Part 2 - Walking is not fitness.
We have a metabolically sick nation. 16% of adults have diabetes.1 48% of adults have high blood pressure.225% of adults have hypertriglyceridemia.3 While only 24% meet the U.S. national guidelines for physical activity.4
In 2022, diagnosed diabetes alone cost the United States $412.9 billion to manage.5
What does this have to do with CrossFit, walking, and fitness in general? The CrossFit methodology originated to be the solution to the world’s most vexing problem. Chronic, metabolic disease. Of course, we have the sport of fitness where we see absolute animals throw down on ESPN. At the roots, the CrossFit methodology is the solution for the newly diagnosed diabetic sitting in the doctor’s office, the obese grandmother on 5 medications to stay alive, and the 30 year old that bought their first 7-day medication organizer on Amazon.
Back to the walking and fitness topic. Walking is primarily low-intensity for most of us in which it is on the lower end of aerobic movement and should be fueled by fat. A high volume of low-intensity leisurely walking throughout your day is a great way to increase energy expenditure. This activity would fall within the non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) component of your daily energy expenditure. NEAT accounts for about 15% of your daily energy expenditure while exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT) accounts for only about 5%. This is not good news for the elliptical warriors at Planet Fitness.
CrossFit workouts are on the higher end of intensity and fueled by a combination of fat/glucose and eventually slide to exclusively glucose/ATP as the intensity increases. Intensity is the best tool to increase work capacity which is why we lean into it as CrossFitters. We are focused on increasing work capacity across broad times and modal domains.
CrossFit workouts are on the higher end of intensity and fueled by a combination of fat/glucose and eventually slide to exclusively glucose/ATP as the intensity increases. Intensity is the best tool to increase work capacity which is why we lean into it as CrossFitters. We are focused on increasing work capacity across broad times and modal domains.
The last point to make is orthopedic health and stagnation. The more we move, the better our body will move, and we can actually function. People with occupations that demand 4-10 hours of computer time each day simply do not move. Even if you make it to the gym after work, how eager are you to do air squats, burpees, pull-ups, etc. when you are tight and stiff. What if you programmed several short walks, a few squats and down dogs throughout your day. I bet you would feel more mobile and capable for sure at the end of the day.
End note. Don’t be the CrossFit athlete that never clears 4,000 steps per day and don’t be the avid walker that never sprints, lifts, or squats. We need both fitness and walking. We need to become a person that enjoyably walks 10,000+ steps per day, every day, and trains a few times per week to improve our work capacity across broad times and model domains.
