It’s also one that has a lot of the pressure removed that can come with other forms of training, where you might feel the urge to hit certain metrics or lift a set weight. The chill nature of low-stakes walking provides a kind of stress relief you don’t really get from a higher-intensity workout, Peloton trainer Kirsten Ferguson tells SELF. When you’re just moving in the fresh air, your body can physically relax—exercising in green spaces has been linked to reductions in stress hormones, cortisol, and blood pressure, according to review in the magazine Extreme Physiology & Medicine. Harder workouts—say, like HIIT classes or sprint sessions—are more physically taxing, and your body can’t distinguish between physical and mental stress. So even after you’re done, that tired feeling can linger longer.
As more and more people began to share the benefits of their new daily habit, gyms, studios, and streaming platforms — including Peloton — began to weigh in and offer all kinds of walking-centric classes. And just like that, the humble walk became a cool workout.
Renaming it gave people, especially those who might have been wary about walking as exercise, the push they needed to get involved. Now, Ferguson says, hiking classes are what he watches most on the platform. They are able to “meet people where they are,” he says. As a result, more people are able to see themselves as part of a fitness community that may have previously seemed too die-hard.
Walking can be as easy or as hard as you make it. It all depends on you and what your body (and mind) is craving that day. If you want to increase the intensity, there are many ways you can turn your walk into a workout—albeit a low-intensity, less extreme one. You can watch hiking lessons on streaming platforms like Peloton, if that, Aptiv, Apple Fitness+, Obe, and many more for an instructor to point you to one. Or you can create your own routine, keeping the following things in mind:
- Pick up your pace: Walking to workout isn’t a simple walk from point A to point B. To build up to moderate intensity, you should walk between 2.5 and 4 miles per hour, according to Physical activity guidelines. That’s between a 24 minute and 15 minute mile. “I call it walking with a purpose,” says Ferguson. “I should feel like, ‘Man, it would actually be easier to jog here, but I’m going to challenge myself to keep both feet on the ground.’ Imagine you’re at Target and you see a lane opening up – how fast are you going to get there? It’s a walk with a purpose.
- Add spaces and gradients: Changing up your pace and terrain not only increases the challenge, but also breaks up the monotony to make your routine a little more fun. You can use set timing for intervals—say, picking up the pace for one minute, followed by another minute of easier effort—or you can try fartleks if you’re craving something less structured. Just pick an object in the distance (say, a tree or a stop sign) and pick up your pace until you reach it. Slow down, spot another one, then repeat. Walking on a hilly course can also increase the challenge by making your lower leg muscles work harder. If you don’t have a ton lying around, you can just find one and do “repeats” on it—walk up, get off, and keep going.
- Improve your form: It’s not just about going through the motions. Effective walking requires proper form to activate your muscles. As you move forward, you should feel your calves light up with each step, and you should actively engage your glutes and core, advise Freeman and Ferguson. Your arms should be at a 90-degree angle, moving back and forth, and, in an incline, there should be a slight hinge at your waist.
One of the best things about walking training, though, is that there’s no pressure to do “more” or to do harder—unless you want to, of course. If you’re just looking for ways to turn off your mind and enjoy the benefits of fresh air and nature, there are plenty of ways to make your daily walk more purposeful, as well as creative tips to make your time outside more refreshing.
Of course, fitness trends are notoriously fickle, so how long This The moment the ride will last is up in the air. But unlike other fitness fads, walking will never go away—in some way, shape, or form, it will still be around. “It may not always be so nice,” says Segar, “but it’s a fundamental human activity.”
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