What incomparable pleasure the owners of this device receive when they hear the treasured buzzer, announcing the last of their 10 thousand steps per day! Walking has eclipsed the previously fashionable jogging, or, in modern terms, jogging. Even Nordic walking faded into the background, and cycling, skiing, and swimming were absolutely incomparable. Why has the usual walking step become so popular?
“Everyone can walk,” says fitness trainer-instructor Ksenia Bondar . “You don’t need any special equipment, stock, or even sportswear or shoes for this—you can walk in ordinary ones.” All you need is a pedometer, which is now produced in a variety of types and modifications.”
It's like that. But, as any sports doctor will tell you, there is simply... no scientific basis for the health formula “10 thousand steps per day”!
Article on the topic Left, Right! How to count the number of steps
Why exactly 10,000 per day?
Have you ever wondered why exactly 10,000 steps a day? Where did this figure come from, what is its scientific basis? Usually, articles simply state “that’s what scientists say” and that’s it, there are no further clarifications.
And in vain, otherwise people would know that this recommendation appeared completely by accident in 1964. Yoshiro Hatano invented the world's first electronic pedometer, and called his unique device “man-po-kei”, which literally translates from Japanese as “thousand step sensor”.
Why exactly 10,000? There is no clear answer; most likely, it’s just a successful and very working marketing ploy. The pedometer has become popular despite the fact that there is no evidence of the health benefits of ten thousand steps, says Professor David Bassett, director of kinesiology, recreation and sport research at the University of Tennessee.
Overall, pedometers are a great way to stay motivated. Many people speak extremely positively about them and say that this simple gadget helps them think about movement and lifestyle every day.
“You see some pathetic figure of 100 steps and you understand that you need to walk for at least 15 minutes. And then the excitement begins, you want to go further and better all the time” - here is a real review from one of the users.
In this regard, we completely agree with the users - a sedentary lifestyle does more harm than diabetes and smoking (you can read the details at the link). Therefore, it is worth purchasing this device, especially since it can even be ordered on AliExpress.
For example, here is the original Xiaomi mi Band 4 Smart , which recognizes and calculates your activity and calorie expenditure in 6 sports (cycling, free training, running, swimming, treadmill, walking, swimming).
Photo from a real person from reviews of
the product.
Also inside there is a stopwatch, a smart alarm clock (will wake you up at the biologically best time for you), a timer, and a reminder of events. The screen is covered with glass, not plastic, the bracelet holds the battery perfectly, charges quickly, and naturally is not afraid of contact with water. The colors are also stylish, not just banal black.
But let's return to our topic. How many steps do you really need to go through? Do scientists have an answer to this question?
A research team at Kyushu Health and Welfare University began investigating the potential benefits of following the 10,000 steps per day guideline. They concluded that on average Japanese people take between 3,500 and 5,000 steps per day, and that if these people increased their daily steps to 10,000, they could reduce their risk of coronary heart disease.
It sounds worthy and interesting, but again - why is everyone hooked on ten thousand? Why didn't you choose 15 or 9?
Even the World Health Organization, the American Heart Foundation and the US Department of Health and Human Services have adopted 10,000 steps as a recommendation for daily activity, although the validity of this number has been questioned.
The fact is that all the studies that are conducted on this topic are based on the principle described above: they compare people who took 10,000 steps a day with those who did much less, for example, 3,000 or 5,000, and then measure the calories burned, blood blood pressure and glucose levels.
It’s not surprising that those who were more active showed better results, this is logical. But why not compare this group with those who walk 8, 11, 15 or even 20 thousand steps daily?
“This number continues to strengthen because of the way research is conducted,” says Professor Catherine Tudor-Locke of the Center for Personalized Health Monitoring at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
“YES, a study may find that 10,000 helps you lose weight more than 5,000, and then the media sees it and says “you should walk exactly 10,000 steps, that's what the scientists said,” but that could be because the study only tested these two numbers. This is not a test for 8,000, for example, or 12,000.”
Some studies examining the protective nature of exercise against chronic diseases, ranging from heart disease to stroke and various forms of cancer such as breast and reproductive cancers, show that between 6,000 and 8,000 steps is the bare minimum for health.
Scientists who tried to calculate the exact number of steps that equate to public health guidelines, which is about 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, found that we should aim for a minimum of 7,500 steps.
This kind of activity is the norm and, according to experts from the EU, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and even cancer by 30-40% .
Today, WHO makes the following recommendations on the necessary minimum of movements to maintain healthy heart muscle and blood vessels for adults aged 18 to 64 years:
- 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week (22 minutes per day - please note, the load should be continuous, i.e. 20 minutes at once, and not 4 times 5 and not 150 minutes in one day);
- or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week (10 minutes per day);
- You can also combine both types of load.
Experts from Kalmar University (Sweden) recommend taking 12,000 steps a day for men under 50 years of age and for women under 40 years of age. Men over 50 and women over 40 are recommended to walk 11,000 steps, then this figure decreases with age.
Is it possible to “spread” the load?
The World Health Organization (WHO), after analyzing data from various studies, issued recommendations: daily 20-minute moderate-intensity exercise brings health benefits. According to modern understanding, doctors include leisurely walking, fast steps, and running as such. But at the same time, according to WHO, the load should not be “spread out”, that is, it should last all these 20 minutes without a break. Otherwise, they say, training the heart muscle will not have a sufficient effect. That is, 4 times a day for 5 minutes (walk from home to the bus, then from the bus to the office and back the same way) is not at all the same as walking for 20 minutes straight.
But then what about the number of steps? You understand that it is impossible to walk 10 thousand steps in 20 minutes, even at a very fast pace. Where did these notorious thousands come from? According to some reports, the treasured round number was introduced into use during the 1964 Olympics, which took place in Japan. In honor of this sporting event, one of the Japanese corporations released a pedometer “Manpo-Kei”, which in translation meant “measuring 10 thousand steps”. So it turns out that these same miraculous numbers turn out to be... a publicity stunt?
When a subscription is not needed. How to move more without dedicating time to sports Read more
Benefits and Benefits
So, what are the benefits of 10,000 steps a day? The question is incorrect, of course, because it makes sense to talk about the benefits of any number of steps and activity, and not just 10,000.
Due to incorrect research and populist slogans, people sometimes think that it is after 10,000 steps that some mysterious healing and weight loss process begins, but this is absolutely not the case.
For good health
In order to describe all the benefits that physical activity brings us, you need to write 3 huge articles. Movement is literally life, and not an exaggeration for the sake of a catchphrase! What does it give us:
- Energy and good mood . Probably everyone already knows that when playing sports, joy hormones are released in the body - endorphins and endocannabinoids. Plus, fresh air, wind, and sun in themselves improve your well-being.
- No equipment or learning complex techniques required . Everyone can walk. For this you do not need any special equipment, equipment or even sportswear and shoes - you can walk in ordinary ones.
- Walking is much easier than running or, for example, working out in the gym. The loads are moderate, so the musculoskeletal system will not suffer, and the risks of fatigue or injury are minimal. There are no contraindications: absolutely anyone can walk, regardless of gender, age and health.
In addition, it’s easier for your willpower: plug in headphones with your favorite audiobook or music, dress comfortably and go for a leisurely walk, you don’t even need to force yourself.
- Bonus for losing weight: when you leave the house, the refrigerator disappears from reachability
