No matter your relationship with exercise, it’s probably been drilled into you that you should warm up before playing sport or doing a workout. But does that apply to walking workouts too?
“It’s good to warm up before any type of exercise to promote proper movement mechanics and assist in preventing minor injuries that may occur when starting a workout cold,” says Solomon Lewis, a NASM-certified personal trainer and fitness specialist for Endeavor Health.
Even though walking is relatively low intensity, making a warm-up less important than if you were lifting heavy weights or running a marathon, Lewis pointed out that warming up before any workout can also serve to get you into the right mindset, and it’s a good idea if you’ve not moved for several hours.
To help prepare you for a walking workout, Lewis recommended three warm-up exercises and shared a 30-minute walking workout once you’re ready to go.
“Starting with 30 minutes a day and steadily increasing the length or intensity of your walk is a great way to lose weight, strengthen your bones and improve your cardiovascular fitness,” he says.
He cautions that if you are deconditioned, starting with a 30-minute workout out of the gate might be too much.
“Walking for 30 minutes straight can be challenging. It may be simpler to incorporate small bouts of walking into your daily routine by parking in the farthest parking spot, walking to the farthest restroom and taking the stairs instead of the elevator,” he says.
This walking plan for weight loss may also help, because it can be adjusted to your current step count.
Warm-up exercises for walking workouts
1. Bodyweight squat
Reps: 20
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your knees and toes pointing slightly outward, and your hands together in front of your chest, or place your hands on a stable surface if you struggle with your balance.
- Keeping your chest up, bend your knees and push your hips back to lower, as if you were sitting back into a chair. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed through your feet.
- Push through your heels to stand up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
2. Bodyweight split squat
Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then take a big step backwards so you are in a staggered stance, with your weight evenly distributed between your front foot and the ball of your rear foot.
- Bend both knees to lower, keeping your chest up and hips facing forward.
- Extend your legs to rise back up.
- Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.
3. Lateral toe touch
Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and extend your arms out to the sides.
- Bending at the hips, rotate your torso to the right and reach down to touch your left foot with your right hand.
- Return to the start then repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.
30-minute walking workout
“This workout can be done on a treadmill, track or around your neighborhood. Ensure you have proper footwear and attire to maintain safety. To measure your intensity while walking, refer to your internal rating of perceived exertion,” says Lewis. “This scale ranges from no exertion, similar to sitting and relaxing, all the way up to maximal exertion, which is full-effort exercise.”
- 6min light intensity—walk briskly to warm up, gently raising your heart rate
Repeat the following five times:
- 3min somewhat-hard intensity—causing a mild challenge.
- 90sec high intensity—this should be difficult to maintain.
To mix up your walking with step-based exercises, try this alternative 30-minute walking workout.
Solomon Lewis is a NASM-certified Performance Enhancement and Corrective Exercise Specialist with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion. With expertise in strength and conditioning, sport performance and post-injury recovery, Solomon helps athletes and clients improve movement, build strength, and return to peak performance safely and effectively.
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