Whether you’re a regular gym-goer with constant muscle building in your head, or a fitness tracker with its eyes firmly fixed on those 10,000 daily, you’re sure to have thought: Does walking build muscle? It is, after all, our most regular form of exercise, and for some who have difficulty lifting weights or participating in intense cardio, it is the only form that can be undertaken.
“Walking is primarily viewed as a form of low-intensity cardiovascular exercise,” said Brett Starkowitz, master trainer and chief of education at Ten Health & Fitness. (opens in new tab)† “It generally doesn’t cause significant changes in muscle mass or tone.” Well that’s that then, right? Well, not quite, so don’t stop looking around for the best treadmills (opens in new tab) just.
“Walking falls under the category of endurance exercise, which are known to build slow muscle fibers; the fibers mainly used for periods of sustained activity. People may notice a slight increase in leg size after walking as the legs ‘swell’ to absorb nutrients and remove waste products, such as lactic acid (opens in new tab)Starkowitz says.
This may explain those bulging calves after your usual walk through the local park, but unfortunately the change in volume doesn’t last more than an hour after that. But keep walking for long periods of time and those tight calves can linger, with a 2018 study by the University of Nagoya (opens in new tab) finding that muscle quality was improved in 31 participants after 10 weeks of regular 30-minute walking.
So while you’re not going to build an Olympic weightlifter’s legs while walking, you do need to build muscle. We look at which muscles are put to work while you walk, whether you can burn fat by doing it, and we get tips from Starkowitz to improve your daily walks and build muscle faster.
Which muscles are trained while walking?
Walking will primarily train your lower body and especially stimulate your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves and hip adductors, as well as your spine and abs, all of which play an important role in stabilizing your torso as you move forward.
“Walking is one of the best all-round leg workouts,” says Starkowitz, who also mentions the need to add small hand weights or Nordic poles if you want to expand walking into a full-body workout.
Can you burn fat while walking?
Yes. “Cardiovascular exercise, along with the right diet, is a great recipe for burning fat,” Starkowitz says. “The key is to monitor your heart rate and work in what’s known as the ‘fat burning zone’. This usually equates to 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, which generally equates to a burn of 7-12 calories per minute.”
Another important aspect to consider when looking for fat burning results from walking is duration.
“If you’re working at this low-to-moderate intensity, make sure your walks are long enough to see meaningful results,” Starkowitz says.
Also remember that if you want to exercise for weight loss, the morning is best, with a study in the International Journal of Obesity (opens in new tab)which found that participants who followed a 10-month supervised exercise program had greater weight loss success when they exercised between 7 a.m. and 11:59 a.m.
“Walking regularly helps maintain lean muscle mass,” Starkowitz says. “Muscle, unlike fat, is metabolically active, meaning you burn more calories on a daily basis.”
Need help squeezing out the extra steps? Install one of the best treadmills (opens in new tab) under your desk and you can walk while you work.
Maximum muscle building while walking
According to Starkowitz, there are several ways to maximize your muscle-building potential while walking.
“A popular option is to build in intervals by alternating between walking at a steady pace and doing a ‘power walk’, a light jog, or a sprint,” says Starkowitz. “This will have multiple benefits on cardiovascular endurance and strength gain by engaging fast muscle fibers.
You could also pause during your walk to add in some bodyweight exercises, such as lunges, squats, pushups, or planks. Try incorporating small 20-30 second bodyweight strength intervals into your walk to maximize the cross-training effect. Or change the direction of your walk by adding intervals of back jogs and side steps to work on improving balance and stability.
In addition to these multifunctional forms of exercise, there is also the option of adding weights to your walk. We’ve talked about hand weights and Nordic poles, but you might also want to consider a weight vest or ankle weights.
“Weighted vests have the added benefit of tightening and strengthening your back muscles to ensure you maintain good posture during your walk,” says Starkowitz.
In addition, walking with weights can also increase your bone muscle density and reduce the risk of fractures according to a 2018 systematic review in BioMed Research International (opens in new tab)†
Mixing the terrain
Another great way to boost your muscle building is to walk off a level surface and walk up the slope.
“Walking on trails, roads, grass, sloping or uneven surfaces, or unstable surfaces such as sand or gravel will challenge the muscles of your lower leg, ankles and feet more than on the pavement, and they will have to work harder to maintain balance and stability,” says Starkowitz. “Try to alternate the route of your walk with a few different inclines and surfaces, and if you find stairs along your walk, take them.”
And if the idea of going off-road keeps you from going all the way outside, take your walks indoors with a treadmill. “Alternate working with different inclines and speeds to vary the intensity and muscle recruitment of the workout,” Starkowitz says. “Finally, if you’re walking on a treadmill, let go of the handrails. You will increase calorie burn and core muscle recruitment much more.”
Read further
Effects of 10 weeks of walking and hiking with home-based resistance training on muscle quality, muscle size and physical function tests in healthy elderly people (opens in new tab)†
The effects of exercise session timing on weight loss and energy balance components. (opens in new tab)
The effectiveness of exercise on bone density in osteoporotic patients. (opens in new tab)