At the risk of stating the obvious, walking has to be one of the best (and most underrated) forms of cardio going. We say this because all you really need is a great pair of comfortable sneakers, like the best Skechers shoes, and some motivation to head into the great outdoors.
But when the weather’s not playing ball, motivation is low, or you’re tied up with work, walking workouts — which you can complete from just about anywhere (including from behind your desk) — are the next best thing.
Just take this 30-minute routine from Inna Moves You as an example. The fitness trainer and dancer has compiled an easy-to-follow walking routine that requires no equipment at all. So, whether you turn off your work camera, stand up and start stepping to the beat or complete this workout in your lunch break or while the baby sleeps — inside 30 minutes, you would have racked up 5,000 steps and given your cardiovascular health a boost. Which is not bad for putting one foot in front of the other, hey?
What is this walking workout?
The workout from Inna is a 30-minute speed walking workout you can complete from just about anywhere. For example, you could do this workout outside in your garden, in a park, as Inna has done, or in your living room. The best bit yet is that you’ll need zero equipment, just your smartphone, laptop or TV so you can watch how to master each move.
This workout is split into intervals, with around 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of marching on the spot. The idea is to get your heart rate up and your body moving, which it does!
Each interval contains a different style of move. In one 45-second segment, you could be moving from side to side while moving your arms, then in the next, you could be doing some air punches while moving your feet in time to the music.
If you keep in time to the music and match Inna’s moves, you should clock up 5,000 steps in 30 minutes, which you would see if you were wearing one of the best fitness trackers.
However, with no designated ‘rest’ breaks, if this style of workout is new to you, you may find that you need to stop, which is completely fine. If that’s the case, the more you complete this stepping session, the more your stamina will improve.
What are the benefits of this walking workout?
In short: there are many! Along with adding to the amount of your daily movement, you’ll also be increasing your step count without having to venture outside.
This workout is also low impact, as it contains zero jumps, which means it's ideal for the masses, even on rest days.
Completing this walking workout could also help you guard against illnesses as you age, as research shows that walking can help reduce the chronic age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The same research paper suggests that walking can improve pain and function in musculoskeletal disorders and has positive effects on sleep and mental health.
To feel the effects, researchers suggest that you’ll need to take a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes, five days a week.
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