Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise. Sure, it’s unlikely to leave you drenched in sweat or out of breath, but that’s not a prerequisite for effective exercise.
I like to keep things simple Best Fitness Trackers I put it on my wrist and headed for the door (I Walked 10,000 steps every day for a yearBut if you’re looking for a bit more direction, why not try one of these three walking workouts: Balanced body Are you Joy Pulleo, the Director of Education?
“Simply put, walking is good for us,” she says. “It helps keep your cardiovascular system in shape and improves your overall strength, balance, and flexibility. All of these add up to create the foundation for a healthy lifestyle if you do it consistently.”
These three walking workouts are short enough to do during your lunch break, and each one is “designed to add intensity, challenge and variety to your walking routine.”
Joy Puleo is a certified Pilates instructor and the Director of Education for Balanced Body, a Pilates equipment and education company. She is responsible for developing curriculum and education programs and speaks at conferences and studios across the country.
She is also NPCP (National Pilates Certification Program) and ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) certified and holds a Master’s in Applied Physiology from Columbia University.
How to do Joy Puleo’s walking training
1. Spacing
- Walk at a leisurely pace for at least 15 minutes.
- Every two minutes, walk faster or jog lightly for 20 to 30 seconds, then continue walking at a slower pace.
“Vary your speed by starting out walking at an easy pace and then walking faster for short intervals,” Pulleo advises. “This will challenge your cardiovascular limits and improve your overall cardiovascular fitness.”
2. Fitness Moments
- Walk for more than 30 minutes.
- Every 15 minutes, do 15 bodyweight squats and 15 bodyweight lunges, then keep walking.
“Add squats, lunges, and other exercises [bodyweight] “Incorporating walking exercise into your routine is a great way to add variety,” says Pulleo. “Adding in some minutes of lower-body fitness can go a long way toward building strength while also improving your cardiovascular fitness.”
3. Uphill/Downhill
- Change your usual walking route to one with more uphill and downhill gradients.
- Pulleo suggests that could include walking up and down stairs.
““While there is value in walking the same routes and terrain repeatedly, the benefits may not be as great as your body learns to anticipate your routine,” Puleo says.
“Adding in uphill and downhill strides adds a challenge and changes up your routine, while keeping your mind and body in sync and getting your heart rate up. Both walking uphill and downhill challenge different muscle groups.”
The benefits of walking
To be clear, you don’t need to do a “walking workout” to reap the many benefits of walking. Increasing your daily activity levels, whatever form it takes, is a step in the right direction for your health.
“The healthiest ‘walking’ initiative is to get out of your chair and commit to walking three to five times each weekday and at least one day on the weekend,” Puleo says.
“Consistency is the first and most important training strategy. Throw away the pressure to do it right, too fast, or too slow, and just focus on walking and enjoying your time outside.”
If you can make this a habit, Puleo says you’ll start to see a lot of positive effects on your mind and body.
“Walking is one of the most important, healthy things we can do for our long-term health,” she says. “Walking has been associated with increased life expectancy, a longer active life, diabetes management, and has a positive impact on many other chronic health conditions.”
“But perhaps most importantly are the mental benefits: walking has been linked to better regulated breathing, reduced anxiety, reduced depression and an overall improved sense of well-being.”
Pulleo added that while simply walking can improve your health and fitness, he recommends always adding variety to your exercise plan to keep it fun and interesting.
“Long-distance cycling is a great alternative to walking. In addition to cardiovascular exercise, strength training and muscle-building exercises are also recommended.”
“Strength training is an essential part of overall health and longevity. Adding in those fitness moments mentioned in the second workout above is one way, weight training at the gym or at home is another. You can also build strength and flexibility with pilates or yoga, and add a bit of mindfulness to your routine.”
