Did you know your walking speed might be able to predict your lifespan? Studies have shown that a person’s average walking speed may be a predictor of health, especially in seniors. Walking offers important health benefits, and those who are able to walk at a brisk pace can get more steps and maximize the benefits of getting active.
If you can’t keep up the average walking speed, you could be experiencing an early sign of health issues. You should also have an idea if your current walking speed is fast enough for cardio walking. Find out the average walking speed by age, what your walking speed can tell you about your health (and even your lifespan), plus tips on how to walk faster and get healthier.
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What is the average walking speed?
The average human walks 3-4 miles per hour when keeping a brisk pace. 3 miles per hour equates to 1.34 meters per second. As we age, our walking speed naturally declines. What may not have been “brisk” when we were younger is now a good, brisk pace. It also should be noted that your regular, relaxed walking speed is slower than your brisk, fitness walking speed. According to a 2011 study using accelerometers for accurate speed tracking, average walking speed was affected by a walker’s age.
Average walking speed by age:
- 20-29 years: 3.00 mph (4.83 km/h)
- 30-39 years: 2.82 mph (4.54 km/h)
- 40-49 years: 2.82 mph (4.54 km/h)
- 50-59 years: 2.75 mph (4.43 km/h)
- >60 years: 2.71 mph (4.36 km/h)
But how can you tell if you are indeed keeping a brisk pace? We’ve covered the average speed for different people, but you can check your speed as well!
Does walking faster mean living longer?
The 2011 study, originally published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), evaluated “the relationship between gait speed and survival” among 34,485 individuals over 65 (average age 73.5). It found that walking speed is correlated with how long people live. People with average walking speeds (0.8 m/s) had average lifespans, while those with above-average speeds (1.0 m/s or greater) lived longer than average!
The study concluded that gait speeds faster than 1.0 meters/second could be indicative of healthier aging, whereas speeds slower than 0.6 meters/second could represent a declining health status. If 1.0 meters/second could mean greater than average life expectancy, than anything greater than that could mean exceptional life expectancy.
This doesn’t mean that you need to walk fast to get important health benefits. Both fast walks and leisurely strolls are important for health. In fact, studies have shown that the health benefits of light activity have been underestimated. Still, if you’re walking slower it could be the sign of undiagnosed health issues.
Not a fast walker? Don’t panic!
Although there was a correlation between slower walking and a shorter lifespan, the study did not determine that merely walking slowly CAUSED a decline in lifespan. It’s likely that slower walking speeds are a marker of poor health, and aren’t caused by a conscious decision to walk more slowly.
It also did not determine whether working to increase your walking speed could result in better health outcomes. More research would be needed to show that someone with a slow walking speed who underwent a fitness routine and picked up the pace did better. Still, being able to naturally walk faster is a sign of better health, and being able to maintain a brisk walk for longer is certainly good for you.
Finally, the study participants were all over 65, so the results may not apply to younger people. Lack of exercise and activity can lead to a range of health problems at any age, and it stands to reason that people who can’t walk easily at a younger age would also have trouble walking at an older age.
How to Find Your Walking Speed
An easy way to determine walking speed is to use Pacer’s GPS tracking. Pacer’s GPS walk tracking gives you a map of your route, as well as your time, distance and speed measurements. Find it by swiping left on the main Pacer screen.
You can also walk a predetermined route you know the distance of, and check the time when you’re done. To find your speed in miles per hour, start with the number 60 and divide it by the number of minutes walked (because there are 60 minutes in an hour). If you walked 30 minutes, divide 60 by 30. Then, multiply that number by the number of miles walked. Walking 3 miles in 30 minutes would give you: 60/30 = 2. 2 x 3 = 6. You will have walked 6 miles per hour. We find just using Pacer to track yourself to be a lot easier!
If you are extra diligent and interested in calculating how many meters per second you are walking, simply divide miles per hour by 2.237. Therefore, walking 6 miles per hour would be 2.68 meters per second.
Estimate Walking Speed by Intensity
You can also try to gauge the speed of your walking based on the intensity. It will be less precise, but requires less work on your end. VeryWellFit decodes it this way,
- Light = easy walk, <3 mph
- Moderate = brisk walk, 3-4 mph
- Medium = fast walking, 4-5 mph
It’s important to note that measuring speed by how you feel can be misleading, because a pace that an experienced person thinks is “light” might be moderate or medium (or difficult) for someone new to walking.
If walking quickly is difficult for you, or if you have an injury or disability, don’t worry! It’s more important that you get active and move than to hit any specific benchmark for speed. Trying to walk too quickly puts you risk of injury or serious health problems, especially if you’re dealing with a health condition. When in doubt, walk at your own pace and get as active as possible. It turns out that even light activity, or walking at very slow speeds, can also make a big difference in reducing your risk of death!
I’m Walking More Slowly? What Should I Do?
It’s not a guaranteed sign that you’re health is poor, but it could be an early indicator of health problems that you’re not aware of. Check with your doctor for a physical or other examination to find out if there’s anything new that’s causing your decline in walking speed. It’s natural that some days people just don’t have a great deal of energy, so don’t panic if you hit a lull in your walking routine. If pain, tiredness or difficulty walking persists, however, make sure to get yourself checked out!
How to Start Walking Faster
The following are some tips from PBS on how to develop a quicker walking routine.
- Posture is key. Keep your back straight, chin up and shoulders relaxed.
- Keep your arms tucked in close to your body but able to swing naturally and bent at a right angle.
- Push off the toes as you walk.
- Try to take quicker steps. You’ll naturally take longer steps as you walk faster.
You can also try using intervals to alternate walking quickly and slowly to get more out of your workout. Here’s a 30-minute walk that varies your speed and can get you moving without needing to maintain a fast walk for the entire time.
What Influences Walking Speed?
If you find that you are not able to keep the same pace that you once did, don’t panic. This is not necessarily an indicator of a decline in health! Some factors that decrease our speed, like aging, are unavoidable. From our 30’s-50’s, average walking speeds drop from 3.2/mph to 2.93/mph. Other factors such as illness or injuries can prevent us from keeping the pace like we once did. Conditions such as arthritis may limit your speed by making walking painful at times. Men also tend to naturally be able to walk faster than women, although of course that’s not true in all cases!
There are a lot of factors you can control though, including your fitness level and weight. As your physical conditioning improves and your BMI moves towards a normal range, your walking speed will increase as well. Being lighter on your feet, having greater lung capacity and a more efficiently pumping heart will make your daily walk a breeze. You’ll find you can walk at a brisk pace much longer than before.
You’ll get more steps (and get healthier) if you maintain a comfortable, brisk walking pace. While you can work on your walking form and endurance to pick up the pace, don’t try to walk so fast that you’re out of breath or have difficulty just to match some benchmark. Studies have shown that even small amounts of activity can make a big difference in health, so get as active as you can based on your situation!
Keeping on target with your walking routine will bring you closer to your fitness goals and help you realize better health now. And as research is showing, it might even lead to a longer life as well.
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If you haven’t downloaded the Pacer app yet, download Pacer now for free (on mobile)! You can also check out our website (mobile or desktop) or follow our blog for more great walking and healthy lifestyle tips.
I had to stop walking until I get my legs and feet checked out they hurt all the time
Sorry to hear that Theresa, but it’s good that you’re getting checked out! Make sure to heal up and rest, because walking (and Pacer) will still be here when you’re better!
I walk a three mile workout every other day. I feel better and I just do a nature pace. Now 66 years old with weight gain, I need to lose 30 to 40 pounds to get my weight under control. I like to walk until I feel my legs burn after that I’m doing good.
I walk a three mile workout every other day. I do walk at a natural pace. At the age of 66 years old I walk until I feel the legs burn. Getting my weight under control trying to lose about 30 to 40 pounds is my goal to reach by September 17th 2019 which is my 67th birthday. Looking forward to better days.!!
That sounds like a great workout! 3 miles is about an hour right? Let us know how your progress goes towards your goal!