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A Harvard professor says the slower you walk the faster you age—but following these exercise guidelines could add years to your life
Are you always rushing or forever dawdling?
Beyond indicating how late you are for an appointment, numerous studies suggest that the speed at which you walk directly correlates with the pace of physical and cognitive decline.
One 2005 study linked a decline in gait velocity for over 75-year-olds with an increased risk of hospitalization. A 2009 British Medical Journal study on men and women over 65 also found that slower walkers had an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality.
How fast you walk earlier in life—even when just three years old—can trigger a raft of health issues too.
A 2019 study in New Zealand that tracked 1,000 people to the age of 45 found slower walkers showed signs of accelerated biological aging to their teeth, lungs and immune systems.
While it’s normal to slow down slightly as you age, a sudden decline in gait speed could be an early warning signal of a more serious health condition.
It could also be a result of adopting a more sedentary lifestyle, leading to a decline in muscle strength, mobility and general fitness.
How to measure your walking speed
Most fitness or running apps like Strava or Runna should be able to tell you your walking pace, typically recorded as time per kilometer.
For example, on my brisk walk to work this morning my average pace was 10min 35sec/km. Using this unit converter tool, I discovered that it amounts to 1.57 meters per second (m/s).
You can also use the 10-Meter Walk Test [PDF], detailed by McMaster University in Canada.
You’ll need 20 metres of space: five to get up to speed, 10 to measure your normal walking pace, and five to slow down.
Time how long it takes in seconds to cover the 10-meter distance. Repeat this method three times, add your results together, then divide by three to get an average.
Next, divide 10 meters by your average time in seconds to get your speed in m/s. For example, if it took you seven seconds that would equal 1.43m/s.
Use the table below, cited by McMaster University and originally from this 2011 meta-analysis of normal walking speed, to see how your walking speed compares with your age group.
Average walking speed by age
Age | Women’s average walking speed in m/s | Men’s average walking speed in m/s |
|---|---|---|
40-49 | 1.39 | 1.43 |
50-59 | 1.31 | 1.43 |
60-69 | 1.24 | 1.34 |
70-79 | 1.13 | 1.26 |
80-89 | 0.94 | 0.97 |
What your gait speed tells you about your health risk
The main takeaway from all these studies examining walking speed, says Christina Dieli-Conwright, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, is that the slower you walk the faster you age.
“Gait speed is strongly associated with our ability to independently function as we age and mortality, whereby slow gait speed will interfere with our ability to move freely.”
This, she adds, can “increase risk of falls and hospitalizations, while decreasing survival”.
Dieli-Conwright studies the effects of exercise on cancer prognosis, so her interest in gait speed is chiefly concerned with how patients recover post-treatment and surgery.
The principle that faster walking can slow physical and mental decline, however, rings true for the wider population, she says.
How to increase your gait speed
Now you know your gait speed, how can you increase it? Dieli-Conwright says that a great start would be following the exercise guidelines for cancer survivors, which is to gradually and safely build up to the “current physical activity recommendations for general health” as outlined in the guidelines detailed in 2022 by the American Cancer Society. These are:
- 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, yoga or cycling at a leisurely pace, in which you can maintain a conversation; or 75-150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity, such as running, swimming or tennis, in which you are regularly out of breath; or a combination of the two.
- Muscle-strengthening activities two or more days per week, such as exercising with light weights, resistance bands or just your bodyweight.
Use this workout to increase your walking speed
Walking more is the obvious way to improve your speed and fitness, but this low-impact, beginner-friendly bodyweight workout I put together will also help strengthen all the key muscles and joints involved in putting one foot in front of the other.
Perform 2-3 sets of each exercise, resting for 30-60 seconds between sets. Repeat the workout a couple of times a week, slightly increasing the number of reps or sets, or reducing the duration of rests, as you get stronger.
1. Step-up
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side
- Stand in front of a flight of stairs.
- Step onto the first step with your right foot and bring your left to meet it.
- Step back to the floor, leading with your right foot.
- Repeat, leading with your left foot, alternating sides with each rep.
- Aim to maintain a reasonably quick pace to get your heart rate up.
2. Chair squat
Watch On
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12
- Sit in a sturdy chair with your knees bent to 90° and feet flat on the floor.
- Drive through the middle of your foot to stand.
- Slowly push your hips back and bend your knees to lower.
- Gently tap your butt on the seat, then continue straight into the next rep.
- Avoid using your hands.
3. Split squat
Watch On
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side
- Stand in a wide split stance, with one foot in front of you and one behind.
- Keeping your torso upright throughout, bend both knees to slowly lower until your back knee is just above the floor.
- Drive up and extend your legs to stand.
4. Glute bridge
Watch On
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Lower your hips slowly to tap the floor with your butt, then continue straight into the next rep.
5. Seated calf raise
Watch On
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12
- Sit in a sturdy chair with your knees bent to 90° and feet flat on the floor.
- Press your hands into your knees to increase resistance and create tension in your core.
- Lift your heels to engage the calf muscles on the back of your lower legs.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds, then lower slowly.
