October 22, 2024, 3:49 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

It is important for the body and mind to keep moving every day. A common rule of thumb is that you should take at least 10,000 steps a day. FITBOOK author Martin Lewicki explains how you can best achieve this in everyday life and whether it can even replace an entire exercise session.

Who actually decided that it should be 10,000 steps?

Basically, there was no medical study on which the figure of 10,000 steps was based. Rather, the figure goes back to a Japanese advertising campaign in the 1960s. A company called Yamasa launched the so-called “Manpo-kei” on the market. Translated, the name means something like “10,000-step counter” – which the gadget actually was. The value of 10,000 steps was based on an assumption: as a study had shown that Japanese people took an average of between 3,500 and 5,000 steps a day, it was believed that 10,000 steps would reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Over the decades, 10,000 steps increasingly became the standard figure and became ingrained in people’s consciousness; many studies were also based on this figure.

Number of steps and their effect on health: study situation

There are several studies that confirm that walking has a positive effect on health. For example, a Japanese study found that people who walked 10,000 steps had a better quality of sleep^.2 Other studies suggest that 10,000 or more steps can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and have a positive effect on blood pressure, among other things^.3,4

Overall, however, it is clear that the magic number of 10,000 steps is only a guideline. Various research results show that positive effects are already possible with fewer steps per day.

Reducing mortality risk

In older women, one study showed that 4400 steps reduced the risk of premature death^.5 Another study found that 8000 steps were associated with a lower risk of death compared to 4000 steps^.6 A study from September 2021 found that just 7000 steps a day reduced the risk of premature death by up to 70 percent in middle-aged people^.7

Overall, summarizing the core results of many studies, the positive effects appear to be evident even with step counts below 10,000 per day, with the health benefits appearing to increase with increasing step counts, depending on the study.

How many steps are equivalent to an hour’s jogging?

However, many people believe that you have to hit the gym, force yourself to jog, or do other sweaty sports to stay fit.

The problem is that it’s not so easy to fit exercise into a working day when you’d rather spend time with family and friends. And exercise isn’t fun for everyone either. The constant self-motivation and the bad feeling when you don’t make it to the gym can create stress rather than relieve it.

The good news, however, is that daily exercise isn’t a necessity! Depending on the route, simple walking can even replace training sessions. One hour of slow cycling corresponds to around 7500 steps. One hour of jogging, on the other hand, is equivalent to 12,500 steps – but this depends heavily on your speed. Every step is valuable and is often easier to incorporate into everyday life than an hour of exercise. But 10,000 steps are also (depending on the length of your stride) around 6.5 kilometers – and you have to cover that distance first. But don’t worry, you can do it – with our tips.

Strategies for achieving 10,000 daily steps

With a few simple tricks, collecting steps in everyday life is actually almost automatic. A car and public transport may be convenient for the morning commute to work, but they don’t make you fit. Tip for collecting steps: If possible, simply use your bike to get to work. There are even conversion tools on the internet that you can use to convert your cycling distance into steps. Some fitness wristbands and smartwatches also offer a direct conversion function.

Another easy-to-implement trick to get extra steps: Simply get off the bus or train one or two stops earlier and walk ten to fifteen minutes of your way to work or home. This will give you a more alert start to the day, and at the end of the day, it will help you relax and take a deep breath. If you must use a car, consider parking a kilometer or two away from your destination and walking the remaining distance.

During your lunch break, you should also get into the habit of taking a ten-minute digestive walk before returning to your desk. And even during working hours, it makes sense to leave your office chair briefly after an hour at the latest and move around a little. You can set up your office so that frequently used items such as wastepaper bins, printers, or shelves are at the other end of the room. Furthermore, if there are stairs in the workplace, use them – as a healthy alternative to elevators or escalators. It all adds up and rewards you with a good step balance at the end of the day.

More on the topic

For basic fitness This is how long and fast men and women should be able to run

Researchers have studied it Walking continuously or at intervals – which burns more calories?

Study investigates Can standing at work compensate for all the sitting?

Conclusion

In general, you should try to get enough exercise in your everyday life. Above all, this means sitting less, taking short active breaks more often during the day, and walking or cycling as often as possible. Ultimately, this is better for your health than jogging for an hour a week or going to the gym once a week but spending the rest of the time mainly sitting down. Sustainability is also important when it comes to exercise. And if you get in 10,000 steps a day, you don’t really need to do any more exercise to stay healthy. However, one thing is clear: if you want to build up muscles properly, you won’t achieve this just by walking. Additionally, individuals who sit frequently throughout the day should engage in exercises to strengthen their back and postural muscles during breaks.