I’ve been using the '6-6-6 walking workout' religiously to boost my cardiovascular endurance, and it’s not just my fitness that’s improved

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Here’s the lowdown

a woman doing a walking workout
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

As a fitness editor, I love a weird and wonderful workout trend, and one that has taken the world by storm is the 6-6-6 walking workout. I’d already tried it last year, but to really kickstart my New Year’s fitness goals, I committed to doing the workout six times a week for the whole of January. Read on to find out what happened.

As a reminder, if you’re new to exercise, you’re pregnant or postpartum, or you’re dealing with a specific injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

What is the 6-6-6 walking workout?

The goal of the 6-6-6 walking workout is to help you build a consistent workout routine. It sounds intense, but it’s pretty simple. Here’s how to do it:

  • 6-minute dynamic warm-up: Think active mobility, bodyweight exercises, and walking at a relaxed pace.
  • 60-minute walk: This should be at a brisk pace, ideally in ‘Zone 2’ of your heart rate if you’re wearing one of the best fitness trackers. This feels like a four out of ten effort. You should be working, but be able to hold a conversation with someone walking with you. You shouldn’t be gasping for air.
  • 6-minute cool-down: Slow your walk down and add some gentle stretches.

Another part of the challenge is to do the workout at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m, six days a week. Of course, if this makes the challenge impossible, you can be flexible with the timing.

All you’ll need for the workout is a comfortable pair of sneakers to walk in — check out the best running shoes here, as well as something to time the workout.

a person walking in hiking boots through woodlands

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I did the 6-6-6 walking workout for a month — here’s what happened to my body

So what happened when I committed to this workout for six days a week for a month?

I felt a lot fitter

The 60-minute brisk walk is keeping you at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, or in that magic “zone 2”. This will be a different pace for everyone, but a good test is how easy you find it to talk to someone walking next to you. Zone 2 training is widely regarded as a great way to build cardiovascular endurance and boost your metabolism.

Some fitness trackers will refer to zone 2 as a “fat-burning zone”. When the body is working at a high intensity, it’ll burn glucose, or carbohydrates. In zone 2, your body uses fat oxidation for energy. If you’re a runner, training in zone 2 means you’re less likely to hit the dreaded wall over longer distances, as your body will be used to burning fat stores during exercise.

While weight loss isn’t my goal, I’m training for my sixth marathon this April, and adding the 6-6-6 walking workout to my January routine has helped me work on my fitness, without the intensity of harder marathon training. By the end of the month, I felt a lot fitter, and I could see I was getting fitter — my resting heart rate was decreasing according to my Oura Ring 4.

I was sleeping better

I’ve been under a lot of stress in my personal life, and I enjoyed the structure of this challenge. Walking for an hour won’t be for everyone, but with an energetic cocker spaniel in my care, heading out for a walk is part of my daily routine anyway. On mornings when I could, I went out at 6 a.m., and despite having to start my walk with a head lamp and a light-up collar on my dog, seeing the sunrise (or the sky gradually go from black to grey, which is a far more common occurrence in the UK in January), was comforting. I was walking while everyone was sleeping.

Other days, I opted to do the walk at 4 p.m. instead, and it helped me to not be too stuck on sticking to the 6 a.m./ 6 p.m. schedule. That said, the daily walk definitely helped my sleep. Whether it was the stress-busting hour I spent walking, listening to my audiobook or favorite podcast, or the fact that the walk was helping my circadian rhythm, exposing me to morning sunlight, I was more relaxed by the time I went to bed each night.

a photo of feet walking

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I felt less stressed

As mentioned above, December was a stressful month, and one I won’t forget in a hurry. While an hour of exercise is a lot to commit to, I felt that after 20 minutes or so, I was able to quiet the nonstop chatter in my mind, and find a real sense of calm on my walks. After a few days, I found I wasn’t constantly checking my watch to see how much time was left, and by the end of the month, I’d carved out several hour-long walking routes around my house.

It made me prioritize a warm-up and cooldown

I am extremely guilty of lacing up my sneakers and just heading out the door. This workout made me really think about how I was getting my body ready for exercise, and the six-minutes of stretching at the end of the workout really eased any stiffness. It’s something I’ll be keeping in my routine as marathon training ramps up, and I’ve got the 6-6-6 workout to thank.

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Jane McGuire
Jane McGuire
Fitness editor

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy. 

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