Strength Exercises and Balance: What to Add to Your Usual Walking

Usual walking is an accessible way to add aerobic activity to everyday life. At the same time, WHO guidelines recommend that adults combine aerobic activity with strength exercises, while people aged 65 and older should also include a variety of balance exercises. These guidelines apply to the population as a whole and are not a personal prescription: the amount and format of movement should be matched to your own well-being, experience, and abilities.

What the evidence says

WHO recommends that adults get 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Alternatively, 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or an equivalent combination is possible. Walking can be one way to meet the aerobic part of the recommendations if its intensity matches the chosen activity format.

In addition to aerobic activity, WHO recommends strength exercises for all major muscle groups on 2 or more days per week. For people aged 65 and older, WHO additionally recommends a variety of balance and strength exercises on 3 or more days per week. This means that for older adults, it is important to think not only about the duration of walking but also about maintaining strength and stability.

Physical activity guidelines should not be confused with the physical activity coefficients provided by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine for different types of work. МОЗ України specifies a coefficient of 1,4 for predominantly mental work, 1,6 for light work, 1,9 for moderately strenuous work, 2,2 for heavy physical work, and 2,5 for especially heavy physical work. These values describe the level of everyday physical activity and do not replace WHO recommendations regarding the structure of movement.

What this looks like in practice

You can keep usual walking as the foundation of an active week and add strength exercises and balance exercises as separate short sessions or incorporate them into your usual schedule. It is important to choose a manageable format and gradually become familiar with new movements, without turning the recommendations into a requirement to do everything at once.

• Continue walking at a pace that is comfortable for you, treating it as the aerobic part of your activity.
• Add strength exercises for all major muscle groups on 2 or more days per week, as WHO recommends.
• You can use your own body weight or another accessible form of resistance for the exercises, provided it allows you to perform the movements with control.
• If you are 65 or older, include a variety of balance and strength exercises on 3 or more days per week in line with WHO recommendations.
• Spread your activity throughout the week so that it is clear, realistic for your schedule, and does not create excessive discomfort.

What to keep in mind

WHO population guidelines are not a personal prescription. Needs may vary depending on age, previous experience, everyday workload, and well-being. If you have not exercised for a long time, have limited mobility, or are unsure about performing exercises safely, it is worth discussing the format of your activity with a medical professional or a qualified physical activity specialist.

МОЗ України coefficients for different types of work also do not provide a personal answer to the question of exactly how much to walk or which exercises to choose. They only distinguish between levels of physical activity associated with the nature of the work. There is no need to compensate for sedentary work with sudden changes in workload: it is more practical to add movement gradually and combine walking with strength exercises and, when needed, balance exercises.

In brief

• Walking can be part of aerobic activity.
• WHO recommends that adults get 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week or an alternative equivalent.
• Strength exercises for all major muscle groups should be added on 2 or more days per week.
• For people aged 65 and older, WHO recommends balance and strength exercises on 3 or more days per week.
• WHO and МОЗ України guidelines are population-level recommendations and are not a personal prescription.

This is general information about nutrition and habits, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or have a chronic condition, discuss dietary changes with your doctor.