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Dr. Rahul Singh Declares 10,000 Steps Obsolete: HIIT Is the New Fitness Gold Standard

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  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. olete-hiit-is-the-new-fitness-gold-standard.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, December 11th 2025 at 0:25 GMT by moneycontrol.com

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The Fitness Trainer Who Thinks 10,000 Steps Are Outdated – What Replaces Them

The age‑old mantra of walking ten thousand steps every day has long been the “gold standard” of daily activity, especially for people who want to keep their weight in check, improve cardiovascular health and stay fit. Yet, a leading fitness expert recently set out to rewrite that rule in a Moneycontrol article that has already sparked a wave of debate among gym‑goers, busy professionals and health‑conscious parents alike.

Who’s the Trainer?

The article opens with a quick profile of the trainer, Dr. Rahul Singh, a former Olympic rower and current head of training at the Indian Institute of Sports, who has spent more than a decade researching the most efficient ways to move the human body. Singh’s research background and his hands‑on experience in elite athletics lend him a unique perspective on how to maximize fitness in a fraction of the time many people spend on the treadmill.

The Alternative to 10k Steps: High‑Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Singh’s thesis is straightforward: HIIT is the best single exercise that can replace the traditional 10,000‑step goal. He points out that the standard recommendation—10k steps—was derived from early studies in the 1970s, when the focus was on “walking” rather than “exercise”. HIIT, on the other hand, was proven in 2013 to deliver comparable or superior benefits in less than half the time.

To back up his claim, Singh cites a 2015 meta‑analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials that found HIIT to improve VO₂ max, insulin sensitivity, and resting metabolic rate by as much as 35% when compared with moderate‑intensity continuous training (MICT). “When you do HIIT, you’re putting your body under a controlled stress that forces it to adapt faster,” he explains. “That means you’re burning more calories during and after the workout, and your heart and lungs are training to become more efficient.”

Why Walking May Not Be Enough

The article notes that walking, while low‑impact and easy to do, may not stimulate the same level of cardiovascular improvement as HIIT. In a side‑note, Singh references a link to a Moneycontrol study titled “10k Steps: Myths, Misconceptions, and Facts”, which highlighted that people who walk 10k steps sometimes still fall into the “obesity trap” if they’re not pairing it with resistance training or interval work.

How to Do HIIT

Singh provides a concise guide for beginners: a 20‑minute session is sufficient. The typical structure is:

1. Warm‑up – 3 minutes of light jogging or dynamic stretches.
2. 8 cycles of:
   • 30 seconds of all‑out effort (running, cycling, or a body‑weight circuit).
   • 90 seconds of active recovery (walking or slow cycling).
3. Cool‑down – 3 minutes of walking and static stretches.

He stresses that the high‑intensity interval should be performed at 85–95% of maximum heart rate, and that the rest periods should allow the heart rate to fall back to about 60–70% before the next burst. The recommended use of a heart‑rate monitor is emphasized, and a link is provided to an article on “Best Heart‑Rate Monitors for HIIT in 2025”.

Incorporating HIIT into Your Routine

Singh argues that you don’t need to devote an entire day to HIIT. A single 20‑minute HIIT session per week, coupled with moderate activity on the other days, is enough to “replace the cumulative calorie burn of 10k steps”. He cites a 2020 study from the Journal of Sports Science which found that people who did HIIT twice a week lost 1.5 kg more than those who did continuous walking. For people who prefer cycling, rowing, or swimming, Singh offers a quick “HIIT‑in‑a‑swim” routine: 15 minutes of alternating 1‑minute sprints with 2‑minute easy laps.

Beyond Calories: Mental and Functional Benefits

One of the article’s most compelling arguments is that HIIT provides mental health benefits that walking does not. Singh points out that high‑intensity training releases endorphins more rapidly and can reduce cortisol levels, which is why it’s often recommended for people who experience anxiety or mild depression. Moreover, he notes that HIIT can improve functional strength, which is critical for everyday tasks like carrying groceries or climbing stairs—tasks that walking alone doesn’t target.

What to Watch Out For

The article also cautions that HIIT is not a universal solution. Individuals with joint problems or those who have never exercised may need to start with low‑impact variants such as stair climbing or rowing. Singh suggests that beginners begin with 10‑minute sessions, gradually increasing the intensity or duration by no more than 10% each week. He also recommends a pre‑exercise warm‑up and post‑exercise cool‑down to minimize injury risk.

Additional Resources

• The article includes a link to “HIIT for Beginners: How to Get Started”, a step‑by‑step guide on Moneycontrol.
• For those who prefer a structured program, Singh points to “HIIT Workout Plans for Every Body Type”, another Moneycontrol feature that offers downloadable PDFs.
• Lastly, the article references a study titled “Comparative Study of HIIT vs. Steady‑State Cardio on Muscle Mass”, which shows that HIIT also supports muscle hypertrophy when combined with resistance work.

Bottom Line

While walking 10,000 steps remains a safe, low‑risk way to keep active, Dr. Rahul Singh argues that it simply does not offer the same physiological or psychological payoff as a well‑structured HIIT routine. For most people, a 20‑minute HIIT session per week can provide a more efficient, time‑constrained alternative that still delivers the calorie burn, cardiovascular gains, and mental health benefits that people seek from daily activity. If you’re looking to revamp your fitness strategy and make the most out of your limited time, the article’s recommendation may well be the next big step forward.