Walking is a great way to get up off the couch and start moving, especially for those who work primarily seated jobs. Whether you’re a beginner or already go for occasional walks, there are tips and tricks to enhance every step you take. New research has found new ways to increase walking workouts, leading to higher cardiovascular health, mental well-being, and more. Keep reading to learn about how to elevate your walking workouts in simple ways.
1. Increase Your Pace
Starting our list of enhancing walking workouts is increasing your pace. Just increasing your pace a little bit and walking faster can help raise your heart rate and increase calorie burning. The best pace to maximize your health benefits is a brisk walk, though you can take breaks in between if you get tired quickly.
2. Shorten Your Strides
Second on our list of enhancing your walking workouts is taking shorter strides. While this may sound counterproductive, shorter strides are better in the long run. If you increase your pace, the shorter strides can help maintain that pace without increasing your risk of injury. This technique can also build muscle strength and stamina.
3. Use Your Arms
Next on our list of enhancing your walking workouts is pumping your arms. While this is super helpful while running, it can also translate to improving your walking routine. Pumping your arms increases momentum and helps you walk faster. It’s a simple tweak in how you move, but it has great results.
4. Try Interval Training
Fourth on our list of enhancing your walking workouts is interval training. If you’re not sure what interval training is, it’s when you switch between lower and higher-intensity workouts. You can apply this to walking by including periods of brisk walking into your routine, and using slow walking periods as recovery time. Not only can this help your endurance, but also increase cardiovascular fitness.
5. Add a Weighted Vest
Next on our list of enhancing your walking workouts is wearing a weighted vest. While holding hand weights or ankle weights can also create resistance and strengthen your muscles, there is a chance that they can affect your balance or stride. A weighted vest, on the other hand, has a more balanced weight that doesn’t affect either, but still improves your strength and endurance.
6. Incorporate Hills
Sixth on our list of enhancing your walking workouts is incorporating hills into your route. No matter if you’re walking outside or on a treadmill, adding some inclines to your workout can increase the intensity and the benefits for your body. When adding hills, gradually introduce them to challenge your muscles and cardiovascular system before moving up to more challenging inclines.
7. Join a Walking Group
Last but not least on our list of enhancing walking workouts is joining a walking group. While walking alone is great to clear your head and is catered to your personal timeline, walking in a group also has its benefits. Taking the time to walk with others makes the activity more enjoyable and keeps you motivated to come back for further sessions. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that you can meet new people while improving your health.
Final Thoughts
All in all, walking is a great exercise that’s accessible, low-cost, and can be applied to various activity levels. Not only does it get you up and moving, but walking also improves cardiovascular fitness, weight, mental health, and decreases the chance of chronic diseases. Plus, you can add these great tips and tricks to boost those health benefits, all with a couple of minor tweaks. Every step marks the path to a healthier life. Try it now!