How many steps you get indoors
Indoor walking is often a little slower than walking outside because of turns and short runs, so the table shows a relaxed 80 and a brisk 100 steps a minute. Three 10-minute indoor walks at a brisk pace come to about 3,000 steps.
| Walk | Steps at 80 a minute | Steps at 100 a minute | Distance (brisk) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | 400 | 500 | 0.4 km |
| 10 min | 800 | 1,000 | 0.8 km |
| 15 min | 1,200 | 1,500 | 1.1 km |
| 20 min | 1,600 | 2,000 | 1.5 km |
| 30 min | 2,400 | 3,000 | 2.3 km |
Indoor walking ideas
- Walk laps of a hallway or a loop through two rooms.
- Walk every phone or video call where you do not need a screen.
- March in place, lifting your knees, during TV adverts or a favourite song.
- Use the stairs if you have them: a few extra trips up and down add steps fast.
- Follow a walking workout video at a brisk pace.
- Set a reminder to walk for three to five minutes every hour you are sitting.
- Walk while the kettle boils, the microwave runs or the bath fills.
Make it count as exercise
Research by Tudor-Locke and colleagues found that about 100 steps a minute is a moderate pace for most adults, and about 130 is vigorous. Those cut-offs hold wherever you walk, so a brisk indoor walk counts toward the WHO's 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week.
To check your pace, count your steps for 30 seconds and double it. Music with a steady beat can help you hold a rhythm, and swinging your arms helps keep the pace up.
Break up long sitting
The WHO's 2020 guidelines advise adults to limit time spent sitting and replace it with activity of any intensity, and they no longer ask for activity to come in blocks of at least 10 minutes.
Short walks help in their own right. A 2022 review by Buffey and colleagues found that breaking up long sitting with light walking lowered blood glucose and insulin more than breaking it up by standing.
Counting indoor steps on your phone
Our browser step counter counts from your phone's motion sensor while the page is open and the screen is on. Keep the phone in a pocket or armband rather than in your hand. Very slow, shuffling steps are where phones and trackers miss the most, so a purposeful pace counts best.
Clear trip hazards such as rugs and cables, and wear supportive shoes. If your balance is unsteady, walk near a wall or rail, and talk to your doctor or physiotherapist about a safe routine.