The Hidden Health Benefits of Walking with Others

We are all told that exercise is good for us, especially walking, but is there something that we are missing?

When you think about the health benefits of walking, what springs to mind?

Fitness? Heart health? Perhaps you think, I must do more walking to help stabilise my weight. Or maybe joint stiffness makes you wonder whether you need to move more — or whether you’re simply getting older.

I have had all of these thoughts.

From my own personal experience as a serving member of HM Forces, when I was training I often did my endurance work by myself. It was the same if I was training for a long-distance cycling ride.

I truly believed I was always in competition with my own mind and that nobody could overcome the challenge of the physical and mental effort but me.

How wrong was I?

Throughout this article, I want to explore something we don’t always think about: the importance of being connected when exercising, walking or simply enjoying being outdoors.

[IMAGE 1 – WALX South Lincs group walking together]

So, would we all agree that walking is good for us?

When we think about walking, most of us — myself included — firstly think about the physical benefits.

As a therapist of the body and mind, I often advise people to move more, but also to think about how they move.

When teaching or coaching Tai Chi Qigong, I encourage people to think about how they position themselves. It’s the same when I teach Total Body Walking®.

I often talk about and demonstrate balance and good posture, encouraging people to practise and develop good movement patterns. We can also use simple movement drills to help develop muscular strength and hip mobility.

All of this is important and contributes to our overall health, especially as we age.

But we tend to think about the physical benefits first.

Health isn’t only about what is happening physically.

There are lots of hidden ingredients when we walk with other people.

Think about the conversations we have. Getting to know somebody. Finding out what makes them laugh and smile, what interests them and what they are passionate about.

For me, one of the best parts is simply feeling that you’re part of something.

Connection is really important, whether I’m there as a fellow walker, friend or WALX Master leading the group.

I’ve met some great people with fascinating backgrounds and created some wonderful friendships over the years.

Walking with other people can change how a walk feels. It can promote that feel-good factor, create a sense of belonging and encourage that simple:

“I can do this.”

Walking together can make it easier to keep going

When the weather changes for the worse or we’re feeling a little tired, being part of a group of like-minded people can really help motivate us.

Things somehow don’t seem quite as bleak or unachievable.

And there’s that feeling of camaraderie and achievement when we reach the end and we’re all having a warm drink together.

I’ve looked out of the window on many occasions and thought, I could really do without this walk today.

But I know other people are going to be there. They’ve booked onto the walk and, being the WALX Master and walk leader, I have to be there!

Being honest, if I was going out by myself, I could quite easily decide to stay in the warmth.

Being part of a group and knowing other people are expecting us can provide that extra motivation.

There’s a sense of belonging and connection.

And that’s one of the things that makes walking with others so important.

The mental-health benefit we don’t always notice

There has been a lot of research over recent years into the feel-good factor associated with physical activity, spending time outdoors and being around nature.

The late Dr Michael Mosley explored this subject and the potential benefits of getting outside and incorporating nature into our daily walks.

Further reading: Dr Michael Mosley – How to get even more from your daily walks, BBC Science Focus.

I know from my own experience that when I’m walking alone, I can sometimes spend too much time in my own head.

I like to think of the amygdala as the brain’s alarm system.

Sometimes, when we have too much time in our own thoughts, that alarm can become louder than it needs to be.

I’ve experienced this myself on many occasions.

The beauty of walking with a group is that conversation, laughter and shared experiences can shift our attention.

We also discover that we’re often not alone in going through difficult periods in our lives.

I’ve gone out for a walk feeling a little low and come back feeling energised and with a completely different outlook, simply because I’ve spent time walking and talking with a group of people.

Confidence grows through doing things together

The number of times I hear somebody say:

“I could never walk 5 km.”

Then you tell them at the end that they’ve actually just walked 6 km.

The look on their face can be priceless.

We completely understand that people can feel nervous about joining a walking group.

But remember — we all joined a group for the first time once.

We didn’t all start off as instructors or experienced walkers.

When you arrive for your Discovery or Power of Poles session, we’ll introduce you to the group and make you feel welcome.

Using poles can also take a little getting used to.

Almost everyone has a slight worry about their technique.

Am I doing this correctly?

And there’s another question that’s often there but isn’t always said out loud:

Will I be able to keep up with everyone else?

That’s where walking with supportive people makes such a difference.

Other walkers encourage you and, at WALX South Lincs, our motto is a very simple one:

“Nobody gets left behind.”

“We often measure a walk in miles, steps or minutes. Perhaps we should also measure it in conversations, laughter, confidence and connection.”

From walking group to community

When people initially turn up, they may want to get fitter, lose a little weight, become more active or simply start moving again.

We all have our own reasons.

But what I’ve experienced as a WALX Master over the past seven years is that something else often happens.

People become friends.

I’ve seen some fantastic social connections develop.

People encourage each other to attend, communicate through their own WhatsApp groups and organise where they’re going for coffee after the walk.

And sometimes it goes much further than walking.

Christmas functions, evenings out and other social events begin to appear.

That’s when a walking group starts becoming a community.

It’s about being socially connected and feeling part of a group of people who don’t just walk together but can develop lasting friendships.

What about walking alone?

We’re certainly not saying don’t walk alone.

Walking alone can have its own benefits.

It can create a peaceful environment, give us time for reflection, provide a little escapism or simply give us some much-needed me time.

Our health can benefit from having a blend of both.

Sometimes we might want peace and quiet.

At other times, what we really need is a conversation, a laugh and some company.

It depends on our mood and what we need at that particular time.

Bring a friend

Think about somebody you know who might benefit from getting a little more social connection.

Perhaps someone who would enjoy some simple guided activity and the opportunity to share experiences with other people.

Someone who might benefit as much from the conversation as they do from the walking.

Why not ask them to come along with you?

And if neither of you is sure whether group walking is for you, come along to one of our free WALX South Lincs Discovery Walks.

Meet us, meet some of the group and experience it for yourselves.

There’s no expectation that you need to be fit, experienced or an athlete.

In summary

We often measure a walk in miles, steps or minutes.

Perhaps we should sometimes measure it differently.

Conversations. Laughter. Confidence. Friendship. Connection.

Walking is undoubtedly about movement, but walking with other people can give us something more.

For me, that’s one of the hidden health benefits we don’t always talk about.

And if you’re worried about whether you’ll be able to keep up, remember our simple promise:

Nobody gets left behind.

If you’d like to talk to us about walking with WALX South Lincs or joining one of our Discovery Walks, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone.

WALX South Lincs
Helping You Stay Active, Independent and Connected
Telephone: 01775 729243