If you’ve ever thought whether there is really a need of sneakers for a run or if a quick-paced walk could provide the same effects, then you are, indeed, among the very many people with the same thought. Each of the two exercises, running, and power walking, is exceptional for staying healthy, pumping your blood through your heart, and reaching that daily step goal. However, which of them is better for calorie-burning?
Now, with those TikTok walking trends that spread like wildfire (think 12-3-30 and silent walking), it’s quite obvious that people are into less impact though effective options. But can power walking, which is the act of walking rapidly and purposefully, with arm-swinging and long strides as the characteristics, match the reputation of running, the calorie incendiary?
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What is Considered Power Walking?
Welcome to the numbers after we have gotten the definition of what will be used in comparison. Power walking is not the typical pace of walking. It’s rather a swift and purposeful walk which is usually around 4 to 5.5 mph. At that speed, you not only move your arms but also engage your core, and your body is working in a perfect mode. Technically, it’s still known as walking—meaning that one foot is constantly in contact with the ground. However, in this case, when done correctly, power walking might even help you burn fat that you have struggled to get rid of for a longer time.
As one burns calories, power walking is also beneficial for bone health, provides the possibility of leg and glutes muscles strength, and, in comparison with running, is kind to the joints. In addition, it serves as a valid form of resistance training if you’ re recovering from an injury or just getting back to activity after an absence.
Running Also Has Its Beautiful Sides
To be sure, running is still among the topmost kinds of the heart and lungs that can only be named from cardio exercises. It also rebuilds lower body muscles, betters the heart, and, by professional players, boost stamina and strength. Moreover, it serves as a catalyst to muscle growth, for example, it is the best method to increase muscle mass in your quads and calves and it tends to be quite good for when you are busy and need to burn fat ASAP.
But here’s what’s interesting—while running may actually consume more calories per minute, the overall energy expenditure for a given distance may not be as dramatically different as you would expect as compared to power walking.
Actually, Which of the Two Is a Bigger Calorie Burner?
To have a better understanding, let’s have a look at some numbers. By using the standard METs (metabolic equivalents), it is possible to predict the energy burn of numerous activities for an average 32-year-old woman weighing 120 pounds. If you run at a comfortable pace, you can finish a 5K marathon and consume from 279 to 300 calories, depending on the given landscape.
Then contrast that with a 5K power walk scenario. At 4 mph, caloric expenditure is between 232 and 250 calories. Speed up to 5.5 mph, and one could easily go through 315 calories—meaning, power walking is about the same as light jogging, especially on the even road.
It’s obvious that speed and exertion play a bigger role than the kind of activity you do. This implies that walking at a faster pace—or climbing some hills—can make a large difference. And if the aim is to burn calories, the difference between a casual walk and a brisk walk is much bigger than that between a slow jog and a sprint.
Is Speed Always Linked to Greater Burn?
Not exactly. Researches demonstrate that the calorific burn does not always increase proportionally with the running speed. Jogging at a slow pace for a longer duration and sprinting for half of that ultimately could have the same calories burned. The reason behind this is that our bodies use less energy at higher speeds and effectiveness is a factor to consider. Therefore, the case is that in numerous situations, you should focus on the entire duration or distance that you are going to be covering rather than just the speed of the race.
It is a fact that running covers the ground faster than walking but the calories are still burnable while high effort and a consistent speed are acceptable on the part of the walker.
Tips for More Effective Calorie Burning—In All Movement Types
- It doesn’t matter whether you prefer running or walking, the following are some tips that will help you boost your calorie expenditure:
- Outdoor is best. The ups and downs and obstacles along the way provide real resistance and consume the energy that is necessary for the hurdle
- Make intervals. Try to go from the fastest to the slowest speed and reverse the cycle for an inbuilt fat-burning spurt
- Engage your whole body. Swing your arms back and forth as you walk and concentrate on the delivery of the stride
- Give it a dry run. Getting exercise done in the morning before breakfast can lead to the improvement of the melting down of fats
- Get some form of resistance. Some added weight with the help of a shirt that comes with thin dense material, like a vest or more defined muscles by lifting a volume as a pick-up in the walk option. It makes it easy to imitate the speed of a vehicle moving
- Don’t take breaks. Going for runs or walks frequently is more critical than putting in one massive effort at the end of every month or so
What is the Verdict?
These are both excellent exercises for burning away the fat and in fact, the only substantial difference is the way is performed. Running might be the winner in terms of calories burned per minute but brisk walking will soon recover and could even come out on top if you push yourself and work out longer. Moreover, it is less demanding on your knees and offers better accessibility for most individuals who are not in the habit of exercising regularly.
Have no headache then. For fat burning, heart health, or simply your fitness routine, both types of training will be useful in making the gains. On that score, it is extremely important that you stay dedicated, be as rigorous as possible, and finally, pick the one that you like the most.
