Reaching 10,000 Daily Steps Proves Unrealistic for Tall Louisiana Man

Columnist Darryl Riser shares his struggles with the ubiquitous fitness goal, finding it impractical for his 6'3" frame in a small town.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:00am

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Darryl Riser, a 6'3" editor in northeast Louisiana, has been trying to hit the recommended 10,000 steps per day for healthy living, but finds the goal unrealistic given his height and the layout of his small town. He explains that walking the required distance would involve lengthy treks to nearby landmarks and businesses, taking up a significant portion of his day. Riser argues the 10,000-step target is an arbitrary number derived from a Japanese marketing campaign, and that health benefits actually plateau around 7,500 steps.

Why it matters

The 10,000-steps-per-day goal has become a ubiquitous fitness target, but this story highlights how the one-size-fits-all approach can be impractical or even unattainable for certain individuals based on their height, location, and daily routines. It raises questions about the science behind the 10,000-step benchmark and whether more personalized fitness guidance would be more effective.

The details

Riser explains that for him, a mile equates to around 1,500 steps. To reach 10,000 steps, he would need to walk about 7 miles per day, which would involve treks like walking to a nearby real estate office and back 10 times. He notes that his 5'3" wife gets 30% more steps than him while walking the same distance, making the challenge even more daunting for taller individuals. Riser points out the 10,000-step goal originated from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer, and that studies have found health benefits improve significantly before reaching that benchmark.

  • In 1965, a Japanese company introduced the 'Manpo-kei' pedometer, which translates to '10,000 steps meter'.
  • A Harvard study later found health benefits improved significantly well before 10,000 steps, with mortality benefits leveling off around 7,500 steps per day.

The players

Darryl Riser

A 6'3" editor of the Richland Beacon-News in northeast Louisiana.

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What they’re saying

“Seven. Miles. To hit that number, I'd need to walk from my office down U.S. 425 to Brown Realty and back and then walk another mile. Or I could walk to the COA or the courthouse and back 10 times a day. They're both about 500 steps from my desk. Again, I paced it off.”

— Darryl Riser, Editor

“When we walk together, it looks like a scene from a horror movie. Her little legs are pumping like Marvin the Martian and I'm just loping along behind her like Michael Myers, waiting on her to trip over a stick.”

— Darryl Riser, Editor

The takeaway

This story highlights how the ubiquitous 10,000-steps-per-day fitness goal can be an impractical and unattainable target for certain individuals, especially taller people living in smaller towns. It suggests the need for more personalized fitness guidance that accounts for individual differences, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.