t imagine that because you are not breaking a sweat that there are no fitness benefits.
Urban Walking
A hiker might argue that the best walks are to be had in the countryside.
But that’s not very convenient for the many millions that live in cities.
Be wary of traffic, wear bright colours to keep yourself safe.
It may not be quite so relaxing but if you walk in the right neighborhoods urban walking can be much more interesting than walking in boring fields.
You’ll get to see street art and creative architecture. You can look in shop windows. There are always people around and you are never far away from a good place to stop for refreshments.
Check this meander around the beautiful city of Rome and tell me that urban walking can’t compete with walking in the countryside!
Walking Meditation
Most people have heard of sitting meditation, but fewer know about walking meditation.
Meditation is a technique of focussing your attention and awareness on a particular thought, object, or activity.
While meditators often focus on breathing they can also focus on another sensation.
For example, the sensation of the soles of your feet on the ground. Step after step after step.
The goal of the walking meditator is not to let their mind wander but to keep their thoughts focused on the action of their gait i.e. the movement of their legs and feet.
By deliberately keeping your mind on the mechanics of your stride you keep it off other more troubling topics. This can reduce anxiety and lead to greater well-being.
Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu has uploaded a detailed guide to walking meditation in this video:
Treadmill Walking
Most people associate treadmills with jogging or running but they’re also excellent for walking.
Walking outdoors can be curtailed by bad weather or just living in not a great neighborhood.
A home treadmill gives you a great place to walk in your home.
Treadmill walking is perhaps a less social form of walking. Many home users set up a TV and walk miles while watching their favorite shows.
Treadmill walking does not need to replace going for walks outdoors or with friends.
But it’s a great way to replace sitting on the sofa with a bucket of popcorn with a more healthy form of binge watching!
Nordic Walking
Nordic walking is a type of fitness walking with poles.
For that reason it’s also sometimes called pole walking.
Compared to normal walking nordic walkers use muscles in their entire body and not only the legs.
You also see the use of walking poles with trekkers and backpackers.
The difference is that trekking poles are mainly used for stability over rough terrain. They help to keep you steady and upright if you stumble.
Nordic poles, on the other hand, are used to propel forward movement. This increases the energy used during a walk and consequently benefits physical fitness.
Take The Next Step
Now that you’ve been reminded of the many different types of walking it’s up to you to take the next step.
Whether you like the sound of power walking, getting a treadmill, or just going for a leisurely wander there is a type of walking to suit everyone.
Your body will thank you for it and your health will improve so stand up now and get moving!