In my humble opinion, walking is one of the best forms of exercise. It’s low-impact, low-cost and always makes my mind and body feel better.
But my motivation to increase my step count wanes during fall when it’s dark and the temperatures drop. That’s where at-home walking workouts, like this 5,000-step 30-minute class from Eleni Fit, come in handy.
"Step walking workouts combine stepping to the beat with low-impact movements," says Carrie Baxter, coach at fitness app, WithU. "They’re super accessible, as you can do them from home and they’re suitable for beginners. Plus, it’s a really fun way to exercise—who doesn’t like working out to a beat?!".
Having racked up more than one million views, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and to see if I could really do 5,000 steps in 30 minutes. So, here’s how to do Elen Fit's walking workout and everything I learned after completing it.
How to do Eleni Fit’s 5,000 step 30-minute walking workout
You might not hit 5,000 steps
Eager to see how many steps I could complete in 30 minutes, I wore my Apple watch during the workout. But after the class finished, I hadn’t hit the 5,000-step target. Instead, I’d clocked up 3,588 according to my watch.
"My guess is that you’re moving a little too slowly," Baxter suggests. "The instructor will be moving to a beat specifically calculated to achieve a set number of steps within each block of work, so if you’re finding two or three tracks within a workout a little too fast to keep up with, you may end up achieving a little under the official step count."
There's also—whisper it—the chance that my Apple Watch was wrong. Either way, I still enjoyed the session and it helped me get closer to my daily step count goal.
Step walking workouts will test your coordination
Step walking workouts require more coordination than just putting one foot in front of the other.
Instead of walking on the spot or stepping from side to side, the instructor challenges you to combine these movements with things like punches, standing crunches, squats, arm circles and shoulder rolls.
So not only did this aerobic session give me a full-body workout, but it also gave my brain a mental boost.
Walking can be fun
From improving joint health to boosting cardio, the benefits of walking are tenfold. But if the thought of venturing into the great outdoors doesn’t fill you with joy, at-home step-walking workouts are the next best thing.
The music was blasting, my heart rate was up and it felt like I was essentially dancing in my front room. Instead of focusing on the activity of working out, I was enjoying the feeling of moving my body.
Shop walking shoes
Most indoor walking workouts can be performed without shoes, but if you're taking your exercise outdoors we'd recommend one of the below sneakers. They all feature in our round-up of the best walking shoes and will offer comfort and support during your strolls.
The grippy undersole makes these shoes great for both slippery concrete and trail walks.
This comfortable shoe is often less than half the price of its rivals.
Super soft, comfortable and supportive, these are the best shoes we've tested on Fit&Well.
