Why 10K Steps A Day

There’s a big movement to do 10K steps a day. Even some insurance companies in the US provide cash rewards or gifts for those who do it. It’s become the accepted way to avoid a sedentary life. Was there a study that prompted the popularity? Is 10K a day a magic number, or is 15K even better? All these questions around the 10,000-step movement are often asked. Some people don’t ask about the science and accept it’s healthy. There is science, but it’s not specifically about 10,000 steps. The rage started years ago and continued to grow.

If it’s not a study or scientific report, how did the craze start?

In 1964, Japan held the Olympics. For years before the event, the country was preparing. The people began to focus on fitness. People across the country were running and walking to improve their fitness. Walking clubs popped up everywhere, which made pedometers popular. One marketing team had a great idea. They created a pedometer and called it Manpo-kei. When you translate that name, it’s called 10,000 steps. Not only did the pedometer sell well, 10,000 steps became the standard for the perfect number of steps.

Studies were started long after the craze began.

Not only did the craze saturate all of Japan, it went worldwide. The new gold standard was set. Scientists were still skeptical, so they started studies to see if there was any magic number of steps and if it was 10,000. If someone has a sedentary lifestyle, they take an average of 2700 steps daily. When sedentary people increased steps to 4400 steps, their lifespan increased by 41%. The increase continued until it leveled at approximately 7,500 steps daily.

Exercising is vital to good health, so get up and move.

If the most you’ve moved was when the dog hid the remote under the bed, 10,000 steps is a good place to start. Just walking for a half hour can improve your fitness dramatically. I encourage walking, running, riding a bike, and swimming. I encourage all types of activities that keep you physically active. However, walking is a weight-bearing exercise that builds lower body strength and endurance. Other types of exercise are necessary for fitness. A complete program includes strength training for the entire body, balance training, and flexibility exercises.

• If you’ve been sedentary and want to get fit, consider increasing your steps. You’ll build your step count and get a full exercise program when you follow my workout videos.
• Using an app on your phone or a step counter like a pedometer makes tracking your steps more fun. It provides a challenge to beat your record and increases motivation when those numbers are recorded.
• You can modify your walking routine and make it more effective by turning it into a HIIT—high intensity interval training—routine. You alternate the speed between peak intensity and a recovery pace.
• If you increase your steps, remember that you don’t have to do them in one long session. You can walk short distances when you have a few minutes throughout the day and mix it with a longer walk.

For more information, contact us today at Get RIPPED! by Jari Love