For years, “10,000 steps a day” has held the throne as the golden standard for good health. It’s simple, easy to remember, and looks good on a fitness tracker. But meeting that number doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing your body any real favors. Walking is a great start. It’s accessible,  and encourages people to move more, which, quite frankly, matters in our sedentary culture. But relying solely on step count oversimplifies something much more complex: 

functional movement. 

Walking 10,000 steps a day is not a magic ticket to optimal health. It’s not bad advice either. 

The Origin of the 10,000-Step Rule and Why It Stuck 

You’ve heard the concept of walking 10,000 steps a day as the gold standard, but have you ever wondered why? 

For a little context. The “10,000 steps” rule wasn’t born in a lab or validated through decades of rigorous research. It originated as a marketing slogan in 1960s, created by a Japanese company selling pedometers called the “Manpo-kei,” which translates to “10,000 steps meter.” It caught on—and eventually became enshrined in public health campaigns and fitness apps around the world

Later studies would suggest that walking that much was associated with health benefits, but that’s correlation, not causation.

A 2022 study published in The Lancet found that benefits like reduced mortality risk leveled off around 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day in adults over 60. That’s still a decent amount of walking, but it suggests that 10,000 steps isn’t a threshold.

And for sedentary people, walking more than usual does improve cardiovascular health, circulation, and mental clarity. But once you’re active, the benefits of simply walking plateau out. And what matters more—especially as we age—is how well we manage our bodies. 

What Walking Misses

Walking is great. It improves cardiovascular health, reduces stress, and gets you outside. But if walking is your only form of movement, your body’s missing out on key forms of physical nourishment.

Walking doesn’t:

• Strengthen your muscles in a meaningful way
  It might help endurance in your lower body, but it doesn’t significantly challenge your core, glutes, or upper body.
• Improve joint mobility or flexibility
  If you spend the rest of your day sitting at a desk or on a couch, walking won’t undo tight hips, poor posture, or locked shoulders.
• Train balance or coordination
  Uneven terrain might help a little, but regular walking on flat surfaces doesn’t stimulate your proprioception—the body’s sense of spatial awareness.
• Address bone density loss
  Particularly for aging adults and post-menopausal women, weight-bearing and resistance exercises are more effective at reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Functional Movement

The problem with this fitness recommendation is the time it takes to complete, plus it can’t account for intensity or functional movement. In short, walking is gentle and rhythmic, life isn’t. So your movement routine needs to reflect that. Instead of chasing a step count, aim to move your body in a more rounded, functional way. 

Here’s how to build that:

1. Mix Movement Patterns

Incorporate pushing, pulling, squatting, hinging, rotating, and balancing into your routine. These movements mimic daily tasks and help build the kind of strength and mobility that walking doesn’t address.

Examples:

• Push: push-ups or overhead presses
• Pull: resistance band rows or pull-ups
• Squat: bodyweight squats, chair sit-to-stands
• Hinge: deadlifts, hip bridges
• Rotate: Russian twists, thoracic spine stretches
• Balance: single-leg stands, lateral lunges
• Strength train 2–3 times per week
• Incorporate fun or varied movement like dancing, gardening, swimming, or climbing. 

2. Add Strength Training

Muscle loss starts as early as your 30s. According to a 2019 report from the American College of Sports Medicine, two sessions of strength training per week can slow muscle decline, increase metabolism, and improve overall quality of life. You don’t need a full gym—bodyweight exercises and resistance bands go a long way.

3. Get Unpredictable

Your body adapts quickly. Walking the same loop every day teaches your muscles to coast. Shake things up. Try trails with elevation. Add in short bursts of faster walking or backward walking. Climb stairs instead of staying on the flat. Cross-training keeps your nervous system alert and your muscles engaged.

4. Mobilize, Don’t Just Move

Mobility is often overlooked. It’s not just about stretching—it’s about how well your joints move. Incorporating dynamic warmups, yoga, or targeted mobility work helps prevent injuries and improves your ability to perform other exercises safely.

Try a simple daily mobility sequence:

• Cat-cow stretches for your spine
• Shoulder rolls and chest openers
• Deep squats or hip openers like the 90/90 stretch
• Ankle and wrist circles to keep smaller joints fluid

5. Watch How You Move

Quality over quantity matters. Walking 10,000 steps with a hunched back, stiff shoulders, or shuffling gait won’t help in the long run. Body mechanics matter. Consider working with a physical therapist or movement coach to assess how you walk, squat, or lift. Even minor tweaks can prevent strain and improve efficiency.

Don’t Let the Number Dictate the Goal

On the bright side, the 10000 steps a day movement incentivizes people who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in working out and gives them something to work with. But functional movement is what prepare your body for real life. Can you carry groceries without tweaking your back? Get off the floor without help? Can you climb stairs without getting winded? That’s what fitness looks like. Walking may be a good start, but don’t let it be your finish line.