Walking is the most accessible and beneficial form of exercise, or so everyone claims. What happens when you take it to an extreme? British YouTuber Jack Massey Welsh wanted to know. So he set himself the task of walking 35,000 steps a day—that is, 17 miles—over the course of a week. The results were a fascinating mix of physical transformation, unexpected challenges, and valuable lessons about the human body's limits.

For Welsh, this was an ambitious challenge not only physically but mentally. Before he started, he weighed himself, took measurements, and prepared by adding 150 grams of protein to his diet to preserve muscle mass. To safeguard his joints, he began taking glucosamine supplements.

His plan was simple, break the daily goal into two two-hour walks, which would amount to 35,000 steps per day. The first day seemed manageable, but the effects of this extreme activity quickly set in.

Day-by-Day Breakdown: From Muscle Burn to Joint Pain

Days 1–2: A Painful Start

The first day brought a mix of excitement and fatigue. Welsh remarked on the simplicity of “one step in front of the other.” However, by Day 2, he began to feel the physical toll. Aching muscles and sheer exhaustion made every step increasingly difficult.

Days 3–4: Adapting Muscles, New Challenges

By the third day, Welsh could see his muscles were adapting to the demand. However, joint pain had emerged as a new obstacle, accompanied by painful blisters on his feet. Walking became a test of endurance, with each step a reminder of his body's limits.

Days 5–7: The Final Stretch and Aftermath

As the week went by, the pressure was on. Sore ankles and black toenails, which indicate extreme foot injury, made it hard for Welsh to walk without taking pain medication. He was still able to complete the challenge with a feeling of great achievement.

What's Changed After 250,000 Steps?

At the end of the week, Welsh retook his measurements and was shocked at the changes. He had lost 2 pounds and noted that his body measurements were smaller all around, except for his thighs, which grew half a centimeter. This showed that walking is a great change agent even after a week.

However, the damage was done by the physical process. Days since the completion of the challenge found Welsh's ankles swollen, bringing home the potentially dire consequences to extreme exercise in the human form.

Welsh's adventure shows the risks and rewards of walking. Being on the extreme end is fun, but never overdo anything beyond what your body can stand. As for Welsh, more reasonable steps most people can reasonably achieve would range between 8,000 to 20,000 depending on their fitness.

The average steps that people walk is merely between 3,000 and 4,000 per day, a range of activity level described as sedentary. Although the 10,000 steps per day has become a highly popular goal without scientific basis, research shows more realistic and personalized targets depending on age. A review by Lancet showed that walking around 7,000 steps per day can increase life expectancy significantly for older adults. Younger adults benefit from walking only up to around 9,000 steps per day, indicating that exceeding this number does not offer any further benefits. These results highlight how the necessity is to set specific, reachable goals, rather than focusing on achieving some number.

It must not be about reaching a specific number, but about making movement a constant part of your day.

Why Walking is Considered Healthy?

Walking is not a cardio exercise only, but also maintains the muscles and health of the joints. More importantly, it helps the mind. A study at JAMA Internal Medicine reported walking as briskly as possible for 10 minutes each day will decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke but in addition add years to life.

From lessening the symptoms of anxiety and depression to increasing energy and concentration, walking is an all-rounded exercise with low risks and high rewards.

How to Increase Your Daily Step Count Easily

Adding more steps into your daily life does not have to be a big life change. Here's how:

• Take the stairs whenever possible.
• Park on the far end of parking lots.
• Hold meetings while walking
• Track your progress to motivate and set achievable targets
• Take regular 10 minute breaks at work to stretch and walk
• Tread around on the phone as well
• Go for a long walk after dinner to relax.

Jack Massey Welsh’s journey is a compelling reminder of walking’s transformative potential—and its risks when taken to extremes. While 35,000 steps daily is not practical for most people, setting moderate goals can yield significant health benefits.

Estimated Number of Deaths Prevented Through Increased Physical Activity Among US Adults. JAMA Intern Med. 2022

Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts. The Lancet Public Health. 2022

Good posture is super important for a healthy spine and strong upper back muscles. But simply sitting up straight isn't always enough to prevent or fix upper back pain. That's where yoga poses can really help!

Everyday habits, things like texting, typing on a computer, or carrying a heavy bag can worsen your pain. Medical experts also point to overusing your back muscles or pressure on your spinal nerves from a herniated disc as other common causes.

Yoga Poses For Upper Back Pain

While yoga can definitely help ease upper back pain, it's important to practice safely to avoid further injury. Claudia Jasper advises that when you do these stretches, always be mindful not to let your shoulders roll forward. Instead, actively roll your shoulders back throughout your practice. This movement helps your shoulder blades slide down your back, opening your chest and keeping your spine long and healthy.

If you have ongoing (chronic) upper back pain, always talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) and Cow Pose (Bitilasana)

This gentle flow is a fantastic way to warm up and energize your upper back. Make sure to move slowly and smoothly between the two poses. You can do this classic pair on your hands and knees (Tabletop position) or even while sitting comfortably in Easy Pose.

Thread the Needle Pose (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)

This calming pose is excellent for opening your upper back and releasing tension in your shoulders. It encourages your shoulder blades to move away from your spine, creating more length and space. Start from a Tabletop position to enter this pose.

Eagle Arms (Garudasana)

Eagle Arms is a great stretch for your upper back and shoulders. You can do this arm position on its own, while sitting in a chair, or as part of the full Eagle Pose. You can also combine it with Hero Pose for added benefits.

Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

Can't decide between the relaxation of Child's Pose and the stretch of Downward-Facing Dog? Extended Puppy Pose combines elements of both! It helps to lengthen and stretch your entire spine. Claudia Jasper loves this pose for opening the chest and shoulders, which is key for relieving upper back pain. You can even place a block under your forehead for extra comfort.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Camel Pose is a favorite of Jasper's for upper back relief. This gentle backbend opens your heart, chest, and shoulders, allowing you to breathe more deeply into your upper body. You can adjust how deep the stretch is by keeping your hands on your lower back or placing them on blocks.

Supported Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Give your upper back some much-needed relief in this supported, relaxing pose. Claudia Jasper particularly likes using a bolster (a long pillow) for an extra chest stretch. To set up, place the bolster along your spine at the top of your mat. Sit down at the top of your mat, bring the soles of your feet together with your knees spread open, and gently lie back onto the bolster so it's aligned with your spine.

You've just finished a long trip, whether by car, plane, or train, and your body feels stiff and achy. Being cooped up in small spaces can leave you feeling tense and uncomfortable. But what if you could stretch out and feel better right from your seat?

Yoga is a fantastic stress reliever. Through deep breathing exercises and mindful movements, it helps calm your nervous system, lowering stress hormones like cortisol. This shift from a "fight or flight" state to a more relaxed one helps your body restore itself, leading to feelings of tranquility and mental clarity.

Regular yoga practice can also significantly improve sleep quality. By reducing stress and calming the mind, it prepares your body for a deeper, more restful sleep, which is essential for feeling truly rejuvenated.

How Yoga After Travel Helps

Yoga helps your muscles and joints in several key ways. Its gentle stretches increase your flexibility and range of motion, allowing your joints to move more easily and reducing daily stiffness and aches. Poses to Ease Travel Aches and Pains

Here are shares easy yet effective yoga tips for long car rides and other travel, even when space is tight. These simple motions can help you feel much better and make your journey more comfortable.

Seated Cat-Cow Pose

This gentle movement helps your spine become more flexible and lubricated, creating subtle space between your backbones. It also increases blood flow, which can help you feel refreshed. Remember to coordinate your breath with the movement, exhaling as you lean forward and inhaling as you round your spine.

Seated Spinal Twist

Even in a cramped airplane or car seat, you can give your back a good stretch. These twists gently stretch your middle body, ribs, and the muscles you use for breathing. They can even provide a light massage to your internal organs, helping you feel more relaxed and comfortable on your journey.

Neck Rolls

Simple and effective, slow neck rolls are easy to do on any trip. They loosen tight muscles, helping to ease tension that often builds up in your shoulders and neck during travel. Just imagine your nose drawing a slow circle on a clock in front of you, letting the weight of your head guide the stretch.

Shoulder Rolls

Release tension and loosen up your shoulder muscles with these easy, yet impactful, rolls. Slightly scoot forward in your seat so your back isn't touching the seatback. Then, draw circles with your shoulders, first in one direction (thinking "up, back, and down"), and then reverse. Keep your breath steady with each roll.

Seated Forward Fold

This simple stretch is excellent for your lower and upper back. While it might require a little more room to lean forward, it's perfect for getting some movement in at the airport terminal or on trains and buses. Remember to keep your feet flat and breathe deeply as you fold forward gently.

When you're on the go, the main idea is to move your body in different ways and pay attention to what it needs. Try to move as much as you can to help your blood flow, and always remember to breathe deeply.

Everyone has their own goals and understandings of why they wish to exercise in the gym. Some people do so because they wish to lose weight, others do it to gain weight and increase muscle density. However, many people believe that building muscle takes time and a lot of effort.

But do you actually need to spend hours at the gym to build muscle or get stronger? A recent study from Florida Atlantic University suggests otherwise. Researchers indicate that just a few focused sets might be all you need to see significant progress this summer.

Volume vs. Frequency

Published as a preprint on SportRxiv, the study reviewed numerous earlier investigations into training volume (how many sets per workout) and frequency (how often you train each week).

The findings suggest you don't need super long gym sessions to get stronger or build muscle. There's a point where doing more doesn't really help, and it might even work against you, especially when you think about getting tired and how much time it takes. This goes against the common idea that doing more always leads to better results.

Finding the "Just Right" Amount for Gains

The team looked at how the amount you train affects both how much your muscles grow and how strong you get. They found that doing more exercises can help, but only up to a certain point.

For muscle growth, the benefits kept increasing until about 11 sets that involved the muscle indirectly or directly in one session. For strength, the best number was even smaller: just two sets that directly targeted the muscle or movement.

What's the Difference Between Set Types?

It's helpful to know the difference between two kinds of sets:

Fractional sets count all the work for a muscle group, whether it's the main exercise or not. For example, exercises for your triceps (the back of your arm) help with chest strength because they assist in pushing. So, even if you're not directly doing a chest exercise, triceps work can count.

Direct sets, on the other hand, focus specifically on the muscle or movement you're testing. Think of doing bench presses to build chest strength – that's a direct set for your chest.

Discovering the Point of No Extra Benefit

The study brought up a new idea: the Point of Undetectable Outcome Superiority (PUOS). This is the moment when doing more sets doesn't really add much extra benefit. The researchers believe this idea can help people create more efficient workout plans, saving them time while still getting results.

If you're mainly looking to get stronger, the main takeaway is simple: doing just one to two tough, dedicated sets in each workout can really pay off!

Instead of just adding more sets to a single workout, if you want to get stronger, you might get better results by working out more often but with shorter, more focused sessions.

One thing you must keep in mind is that this study has not yet undergone peer review, and its findings should be considered preliminary. Of course, some people want to get every last bit of muscle growth they can, no matter how much effort it takes. For them, trying out higher amounts of sets makes sense, as long as they pay close attention to how well their body recovers.