Walking is hands down one of the best low-impact workouts out there. Not only is it great for bolstering your bones, boosting your heart health, and bettering your mood, it’s also a stellar form of active recovery for runners.

"Scientific literature defines brisk walking as a pace of 3 to 4.5 miles per hour, which translates to a 13-minute mile pace, or about  6,000 to 9,000 steps per hour, explained Jonathan Yu, PT, DPT, physical therapist at HSS.

Of course, your brisk pace may land outside of these ranges because “brisk” describes a feeling based on how hard you’re working. Just like running pace, walking speed varies because of a bunch of different factors that can make a walk feel like a stroll or like a workout. One big variable is fitness level, said Yu. A seasoned marathoner, for example, may need to walk at a 
pace of four miles per hour to reach the brisk threshold, whereas someone who doesn’t exercise regularly may get there with a speed of two miles per hour.

Terrain matters, too: Walk uphill and you’ll achieve brisk status at a lower speed than when you move on fl at ground. Even things such as how well rested and hydrated you are, as well as whether you’ve eaten recently, can impact the pace that will make yourwalk feel brisk, Yu said.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required.