The best walking workout can help you get in shape and lose weight without breaking a sweat – no wonder people are inserted in the best walking workouts these days. The below low-intensity walking exercise routine is easy on the joints and can be completed in less than half an hour, yet it can help shift stubborn fat sustainably. Gear up your mundane dog walk or walk to work, or simply enjoy a low-intensity walking workout if you don't feel like breaking too much of a sweat!
Alternatively, you can use a walking treadmill, such as the excellent JTX MoveLight, to burn extra calories indoors. The approximate time to complete this workout is 24min. From a difficulty perspective, we'd say it's somewhere between beginner and intermediate level, although it veers more into the beginner territory. Please make sure you wear appropriate footwear – we recommend using the best walking shoes or best running shoes – and follow the below workout as closely as possible (including the warm-up and cool-down parts).
For those who need further encouragement to do this walking workout, brisk walking (at least a 3 mph pace) "has been shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and body composition", according to a systematic review published not so long ago in January 2022. Harvard Health says it can even counteract the effects of weight-promoting genes! Public Health England published a paper in 2017 promoting 10 minutes of brisk walking each day in mid-life to achieve physical activity recommendations.
Ready to shift into gear? Let's get walking!
Best walking workout
Warm-up
Duration: 2 minutes
This should consist of stretching and breaking into a light, gentle walk. Touch your toes, loosen up your back and legs! Engage your core and be sure to get yourself in the best possible condition to complete this workout.
This should be your regular pace, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make sure to keep an eye on your surroundings as you go, both immersing yourself with nature but also to make sure you don’t run into any obstacles. It is important to remember to really concentrate on exercising those glutes and focusing on the stretch as much as possible.
Intevals
3-minute interval – This should be a powerful walk at full stride, allowing yourself to get the full extension of your glutes. Be sure to mix up the terrain you're on where possible, this will strengthen the muscles in your feet and calves as you look to correct any changes in terrain.
It is important to be walking with purpose, so make sure to channel the physical goals you have set yourself when pushing through any discomforts or worries.
1-minute recovery time – This should be a return to your normal heart rate, make sure to breathe as much as possible and really regulate your mind. If you are feeling any discomfort, make sure to relieve those stresses for your rest period.
2-minute interval – its power walk time! Use the extent of your stride and go at full whack for the next 2 minutes. Be sure to regulate your breathing in line with your increased heart rate! Your chest should be lifted and posture at the full extent of your ability.
1-minute recovery time – This should be a return to your normal heart rate, make sure to breathe as much as possible and really regulate your mind. If you are feeling any discomfort, make sure to relieve those stresses for your rest period.
1-minute interval - This is the final push! This should be your nought to sixty moment. Without breaking into a run, get yourself up to the highest possible speed and push those legs out in front of you. Envisage your finish line and give everything to get there. You’ll get a break in just a minute!
Recovery
Duration: 2 minutes
Give yourself the chance to regulate your breathing, sit down if you feel like you need to. Use the full two minutes to regulate your breathing, stretch out your limbs and centre yourself before repeating the interval workouts. If you're feeling up to it, repeast the workout as many times as you wish (within reason).