Is Walking in Place Good Exercise: Physical activity enhances physical health and can also improve mental health. If your life is hectic with work, family, social life, etc., going to the gym can be a challenge. Are you reading this and thinking, “That’s me!”? Then walking in place may be just what you need to keep active and healthy.
Is Walking in Place Good Exercise?
What Is Walking in Place?
Walking in place is just what it sounds like – raising the knees in a walking motion without actually going anywhere. The great thing about this exercise is that you can do it anywhere while standing still – at your standing desk at work, as you wait in line at the shop, on the sidelines of your kid’s football game, etc.
This is a little different than walking about your house, which is house walking. Both are types of indoor walking. But with house walking, you’re going from place to place. Staying in the same place, you walk in place.
Walk in place while watching TV at home. Walk in place while watching TV to keep you active. You can also stand at the stove and wait for dinner while walking in place.
You can even walk in place outside. If you are letting your dog out, pace while waiting to let them back in. If you have kids outside, you can walk in place while keeping an eye on them to ensure they are safe and having fun.
Benefits of Walking in Place
One advantage of walking in place is that you don’t have to depend on favourable weather to get your physical activity. It can be done indoors as easily as out, even if you’re just walking in place. It is a physical activity you can do year-round.
You don’t need to buy a gym membership or a home gym. There is no charge to get fit and stay fit. And you don’t have to drive somewhere to accomplish it.
Nice to see how many steps you’ve logged on your pedometer after walking in place. Think about all the extra calories you’re burning without actually trying. This is an excellent tool for weight loss and weight maintenance.
The nice thing about this walking exercise is that you can practice it regardless of your fitness level. If you are new to working out, lift your knees as you walk in place. If you’re more advanced, do more of a march than a walk.
Virtual reality is an option to explore if you want to feel like you are somewhere else while walking in place. Manufacturers have devised virtual reality technology that keeps you in one position so you do not accidentally stumble about the room and injure yourself.
How to Walk in Place
- Lace up your walking shoes. You don’t need shoes for a few minutes of walking in place, but if you are going to walk longer, you need a quality walking shoe for women. That means your feet are supported.
- Go on a walk. It’s just as straightforward as it sounds. The next time you find yourself sitting, stand up and start walking in place. You can either walk just for the sake of walking, or you can walk while also doing other tasks. Waiting for the oven timer to ring? Folding the laundry? On the phone? Watching TV? Add some walking in place to any of these!
- Count your steps. Motivation is the key. Use the health app on your smartphone or watch to count your steps and motivate yourself to walk in place whenever you can.
- Set a step target. Try to achieve several steps each day. If 10,000 steps seems like a lot, start with 7,500 or 5,000. Step it up! When you’ve reached your step goal a few days in a row, add some more!
- Get a heart rate monitor. If you’re trying to gauge whether walking in place is raising your heart rate enough to benefit your cardiovascular health, a monitor can help. A heart rate monitor can help keep you in your optimal heart rate zone. If you want to increase the intensity, swing your arms more or raise your knees higher.
- Intervals. Is walking in place a bit too dull? Instead of maintaining the same pace, speed up for a minute or two and then slow down. Mix fast and slow paces, and you have an interval workout.
- Add in resistance training. Consider your walking a total-body workout, and incorporate muscle-building moves. You can do this routine using bodyweight workouts. Walk in place for a few minutes, then perform some push-ups. Walk in place for a few more minutes, then perform a couple of crunches. When you are done, you will have worked every muscle group in your body!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does walking around your house count as exercise?
Any activity you undertake can help you become more physically active – even walking in place! When you answer this question, ask yourself, ‘What is my goal?’
Walking around your house is a workout. So definitely if you want to get more movement in. If you want to improve your health, low-intensity exercise is a suitable option.