Would you consider walking a workout?

I go to the gym a minimum of 3 days per week and do weights, or take a sculpting class.

I try to do cardio like running or the elliptical on my off days, but lately I have been taking long (3-4 miles) walks with my dogs at night. It takes about an hour.

Would you still consider that a good form of cardio for my days off from strength training?

 Yup - it's a good way to get in some extra calorie burn without overloading your system with too much high-intensity stuff. You will probably see a bit more benefit from varying your workout intensity on your off days, with some days dedicated to walking, and one or more crosstraining days as and when you feel like it than if you were to do the same type of workout at the same intensity level every time.

 Your body responds best to variety - and your mind responds best to fun- so it's a good idea to get some variety of exercise in ;)

Unless your heart rate is above 120, I wouldn't consider it a work out.  Your dogs don't like to run?  If you run to the point of getting your heart rate up for a minute or two, then walk until it slows down a bit (about 2-3 times as long as you run), then repeat, then it would be a decent work out.

Yeah, what imtkain said.  Walking can be a great workout if you get your heart rate up. 

In college, i would maintain my weight by running the treadmill and elliptical every other day. But since ive been home, all ive been is walking around my neighborhood while reading a book for an hour every other day and ive been able to maintain also. so iunno if youd consider that a workout, but its been keeping me from gaining weight just as running and stuff did.

how do you know youre at a heart rate of 120?? at that rate, would you be panting and sweating? or just be a little warmed up?

I wore my heart rate monitor during one of my brisk walks. I burned an extra 35 calories. My (shorter) runs burn over 500. You gotta walk pretty dang fast!

Don't get me wrong, I love walking; I walk a lot. It's better than sitting my butt on the couch, that's for sure. It just doesn't burn a lot of calories unless you're walking at a very fast pace.

Someone had an article about the pace in which walking really fast is better than jogging, and it's faster than I'm gonna walk for 30+ minutes.

I walked fast today (average 4MPH) for an hour with 5 pound ankle weights on each ankle. I have been running at 6MPH usually with no weights. It was my first day with the ankle weights and I feel like I got a pretty good workout. It was on the tradmill watching the Olympics out of one eye.

I think next time I'm on the treadmill I'm going to also carry 5 pound dumbells and see how that works.

This is unless someone knows what I am doing is not a good way to go, and explains it.

as spiro said you have to walk really really fast, especially if you exercise. i walk a total of 90 minutes a day to & fro work. but i dont really consider it a workout for me, which is why i have to go the the gym/park to get a real workout.  i wear my hrm occasionally & i have to make sure i walk fast enough. which doesn't always happen. especially since the other slower pedestrians won't get out of my way.

Original Post by imtkain:

Unless your heart rate is above 120, I wouldn't consider it a work out.

You can't generalize like this.  At my ripe old age my 'fat burn" low hr zone is 105- 122 I could never get my heart rate to 120 during most of my light work outs.

 

Walking is great exercise and if you walked 3 - 4 miles you did well.  When I take my dogs for a walk I can't get my heart rate up very high because one dog is small one is big plus the puppy loves to stop and smell every blade of grass - but I love walking and when I started losing weight the first time walking was the only workout I did and had great success.

i think the fitter you are, the harder/faster you have to work at anything to call it "a workout."  walking is no different.  if your body is used to doing 90 minutes of intense cardio, then a leisurely stroll around the neighbourhood isn't going to do much for you.  but walking faster, seeking out hills, walking in rough terrain where you need some strength, balance, and agility, can definitely provide a workout.  and running when you feel like it doesn't hurt, either ;)