May 15, 2023, 3:33 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Most people have probably heard of the guideline to walk 10,000 steps daily to benefit their health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults between 18 and 65 years old take these 10,000 steps a day or engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily.¹ This significantly reduces the risk of obesity and related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. But what if you not only want to be healthy but also want to stay fit without going to the gym? FITBOOK has compiled tips and exercises on how you can get really fit while walking.

1. Weights in Hand

Walking unfortunately neglects the upper body—while the core muscles are still engaged, the muscles in the shoulders and arms take a break. There’s a simple solution: carry weights in your hands! It’s best to grab small dumbbells weighing 0.5 kilograms while swinging your arms. Alternatively, you can attach weighted cuffs to your wrists. This particularly strengthens the arm muscles and boosts metabolism. Scientists have found that arm swinging alone has a positive effect on metabolism, but only at moderate and fast walking speeds.²

Warning: Do not apply this fitness booster while running! Experts agree that additional weights while jogging are detrimental to health. They worsen running form and increase joint stress. Therefore, carrying weights while jogging is not recommended. However, when walking, they can be used consciously to strengthen muscles temporarily. Maintain an upright posture and avoid bending your wrists. If you experience painful wrist strain, stop using weights and seek advice from an expert (such as a sports physician or physical therapist).

Also interesting: The surprising effect of 1,000 extra steps a day on health

2. Vary Speed

While walking, you have a simple lever to enhance fitness: walking speed. Increasing your walking speed not only burns more calories but also boosts fat metabolism and improves endurance. You don’t have to walk briskly the entire time. It’s enough to vary your speed and occasionally increase your pace for a few minutes.

Additionally, walking speed is proven to be an important indicator of overall fitness and health. Therefore, it is counted among the so-called vital signs.³ Try to consciously pick up the pace and walk faster.

Also interesting: Minimal effort training reduces body fat most effectively

https://oembed/fitbook/affiliate/58e3370619d75b0e59628d6bd85f6cb9b390391b578e974cf04d665557e0a3b0/900b495e-d27d-429e-892a-029abf95d223/embed

3. Walk on Tiptoes

You can not only vary your pace but also your walking style. A simple exercise to strengthen the calves is walking on tiptoes. You’ll immediately feel the tension in your calf muscles. Additionally, you can consciously tighten the glute muscles while walking, training your buttocks. Walking on tiptoes also strengthens the foot muscles. It’s a simple exercise to achieve multiple benefits at once. So: No mercy for the calves!

Also interesting: Calf training – Tips for workouts with and without equipment

4. Don’t Skip Stairs

An effective way to boost fitness while walking is to occasionally take the stairs. Or better put: Don’t miss any opportunity to use stairs. Studies have shown that this strengthens endurance and the cardiovascular system.⁴ The fitness boost is immediately noticeable through increased breathing rate. The thighs and buttocks are particularly trained. So, in the future, avoid aids that help overcome height differences (elevators, escalators, etc.) and consciously integrate stairs into your path. Many parks with lookout hills offer an ideal opportunity to spice up your walk. Ambitious individuals run up and down several times—benefiting both fitness and health.

Also interesting: Is stair climbing always healthy?

5. Choose Hilly Routes

For people in mountainous regions, tackling inclines is part of everyday life. Like stair climbing, this increases heart and breathing rates, strengthening the cardiovascular system. So, consciously choose places to walk that have inclines. Even in cities, parks often offer this option. Those who opt for the (simple) flat route instead of the (challenging) hilly route during a walk experience a true fitness boost.

Also interesting: The effect of walking after eating on blood sugar levels

6. Walk Backwards Occasionally

Several studies have shown that walking backward not only improves walking style but also balance and mobility in both children and adults who have suffered a stroke.^5,6 Additionally, training balance particularly protects older people from falls. Regularly walking backward for a few minutes improves overall gait. Try it cautiously at first, preferably with a training partner. If you feel confident, you can try it alone with a shoulder glance backward. It’s not only a useful exercise but also adds fun to your walk.

Also interesting: Reasons why walking backward is so healthy 

More on the topic

Couch potatoes, take note! Can 10,000 steps a day replace exercise?

Coach demonstrates 6 effective exercises with the step that burn fat effectively

Can Walking Really Replace Exercise?

Scientific studies have also addressed the question of whether 10,000 steps can really replace exercise. FITBOOK has already reported on this in an article. The answer: It depends on the goal! If you want to promote your health, you don’t necessarily have to do additional exercise beyond the daily 10,000 steps. However, if you want to build muscle, you can’t avoid targeted strength exercises and can’t replace workouts with walking. A walk with our fitness booster tips, on the other hand, can—at least when it comes to moderate cardio training, strengthening foot, calf, and thigh muscles (walking backward, stairs, or uphill), or carrying extra weights for arm muscles!

Sources

• 1. WHO: Pacific physical activity guidelines for adults (accessed on 05/15/2023)
• 2. Thomas, S.A., Vega, D., Arellano, C.J. (2021). Do humans exploit the metabolic and mechanical benefits of arm swing across slow to fast walking speeds? J Biomech.
• 3. Middleton, A., Fritz, S.L., Lusardi, M. (2015). Walking speed: the functional vital sign. J Aging Phys Act.
• 4. Meyer, P., Kayser, B., Mach, F. (2009). Stair use for cardiovascular disease prevention. Eur J.
• 5. Rose, D.K., DeMark, L., Fox, E.J., Clark, D.J., Wludyka, P. (2018). Backward Walking Training Program to Improve Balance and Mobility in Acute Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Neurol Phys Ther.
• 6. Hao, W.Y., Chen, Y. (2011). Backward walking training improves balance in school-aged boys. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol.