Walking before you run: fitness expert's steps to follow

To walk or to run: which gives you a better bang for your buck?

For Forrest Gump, the answer was always clear — but for the average Canadian considering kicking off a new exercise routine, it's not as obvious, says Jeff Woods, a long-time personal trainer and fitness lifestyle commentator on the Canadian Learning Channel.

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"They're both good for you and they're both going to reduce chronic disease, and they're going to add years to your life, but the running, according to evidence, seems to offer up greater benefits," Woods says.

In terms of overall fitness and health, five minutes of running is equal to 15 minutes of brisk walking, he says.

More specifically, the added intensity of a jog has a greater positive impact on heart and lung function. Accumulating over years, running just five to ten minutes per day can add about four years to a man's lifespan — and five to a woman's.

But there's a catch: it only works if you run consistently.

"If you're running once a year, it doesn't count," Woods says.

The sweet spot, according to Woods, is developing a running routine that sees you out two to three times per week, running for no more than four hours in total. Any more than that requires a hike in recovery time but no significant increase in aerobic capacity.

"It's not worth it," Woods says.

Walk before you run

The benefits of running also come with a trade-off in terms of rate of injury, however. Woods says about 50 per cent of runners can expect an injury at some point. For walkers, that number is only about one per cent.

"When you run, it's a ground force of about two and half times your bodyweight. It's only about 1.2 times when you walk."

For that reason, Woods says it's important to walk before you run — simply to give your body a chance to work up to the higher-stress exercise. He also recommends an accompanying strength-training routine. Most injuries occur in new runners who skip this step, jumping straight into a more intense running routine, he says.

And not all people are cut out to pick up the pace, Woods says.

"You have to do what works for you. A program is only successful if it's sustainable. If you're constantly getting injured from your running program, note to self: you're not a runner."

Regardless of whether you're walking or running, it's also important to consider the climate, Woods says. In the hot weather, less is more.

"You're not going to get a positive training response when it's this hot out because not only are your working muscles competing for blood, your skin's competing for blood so it can cool effectively."

Woods recommends exercising late at night or early in the morning to avoid the worst of the weather.

• On mobile? Listen to the full interview here