Walking Is Great — But It Doesn’t Work Everything

What Muscles Walking Strengthens (and What It Misses)

Walking is one of the most accessible and beneficial forms of exercise. It boosts cardiovascular health, lowers stress, and supports joint mobility. But when it comes to muscle strength and functional balance, walking only targets part of the picture.

Let’s look at what muscles walking actually works — and which ones need extra attention to keep your body strong, balanced, and injury-free.

What Muscles Work During Walking

Walking involves alternating stance (one foot on the ground) and swing (leg moving forward) phases. Each phase uses specific muscles in a well-timed sequence.

• Gluteus Medius and Minimus: Stabilize the pelvis when one leg is off the ground.
  → EMG data show high activity in single-leg stance to control pelvic drop (Gottschall & Kram, 2005).

• Gluteus Maximus: Extends the hip and propels the body forward, most active early in stance.
  → Activation increases with brisk or uphill walking (Neptune et al., 2008).

• Quadriceps: Control knee flexion and absorb impact after heel strike.
  → Active eccentrically during early stance for shock absorption (Winter, 1991).

• Hamstrings: Decelerate the leg before heel strike and assist hip extension.
  → Peak activity occurs late in swing (Perry & Burnfield, 2010).

• Calf Muscles (Gastrocnemius & Soleus): Propel the body forward during push-off.
  → Soleus contributes the most propulsive torque (Lichtwark & Wilson, 2005).

• Tibialis Anterior: Lifts the foot during swing and controls foot lowering at heel strike.
  → Highly active at initial contact to prevent foot slap (Neptune & Kautz, 2001).

In short: Walking strengthens the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip stabilizers moderately, but it doesn’t load muscles enough to build true strength or power.

What Walking Misses

Even regular walkers leave key muscle groups undertrained:

• Core and Deep Spinal Muscles: Walking engages them reflexively, but too lightly to improve strength or endurance.

• Gluteus Maximus (Power Range): Works at low intensity — doesn’t build strength without added resistance or range.

• Hip Flexors: Used in a short range; often weak and tight in daily sitters.

• Upper Back and Posture Muscles: Walking upright helps posture, but it doesn’t strengthen scapular stabilizers or deep neck flexors.

• Lateral and Rotational Stabilizers: Walking is straight-line motion — it neglects side-to-side and rotational control.

Why Strength Work Still Matters

Walking provides excellent aerobic conditioning but lacks the resistance stimulus needed for muscular and bone health.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend adults do at least two days per week of muscle-strengthening exercise in addition to aerobic activity.

Without it:

• Bone density declines — walking doesn’t apply enough load to stimulate bone remodeling (Kohrt et al., 2004).

• Fast-twitch fibers weaken — walking primarily activates slow, endurance-based fibers.

• Postural and balance control plateau — untrained stabilizers lead to imbalances and overuse pain.

How to Fill the Gaps

To make walking a more complete form of exercise, combine it with short strength and balance sessions.

• Glutes & Hips: Add bridges, step-ups, or banded side-steps. Builds hip power and stability for walking and stairs.

• Core & Spine: Bird-dogs, side planks, and Pallof presses improve spinal control and reduce back strain.

• Upper Back & Posture: Rows and wall angels strengthen scapular stabilizers and offset screen-time posture.

• Lateral Balance: Side lunges and single-leg balance work target underused stabilizers and improve fall prevention.

• Add Terrain: Brisk uphill walks or light-loaded walks (“rucking”) increase glute and calf recruitment 2–3× (Gottschall & Kram, 2005).

Just 2–3 short sessions per week can fill in these gaps — no gym required.

The Bottom Line

Walking is an excellent foundation for health and longevity — it keeps the heart, joints, and mind strong. But to stay functionally strong and resilient, you need to train the muscles that walking doesn’t challenge: your glutes, core, hips, and postural stabilizers.

A few minutes of targeted strength and balance work each week turns walking from a good habit into a complete movement routine that supports lifelong strength and confidence.

Reference

• Perry, J., & Burnfield, J. M. (2010). Gait Analysis: Normal and Pathological Function. SLACK Inc.

• Gottschall, J. S., & Kram, R. (2005). Energy cost and muscular activity during uphill and downhill walking. J Biomech, 38(3), 665–671.

• Neptune, R. R., & Kautz, S. A. (2001). Muscle activation and deactivation dynamics in human gait. Gait & Posture, 13(3), 164–172.

• Kohrt, W. M. et al. (2004). Physical activity and bone health in adults. J Bone Miner Res, 19(8), 133–153.

• Winter, D. A. (1991). The Biomechanics and Motor Control of Human Movement. Wiley.

• Lichtwark, G. A., & Wilson, A. M. (2005). Effects of elasticity and activation on muscle power. J Exp Biol, 208, 2845–2853.