Most people in their 40s are juggling work, family, stress, and sleep schedules. In the middle of all this, walking feels like a realistic way to stay active, and for good reason. A 2023 review in the Journal of Ageing Research highlighted that walking enhances heart health, mobility, and overall well-being in older adults. Even 30 minutes a day can make a meaningful difference in fitness and mood.

Related story: Walking for Weight Loss

But After 40, Is Walking Alone Enough?

As you move through your 40s, the body starts shifting in ways you don’t always notice right away:

• Muscle mass slowly decreases
• Bone density shifts
• Balance gets a little less reliable
• Joints are stiffer
• Metabolism is less forgiving

A review in Frontiers in Public Health (2022) found that while walking improves cardiovascular fitness and certain strength markers, it doesn’t significantly impact flexibility, balance, or overall physical fitness on its own. Another review in Preventive Medicine (2012) showed that people between 40 and 65 years old see the best results when walking is combined with strength or mobility exercises.

Related story: After 40, Your Heart Wants a Few Things to Stop: A Cardiologist’s Take

What Walking Actually Helps With

When people stick to a walking routine, they usually notice:

• Better endurance and heart health
• Lower stress and improved mental clarity
• More stable blood sugar levels
• Some weight management benefits
• Less stiffness in day-to-day movement

A 2021 analysis in The Lancet Public Health showed that increasing daily steps, even if you don’t hit 10,000, reduces mortality risk. These benefits alone make walking a habit worth keeping.

Related story: 5k to 10k Steps a Day: The Small Habit That Quietly Transforms Your Health

Where Walking Doesn’t Do Enough (Especially After 40)

Here’s where the gaps show up:

1. Strength: Walking doesn’t challenge muscles in a way that maintains or builds strength. After the age of 40, you need resistance training to slow muscle loss.

2. Bone Health: It’s weight-bearing, yes, but not enough to stimulate bone growth the way resistance training or impact exercises do.

3. Balance: Walking doesn’t train stabiliser muscles or improve mental coordination, both of which are crucial as you age.

4. Flexibility: If your hips, hamstrings or lower back are tight, walking alone won’t loosen them.

Related story: Challenge Your Calves With These Walking Exercises

How to Make Walking More Effective

You don’t need a gym membership or a complicated routine. Small tweaks make a big difference:

• Pick up the pace. Aim for a walk where you can talk, but you’re pushing yourself a bit.
• Add some hills or stairs. This automatically engages your legs and glutes more.
• Mix in short strength sessions (10–15 minutes). Two or three days a week is enough. Even simple moves, such as squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks, help.
• Spend a few minutes on mobility. A little hip opening and hamstring stretching goes a long way.
• Don’t ignore balance training. Single-leg stands, heel-to-toe walking, or step-ups can be completed in just a few minutes.

Related story: The Many Powerful Benefits of Walking Every Day

Walking is valuable, accessible and ideal for staying consistent. But once you’re in your 40s, depending on walking alone won’t give you everything you need. Think of walking as your foundation. Strength training, mobility work and balance exercises are the support beams. You don’t need hours in the gym; just a few strategic additions each week can completely change how strong, stable and energetic you feel as you age.

Related story: 7 Surprising Benefits of Walking

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