Is Fast Walking Better Than Slow Walking?

In one study, older women walked 23% more slowly than younger women at their self-selected exercise pace, yet their walking had a 15% higher metabolic cost per kilogram per metre. In other words, a pace that looks slow can still represent meaningful physical effort. (R)

Does Your Walking Speed Really Matter?

Yes, walking speed matters, but it is only one part of the picture. When you increase your walking pace, you generally increase the activity's physiological demand, including the oxygen required to fuel working muscles. Laboratory studies use oxygen consumption to quantify this demand and classify different walking intensities. (R)

Long-term observational research also suggests walking pace contains useful information. In a UK Biobank study of more than 300,000 adults aged 40–69, self-reported brisk walking was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than slow walking, even after researchers accounted for total walking time and numerous other factors. Because this was an observational study, however, it cannot prove that walking faster itself caused the difference. (R)

Objective step data add an important nuance. In a US study of adults aged 40 and over, more daily steps were associated with lower all-cause mortality, but step intensity was no longer significantly associated with mortality once total daily steps were accounted for. (R)

Another accelerometer study involving 78,500 adults aged 40–79 found that both daily step count and higher peak walking cadence were associated with favourable outcomes, with peak cadence showing associations beyond total steps for several outcomes. (R)

Together, these studies suggest a useful principle: both walking volume and walking intensity can matter, but research has not established that faster walking is universally more important than simply walking more.

What Counts as a Brisk Walking Pace?

You don't need to chase a specific speed on your watch. A useful way to think about brisk walking is intensity rather than kilometres per hour, because the same external speed can represent different levels of effort for different people.

One practical measure is cadence, meaning the number of steps you take each minute. Research involving healthy, ambulatory adults aged 61–85 found that approximately 100 steps per minute was a useful rule of thumb for reaching an absolute moderate intensity of at least 3 metabolic equivalents, or METs. A MET is a measure researchers use to compare an activity's energy cost with resting energy expenditure. (R)

Importantly, 100 steps per minute is a guide, not a target everyone must reach. In an overground walking study of adults aged 41–85, this threshold correctly classified moderate-intensity walking about 75% of the time. (R)

Age and individual physiology matter too. Research shows older adults may use a larger proportion of their aerobic capacity at their preferred walking speed, so a seemingly modest pace can already provide a substantial physiological challenge. (R) That makes your personal effort an important part of the equation. Aim for a pace that meaningfully challenges you, rather than competing with someone else’s speed.

Is Walking Faster Better Than Walking for Longer?

Not necessarily. Faster walking increases intensity, while longer walking increases exercise volume, and both can contribute to the overall physical stimulus of your walk. The importance of volume is especially clear in accelerometer-based research. Among 16,741 women with an average age of 72, higher daily step counts were associated with progressively lower mortality rates up to approximately 7,500 steps per day. Once total steps were considered, stepping intensity was not clearly associated with additional reductions in mortality. (R)

A separate nationally representative US study found a similar association: 8,000 daily steps were associated with lower all-cause mortality than 4,000 steps, while higher step intensity was not significantly associated with lower mortality after adjusting for total steps. Again, these associations do not establish cause and effect. (R)

However, faster walking can provide a stronger fitness stimulus. In a randomised trial involving sedentary adults aged 50–65, a 12-week program of self-paced brisk walking was associated with improved functional capacity compared with maintaining habitual activity. (R)

So you do not need to choose between speed and duration. A sustainable approach can include comfortable walking to build up movement, along with shorter periods at a brisker pace when it suits your abilities.

How Can You Safely Increase Your Walking Pace?

If you want to walk faster, you can build intensity gradually rather than turning every walk into a speed test. The goal is to create an appropriate challenge while maintaining a comfortable, controlled walking pattern.

One approach studied in older adults is interval walking, where faster periods alternate with easier recovery periods. In a randomised trial of adults with an average age of 70, participants alternated three minutes of lower-intensity walking with three minutes of higher-intensity walking during a 20-week program. Both interval and normal walking groups showed improvements in measured arterial function during the study. (R)

You might apply the same general structure gently by adding short brisk sections to a familiar walk and returning to your comfortable pace between them. Increase the challenge gradually, based on your fitness, mobility, and confidence, rather than trying to match somebody else’s speed.

If you have a health condition, experience symptoms during activity, or are returning to exercise after a long break, seek individual guidance from an appropriately qualified health professional before making substantial changes to exercise intensity.

Fast Walking Versus Slow Walking: What Matters Most?

The evidence does not support a simple rule that fast walking is always “better” than slow walking. Faster walking can raise exercise intensity and provide a useful cardiovascular fitness stimulus, while slower walking can help you comfortably accumulate more movement and may already represent meaningful exercise depending on your individual physiology. (R)

For healthy ageing and long-term wellbeing, consistency is valuable. Rather than treating walking pace as a competition, think of speed as one adjustable part of your walking routine alongside duration, frequency, and total daily movement.

Frequently Asked Questions About Walking Speed

The Bottom Line on Walking Speed

Walking gives you plenty of ways to adjust the challenge as your fitness and confidence develop. Faster walking generally increases exercise intensity, but that does not make slower walking unimportant. Total movement, duration, frequency and your individual physiological response all contribute to the bigger picture.