{"id":36603,"date":"2025-07-03T23:53:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T23:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/36603\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T23:53:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T23:53:11","slug":"how-long-it-takes-to-walk-a-mile-and-how-to-improve-your-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/36603\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long It Takes to Walk a Mile and How to Improve Your Form"},"content":{"rendered":"

WHETHER OR NOT<\/strong> you count walking as a formal form of exercise, there are myriad reasons to get more steps<\/a> into your typical routines. Along with the extra activity, walking more can help you improve cardiovascular fitness, lose weight<\/a>, and promote joint health. <\/p>\n

Plus, it\u2019s an easily scalable activity you can do anywhere with a sidewalk or a trail. To understand how better to challenge yourself on your walks, it\u2019s smart to measure how fast you\u2019re walking and about how many steps you\u2019re taking per mile\u2014especially if you’re wondering just how long it will take to walk a mile. <\/p>\n

Those benchmarks can help incentivize you to reach for your sneakers more often, Michele Stanten, founder of MyWalkingCoach.com<\/a> and author of The Walking Solution<\/a>, says. Once you have those indicators, you can set walking goals that work for your lifestyle. <\/p>\n

Get ready to start the stopwatch and take a lap around the block. Let’s see how you stack up. <\/p>\n

The Benefits of Walking More<\/p>\n

YOU<\/strong>\u2019VE LIKELY HEARD <\/strong>many times over about all the reasons you should prioritize walking<\/a>, but they deserve repeating. <\/p>\n

Walking Can Help to Boost Your Mood <\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as you get out there and you start moving your body, it reduces stress, [and] reduces tension,\u201d says Stanten. <\/p>\n

Walking Can Help Reduce Risk of Disease<\/p>\n

Walking is cardiovascular exercise, and this type of exercise helps to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and lowers blood pressure, among other health perks, according to Stanten. <\/p>\n

Walking Is Accessible<\/p>\n

\u201cWalking is so flexible and readily available,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can do it anywhere \u2014 from home, from work. You can do it by yourself. You can do it with people. You can do it in short bouts, long bouts\u2014there’s so many different ways to walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking Is Joint-Friendly Exercise<\/p>\n

Movement gets blood flowing to working muscles and lubricates joints, which can ease pain and stiffness, says Stanten. \u201cWalking is low impact,\u201d she says. \u201cSo, if you have any kind of joint problems, it’s still an activity that most people can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking Is Good for Cross-Training<\/p>\n

Even if you enjoy doing other types of exercise, walking is a simple and accessible way to stay active otherwise, she says. \u201cIt’s a great cross-training modality for runners or anybody doing higher impact exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Much Should You Walk Every Day?<\/p>\n

BEFORE YOU THINK <\/strong>about how much you should be walking or consider setting a goal, assess how much you\u2019re currently walking, says Stanten. Go about your normal routine and track how many steps you\u2019ve taken at the end of each day. Do this for a few days, and make sure at least one day is a weekday and one a weekend. Capture those results so you can have a baseline to increase from there.<\/p>\n

You might be confused about exactly how many steps you should be getting every day. Is it 7,500, or is 10,000 still the magic number? Instead of thinking about step count, consider starting with the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans<\/a>, which recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening activity per week. For cardio, that correlates to about 30 minutes, five days a week, \u201cwhich breaks down to three 10-minute walks a day, which is generally pretty doable,\u201d says Stanten. <\/p>\n

If you still find that counting steps is more motivating, she suggests trying to add another 500 or even 1,000 steps a day, if that feels doable. <\/p>\n

How Long Should It Take to Walk a Mile?<\/p>\n

ANOTHER WAY TO <\/strong>track your walking fitness is to gauge how long it takes you to walk a mile. \u201cIn general most people will cover a mile somewhere between 15 to 20 minutes,\u201d says Stanten. \u201cFifteen is on the faster side, but [for] people who are working out, that 15-minute-per-mile pace is very reasonable.\u201d If you find that you\u2019re closer to 20 minutes, and your goal is to walk a mile every day\u2014or an additional mile daily\u2014 try breaking up your work into a pair of 10-minute walks, she says. <\/p>\n

Ultimately, it doesn\u2019t matter how long it takes you to walk a mile, or whether you walk that mile consecutively or throughout the day. Simply increasing the amount of activity in your life and cutting down sedentary time will help you attain those mind and body benefits. <\/p>\n

How to Increase Your Walking Pace<\/p>\n

IF YOUR\u2019RE INTERESTED <\/strong>in boosting your walking pace\u2014whether to challenge your cardio fitness or just beat the train doors before they close\u2014there are a few tricks and tips that can make a difference immediately, says Stanten. <\/p>\n

Bend Your Arms<\/p>\n

Think about it: \u201cYou don’t run with our arms down at your side,\u201d she says. \u201cYou’re going to walk faster with your arms bent.\u201d <\/p>\n

Take Shorter, Quicker Steps <\/p>\n

The biggest tip to improve your speed is to take short, quick steps, says Stanten. \u201cWhen people try to walk faster, they automatically start to take these big long steps, and that actually slows you down, and it puts a lot more stress on your joints,\u201d she says. Stepping directly in front of you allows you to roll through the middle of your foot and push off your toes to keep your stride smoother, she says. <\/p>\n

Swing Your Arms Straight<\/p>\n

Avoid swinging arms side to side or having them cross your body as you move, says Stanten. \u201cYour hand should go back to about your hip and swing forward, but not above chest height.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keep Good Posture<\/p>\n

“Stand up nice and tall,\u201d she says. \u201cOpen up your chest. It’s easier to breathe. Keep your abs tight; that’s going to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pick a Target to Walk Toward<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople walk faster if they pick a spot ahead of them, and focus on that instead of looking around,\u201d says Stanten. Pick someone who is walking ahead of you and try to mentally catch up to them. <\/p>\n

Mix Up Your Paces<\/p>\n

Mix bouts of walking at your most intense pace, moderate pace, and recovery pace. Then track your time on a set route before intervals, and after to see how your pace progresses.<\/p>\n

How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking a Mile? <\/p>\n

IF YOU<\/strong>‘RE THINKING<\/strong> about how fast you’re walking, you might also wonder exactly how many calories you’ll burn walking a mile. This can be helpful info to have, especially if your fitness goals include losing weight. The answer here depends on a variety of factors, including your weight, how quickly you\u2019re moving, whether or not you\u2019re moving uphill, the terrain you\u2019re on, and how often you exercise. <\/p>\n

Generally, though, the average 200 pound man will burn about 7.9 calories per minute of walking, Chris Gagliardi<\/a>, ACE-CPT, C.S.C.S., told Men\u2019s Health.<\/a> So, if you walk a 15-minute mile, and weigh close to 200 pounds, you\u2019ll burn about 120 calories per mile walked. If you increase the intensity of the movement by walking uphill, walking faster, or adding a weighted vest<\/a>, you\u2019ll burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. <\/p>\n

Get Stronger With An Exclusive MH Workout Program\"Chevron\"Chevron\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Alyssa Sparacino is an ACE-certified personal trainer, former Shape editorial director, as well as an editor, and writer with a focus on fitness, health, and wellness. Her work has been published online and in print for brands including Shape, Health, Fortune, What to Expect, Men’s Journal, Ask Men, Travel & Leisure, Chewy, and more. When she’s not writing or lifting weights, you can find her hiking, exploring, and eating with her husband and rescue dog.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Cori Ritchey, C.S.C.S., is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men’s Health, a certified strength and condition coach, and group fitness instructor. She reports on topics regarding health, nutrition, mental health, fitness, sex, and relationships. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WHETHER OR NOT you count walking as a formal form of exercise, there are myriad reasons to get…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":36604,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[16758,1198,210,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-36603","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-core","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114791999319740017","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}