Your fitness watch will cheer when you reach your daily goal of 10,000 steps. The magic number 10,000 is also repeatedly recommended in advertising and by health experts.
But why exactly are there these famous 10,000 steps? Ingo Froböse, Professor of Prevention and Rehabilitation in Sport at the German Sport University Cologne, analyzed this number in more detail.
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That’s why you should set a step goal
Walking has a positive effect on the body and mind. It is not natural for humans to sit still for hours. Therefore, exercise is of great importance. It gets your circulation going, promotes blood circulation and even creates mental clarity.
Regular exercise is also appreciated by your muscles, tendons and joints. You don’t necessarily have to be drawn to high-performance sports. A simple walk or increasing the number of steps in everyday life is enough.
A set step goal is generally not a bad idea. How you complete your steps is not crucial and depends on your current fitness. People who do little exercise in everyday life can start with a simple walk, while trained people can jog.
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Goal setting should not lead to overload
According to Ingo Froböse, jumping from zero to 10,000 steps per day is actually not ideal for the body. In conversation with Utopia He explained that overambitious goals can lead to sore muscles, joint pain and, in the worst case, even sprains.
10,000 steps: The remnant of an advertising slogan
The widely used 10,000-step rule has its origins in surprisingly unathletic circumstances. Froböse explains that the number actually comes from an advertising slogan for the first pedometer, which the Japanese company Yamasa brought onto the market in 1964.
Since then, this number has become established in guidebooks and in the collective consciousness – although without ever being confirmed from a sports science perspective, emphasizes the professor.
10,000 steps are not absolutely necessary
People’s physical condition varies. Therefore, the step target cannot be generalized. Froböse believes that not everyone has to walk 10,000 steps every day.
He suggests a simple way to realistically set your step goal: try to “walk 3,000 more steps than you normally do.” In this way, the performance is better tailored to your personal condition.
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Not every step has to be counted
Ingo Froböse is convinced that not every single step needs to be counted and recorded. He doesn’t believe digital rewards are necessary.
“You just have to develop a feeling for your own body. The body signals itself when you have been too inactive,” explains the professor. A sluggish body becomes noticeable through joint or muscle pain, lack of fitness or exhaustion.
Steps are important for the body – even without a specific number
Even if it doesn’t necessarily have to be 10,000 steps per day, sufficient exercise is important for the body. Froböse has identified three areas of life in which more exercise can be integrated: “work, transport and leisure”. It’s about moving your body more and developing an awareness of your own fitness.
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