These exercises are meant to be completed as you walk. You shouldn’t stop to do these exercises. In an hour long walk, incorporate three or four sets of these exercises. Do each exercise for a one-minute interval, spaced about seven to eight minutes apart. If you need to start by doing each exercise for 20 or 30 seconds to begin, do that. You can add additional time once one minute feels too easy. You may also try doing groups of three or four exercises together without rest two to four times through your walk.
As you walk, pull your bellybutton in, like you’re drawing it towards your spine. Hold your abs like that. Make sure you keep breathing as you contract your abs. Don’t suck in your stomach and stop breathing. Start by holding your abs for a few seconds, or until you get to certain objects before you. The stronger your abs get, the longer you’ll be able to hold it.
An alternate way to do this exercise is to hold your arms at shoulder height. Curl your elbows up, bringing your hands towards your shoulder. This is also a bicep curl, but with your arms parallel to the ground, making your torso work harder. [6] X Research source If you want an extra challenge, add hand weights to the curls. You can start with three or five pound weights.
You can try doing front jabs or uppercuts. To do a simple jab, hold your hands in fists at shoulder height. Punch forward with one arm, then the other. You can twist slightly as you punch. Make sure to engage your abs while you do these exercises by contracting your abdominal muscles. You can incorporate these into one minute intervals with other exercises. You can also do sets of 20 jabs and uppercuts for every few minutes you walk.
To add a bit more core work, you can lean slightly towards the opposite side as you lift your arm. You can also do this exercise with hand weights.
To do this, just stop walking wherever you are and complete the exercise. All these exercises are standing ab exercises to go with a walking routine so you don’t have to get on the ground and you can easily start walking again. Incorporate five to seven stops for ab exercises throughout your workout. These ab exercises should be done for 30 seconds when you begin, but then expand to 60 seconds as you improve. Try to space them apart evenly throughout your workout.
If you are doing 30 second intervals, perform the exercise on each side for 15 seconds. If you are doing a minute, do each side for 30 seconds. You can use hand weights with this exercise if you wish.
Start by standing with your legs staggered, one leg a few feet in front of the other. Raise your hands above your head. Straighten your back leg as your lift your front leg up towards your chest. Crunch down towards your knee as you lift it, pulling your elbows down as you crunch. Lower your leg to start. You can alternate legs or do set numbers on each leg before switching.
Start with your right foot slightly behind the left, with the left hand held above you. Raise your right leg as high as you can as you bend and twist at the waist, bringing your left hand across your body to touch your toe. Return to start. You can do each side for a certain number of seconds, or you can do 10 reps on one side, then switch to the other for the duration of the interval.
Increase the speed of your walk. As you walk, you should be huffing and puffing or a little breathless. If you can track your speed via a mobile app, try aiming for 3. 5 and 4. 0 mph (5. 6 and 6. 4 km/h). That’s the equivalent to around a 15-minute mile (or about 10 minutes per km). [16] X Research source If you have a pedometer, try to shoot for around 3,000 steps in 30 minutes.
If you live near hiking or nature trails, walk along those multiple times a week. If you don’t, try walking across the grass at a local park. Go to a hilly neighborhood to change the incline of your walk. Walk up and down the hilly streets to give your workout an added boost. Add hills to your workout three to four times a week. Do several intervals of hills in your routine.
Perform this walking routine as often as possible, ideally five days a week.