How to Achieve 10,000 Steps a Day!

This article is written by Darren Cuomo, WAIS High Performance Scholarship Athlete and Australian Wheelchair Rugby Player.

It’s recommended for optimal daily health and wellbeing, we should aim to complete 10,000 steps per day between when we wake up and go to bed. Some people find this simple and for some of us, this seems like a completely unrealistic goal: I sit at a desk for eight hours a day, I have kids that I need to run around after and tend to, I’m simply too busy. All of these are more than legitimate reasons to be skeptical about the practicality of reaching 10,000 steps on a regular basis. However, we’ve pulled together a few simple tips that can take your number very quickly towards that total. 

A Daily Walk, Jog or Run

Whether you consider yourself an athlete or someone who subscribes to the term “I’ll get there when I get there”, movement is something we can all achieve, in whatever form it may look like for you. Going for a 30-minute walk, jog or run each day can quickly increase your step count and get you closer to your goal. Committing to this every day can be the catalyst for a new outlook on exercise, starting off small can slowly turn into something big and all good habits start with repetition. Finding a quiet and scenic place can make it feel more like relaxation than exercise. Take a walk around the grounds at Perth HPC, that’s an easy way to make a significant contribution to your total step count. 

Walk in the Pool

Don’t fancy going for a run in the Perth summer heat? Or find yourself with free time while your kids attend one of the many programs offered at Perth HPC? Consider swapping the land for the water and jump into some pool walking, an exercise that’s low impact on your bones and joints, however, the added resistance of working against the water can significantly improve cardiovascular fitness, increase strength and mobility, and simply being in the water can improve quality of life. Walking 30 laps in the a 25-metre pool can contribute 1,000 steps to your daily goal. There are several pool options available at Perth HPC, view our pool facilities here.
 

Join a Group Fitness Class

If you find getting your steps in hard to do without structure or a specific reason, consider joining one of the many group fitness classes on offer at Perth HPC  (we offer over 100+ classes weekly!). Joining a high energy session might not give you the specific motion of feet on the ground but can certainly replicate movement and functions that all work toward achieving the same goal. Plus, attending a Group Fitness Class can keep you motivated and consistent, as well as accountable to the people around you in the class.

Why Sit When You Can Walk?

It’s a great idea in theory to add some or all these suggestions to your daily routine. However, , there’s only so many hours in the day, and as it often does, life gets in the way and other priorities cannot leave enough room for any new habits or hobbies. One of the best changes you can make in your life to increase your daily steps, is to simply walk whenever possible. Go for a walk during your lunch break, take the stairs over the elevator on occasion, pace around instead of standing still waiting for something, park your car a little further away from your destination. Small adjustments that add a few hundred steps here and there can very quickly snowball, 500 steps turn into 1,000, which turns into 2,000 then 4,000 and before you know it, you’re at 10,000.

Find areas to make small changes and let Perth HPC support you in achieving your daily goal. Learn more about our health and fitness services here.