How can a person average 80,000 steps in a day?

[prc1977]

I don't mean to call anybody out or question somebody's integrity but there are fitbit users who average better than 75K steps a day over the course of a week. Assuming they get eight hours of sleep, that means they're walking almost 40 minutes each hour every hour of the day unless they're asleep. Every day for a week.

It is possible that they're running or training for a marathon or walking really fast or are really really into this walking thing but it seems like it is too much. Any way you do the math, it is an incredible amount of walking and it is sustained over the entire week.

What's the most anyone has ever walked in a day? How about in a week? 

I wonder what it would be like if I got up at five am and walked all day until midnight? Doing the math, it would theoretically be possible to break 100k but I don't think I could get anywhere near that. And 80k a day for a week seems too much too.

What do you think?

Moderator edit: Clarified subject. 

[majdavid]

I think it is possible to average 80k steps per day. But you are either on vacation or retired. I have done in the 40s and once 51. But to do that, I had to split my  workout, ie. part in the morning and part in the evening. My highest averages have been on either weekends, holidays or when I take vacation.  Also, I believe a 100k step day is possible. But one may have to start early in the day, take a rest break, then finish in the evening/ at night, 

[Corney]

majdavid: I agree it would be possible to log 80-100k steps once if
retired or on vacation. Can anyone explain the rational, possibility or
advisability of AVERAGING 80-100k steps for weeks at a time month after
month?

[mr.o.u.s]

My thoughts exactly. I run ultras sometimes and that is the only way I can
get 100k+. 80k for me equates to approximately 50 miles depending on
terrain and would take me about 15 hours on my best day. I think an elite
ultra like runner like Scott Jurek, Karl Meltzer, Dean Karnazas and Ann
Trason could do this easily if they wanted to for an extended number of
days but I am not worthy to lace their shoes(unless I was lacing them
together so as to get a head start 😉

The PCT and Appalachian trails are future goals and I think I could come
close to the 80k per day average with a rest day every week or so.

Keep moving, when you stop, it's over

[Hayley-Van]

I'm a picker at amazon, my steps per day at work would be atleast 40,000 per day during work hours as we are power walking all day (unfortunTely we aren't allowed to wear our fitbits at work) if someone works a similar job and is also very active out side of work hours it might be possible. They may also have their step distance recorded as shorter than what it actually is which would give a false reading

[majdavid]

We are not saying it is not possible. We are just wondering how. This may help some people increase their steps if they want, or their frequency of exercise.

There is a cell phone app called S-Health, by Samsung which also tracks steps. I use mine in conjunction with fitbit and they are usually in the same neighborhood for numbers. If you can't use fitbit, but can carry a cell phone, this may be an option.

[Gh1265]

My personal average is around 12 to 16,000 steps a day. occasionally I’ll do 20k. I’ve maxed out at about 25,000. I suppose if your a runner it’s possible to have a one day spike at 80 K ,but there’s no way possible that you can sustain 80,000 steps a day for a week

[Pumpkinbutt]

I feel the same. But the responses I've been getting say different. 😂

Sent from my LG Mobile

[Ronlaub]

To @Gh1265...It is possible to sustain 80,000 steps a day for a week. There are many ultramarathoners who compete in 144-hour (or longer) races that accomplish that. Check out results from races like Three Days At The Fair or Across The Years. There are even a few elite runners that can keep it up for weeks, like those that compete in the Sri Chimnoy 3100 mile race in New York City.

But the casual walker/runner could not get anywhere close to that on a regular basis. As one that has competed in several ultra races, I know the toll that just one day of 80k steps takes on your body. And the people that can do it for multiple days in races do not train this way.

[Gh1265]

Thank you for clearing that up it’s difficult for us mere mortals to understand, lol Seriously though if that’s true it’s quite a feat

[Ronlaub]

It's definitely true. You can Google results from any of these races and see people that do it. I am not one that could average 80k steps a day for a week, even in a race. But by competing in smaller races with people who can, I have been inspired to achieve results that I never would have dreamed of for myself. And for some strange reason, I enjoy it.

[BobFromMaine]

IF you wear the fit bit on your wrist like most people, it will count your hand motions as steps. If you work on an assembly line or any job where you are moving the fit bit a lot it will inflate your steps considerably.

I can tell you from experience, riding a snowmobile for a mile will add several thousand steps.

[IppTak]

Great discussion on this thread, but the answer is simple. People with 80-100K average steps are cheating. 

I’m competing on Workweek Hustle with this one guy who consistently hits 100K+ a day and he has managed to do this for ten days in a row. He claims he walks the whole time, but that’s 50 miles a day, 12-16 hours a day. Then he posts how well he slept and shows him in bed 11 hours a night. There’s definitely not enough hours in a day to make this possible. 

Search for “FitBit cheaters” on YouTube and you will see some gold. People tying their trackers to a drill, dogs, pendulum clocks, dirt bikes, etc. 

[Skiingsin]

Not 80,000 a day, but a good 20,000 a day mostly. 

[RobbieDi]

You are definitely right. I've moved on and will do what I can. Typically I
accomplish the most steps on the weekend. I simply do not understand why
folks cheat. This is also why I hate the work week hustles...

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RobbieDi

[Wowken]

BTW, should anyone have any doubt if folks can log in 650,000 steps a week Consistently All year long. Check this out. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a31626980/walking-100000-steps-one-day-cardio-youtube/

[Ronlaub]

@Wowken The article talks about what he did to do 100K in a single day, not every day. It talks about how he does 25k a day on a regular basis, which is only 175K a week, not 650K. I stand by my previous comments on this post about attempting to average 80K a day on a REGULAR basis.

[Gimpycat]

I was part of an office step challenge when, for a week, I averaged about
30,000 steps a day, and logged over 42,000 steps one day in particular.
Even that was too much for me to recover quickly (I was doing my gym
exercise as part of this).

The human body is definitely not designed for such a high level of
activity, and even ultra marathon runners don't log such an insane number
of steps every day, just during whatever event they're competing in.

[RobbieDi]

This thread is SO old...good lordt!

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RobbieDi

[Gimpycat]

Yes, but the topic never grows old, apparently. Step cheats. 

[Wowken]

Posted it here before that I had a friend (female) who logged 550,000 to 650,000 steps Every week, 52 weeks a year, for FOUR years straight. Run the Bull**ahem** light at any time.