Short answer: 10,000 steps a day is a good round goal, but it is not a magic number. Large studies that pooled data on step counts found that the benefits for long-term health tend to level off at roughly 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day for adults over 60 and 8,000 to 10,000 for younger adults. If you currently walk much less, adding about 2,000 steps a day to your current average is a realistic and worthwhile first target.
Where 10,000 steps came from
The figure is widely traced to a pedometer marketed in Japan in the 1960s, whose name translates roughly as “10,000-step meter”. It was a catchy round number rather than a research finding. Later studies have looked at real step counts and health outcomes, which is where the more nuanced targets above come from.
Step targets by starting point
| Your current daily average | Next target | Practical step |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3,000 | 4,000–5,000 | Add a 10- to 15-minute walk each day |
| 3,000–5,000 | 6,000–7,000 | Two 10-minute walks, or one 20-minute walk |
| 5,000–7,500 | 8,000–9,000 | A daily 30-minute brisk walk |
| 7,500 and up | Hold steady; add pace or hills | Make some walks brisk, try intervals or inclines |
Check your average over a week, not a single day. Most phones count steps automatically.
Steps or minutes?
- Health guidelines are written in minutes: at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, for adults.
- A brisk 30-minute walk is often around 3,000 to 4,000 steps, depending on pace and stride.
- Pace matters as well as count. Some of your steps should be brisk enough that you can talk but not sing.
- If you prefer a plan in minutes, the 4-week beginner walking plan builds to 150 minutes a week.
Counting steps accurately
- Phones only count steps while you carry them, so they often undercount for people who leave the phone on a desk.
- Wrist trackers can count arm movements as steps (or miss steps while you push a trolley). Treat the number as a trend, not an exact figure.
- Compare like with like: use the same device over time and look at weekly averages.
- To estimate your own steps per minute, count steps for 60 seconds at your brisk pace.
Easy ways to add steps
- Walk during phone calls.
- Get off the bus a stop early, or park at the far end of the car park.
- Take the stairs for one or two floors.
- Add a 10-minute walk after meals.
- Set a reminder to stand and walk for 3 to 5 minutes every hour if you sit for work.
- Use a treadmill on bad-weather days; see the incline treadmill walking workout.
Do steps replace other exercise?
Walking is excellent for the heart and lungs, but guidelines also recommend muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week. A short bodyweight session such as the 20-minute beginner home workout covers that.
This is general fitness information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, an injury, are pregnant, or have been inactive for a long time, check with a doctor or physiotherapist before starting a new exercise routine.