Ridiculous question but how can I walk faster

[Bellavida99]

I enjoy walking any distance from half hour dog walks to 10 mile planned walks. I realise I am slow and people I’m walking with have to slow down to my pace. I’m short which probably doesn’t help but I’m of average fitness. I’ve tried walking faster steps and longer steps and both feet unnatural. I was walking on a busy beach promenade today and we were being overtaken by older and seemingly less fit people than me. My natural pace is obviously short and slow how can I change this please any ideas ?

push off firmly with your feet each time you take a step
swing your arms
think about racing someone

Do you walk very regularly, just slowly, or is it something you do only occasionally? I would know the answer to this about running, and it may be similar for walking, which is that if you have stronger muscles, you'll naturally take bigger steps without forcing it, because there will be more power pushing you off the ground with each step. So I guess you could walk along thinking about being bouncy? Then you might speed up a bit naturally.

I would say just increase fitness. I walk at 3mph with total ease, but would say that increases to 3.5mph+ when I'm in tip top fitness. I find it helps to do something which challenges you more, eg running or cycling, because when running stretches you then walking seems easy by comparison.
It's the cadence that increases, not the stride length.

Practice is probably the only way, over time a faster pace and longer strides will feel more natural. Start when you’re on your own on dog walks, do 10 mins pushing the pace and then 10 mins relaxed. As an extra benefit the brisk walking will do wonders for your cardio health!

Try an interval training app, like this one (found on a search, im sure there are others) like couch to 5k, but instead of walk and run it's walk, and walk faster!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tatav.iwt

Do a very slight lean forward, lengthen your stride, and speed up your pace. You'll probably have to build up your fitness a bit. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

What trainers are you wearing?
Decent running trainers will give you a boost. Something with a curved sole like Brook, saucony, mizuno etc. You can't walk your maximum speed in something like converse or flat shoes.

To answer some questions I walk the dog daily between 30 and 60 minutes. About once a week I do a longer walk generally between 5 and 10 miles. I also swim 40 lengths twice a week and cycle more in summer but sporadic in winter. I generally wear normal Nike air max trainers or walking boots if it’s muddy. Thanks for tips so far I’ll try getting different trainers and try swinging my arms and doing intervals of faster / longer strides. Should it start to feel more natural or should I be making an effort with each stride? Maybe that’s where I’m going wrong as I do just amble along.

I reckon think more about the bounce, don't try and lengthen your stride. So yes, more effort, but put it into more forceful movement (including the swinging arms), meaning you don't have to do anything unnatural with cadence or stride length.

Yes, make a bit more effort. It will soon become natural.

I get sometimes with the dog you have to amble at times because the manhole cover or step has the best smell ever, but that's dogs for you.

Use your bum muscles. Lots of people mainly use their quads to walk, but the glutes in your bum are bigger and more powerful if you use them. Make sure you are doing a full “heel toe “ with each step (there will be youtube videos of this I’m sure).

And yes trainers with a slightly curved sole will help with the heel toe motion, it is much harder in very flat shoes

Listening to music really helps me walk faster and maintain a pace in time with the music beats.

I listen to heart dance when I'm on a walk.

I’m a slow walker. I have to jog alongside OH at his natural pace. I have short legs too but also I’m slow. I can cover very long distances comfortably but I do amble. When I want to walk fast I do have to concentrate - like I focus energy into my legs - hold my core tight and really go for it. If I don’t keep concentrating I amble though.

There are some amazing sprinters who are short, but stride length does make a big difference - also some people are more naturally bouncey. I can’t jump high or land particularly smoothly but those are things I’ve put effort into improving. There are people in family who are very ‘elastic’ and jumping high and nimbly just comes naturally.

Practise, practise and practise!

it doesn’t have to be a height thing. I’m 5.1 and I walk miles every day. My pace is 6k an hour (for the full hour not a short walk rounded up !). I stride, swing my arms a bit and do heel to toe with a slight bounce.

I’ve always walked, and remember when younger having to run every few strides to keep up with my dad and later my first boyfriend. But after lots of walking I just got faster.

Now, i can pass 6 feet men within seconds of - e.g embarking a train. I get stopped by (usually older) men to ask where im rushing to and why im not in the Olympics 😂 - and a postie tried to recruit me too.

I do wear running trainers to walk though (current ones are Kalenji). I’m not sure walking boots would allow me to pace.

Do you listen to music when you walk? I find listening to something with a faster beat makes me walk a bit quicker.

I my experience: practice, and running.
You could try paced walks where you make a conscious effort to walk faster.
I found that running helped me because my steps became longer. I guess you could achieve the same with lunges for instance.

I don’t think it’s height at I’m the same and I’m a fast walker. I’m just naturally quite fast but I remember reading an article about pushing off with the backfoot:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jun/19/im-not-just-faster-but-taller-how-i-learned-to-walk-properly-and-changed-my-pace-posture-and-perspective

Thanks so much everyone. Just an update. The last couple of days I’ve tried pushing my back foot off the ground and can really feel a difference and a bit of propulsion. I can tell I’m going to basically have to relearn how to walk! The article linked above does say that. Having just reread this thread I realise I forgot to swing my arms so I shall incorporate that tomorrow. And I think I’ll have to do interval training with my new walking and my original wandering along until it feels a natural way to walk. But the pushing with my back feet is transformative, thanks all and how crazy I have never done that before. New trainers will need a visit to a shop as I’ve got wide feet so that will be later this coming week.