Turn your walk into a HIIT workout with his 31-day plan
Welcome to Start TODAY. Sign up for our Start TODAY newsletter to receive daily inspiration sent to your inbox — and join us on Instagram!
It is officially autumn! Our schedules are jam-packed, the holiday season is fast approaching and fall foliage makes outdoor walks even more appealing. So, what better time to commit to a walking plan that will allow you to get those steps in while also cutting your workout time in half? Enter our HIIT walking challenge!This month we’re turning our daily walks into high-intensity interval training — or HIIT — walks. HIIT workouts alternate between short, but intense, bursts of exercise (where you go all out for a period of time) and less intense active recovery. This style of training speeds up the metabolism, builds muscle, improves heart health, burns fat and increases endurance. Plus, you not only burn more calories while you’re exercising, but after the workout as well, since HIIT creates an “after-burn effect” allowing you to burn more calories at rest.
31-day HIIT walking challenge
>>Download a printable calendar here
This month we will be alternating between HIIT walks and a simple HIIT routine that uses just your bodyweight to get your heart rate up. On days when we’re doing walking workouts, you have three options: head outside, hop on a treadmill, or press play on an indoor walking routine you can do right in your living room!
Remember: Rest days mean take a break from high-intensity training, but you're always welcome to do some active recovery like yoga, stretching or steady-state cardio like a walk or bike ride.
3 ways to turn your walk into a HIIT workout
If you're taking your walk outdoors, here's a fuss-free way to dial up the intensity without needing additional equipment or trackers. The routine below will give you a 10-minute workout. You can repeat from the beginning as many times as you’d like for a longer workout!
10-minute outdoor HIIT walk
Be sure to start with a quick warmup of dynamic stretches, like this warm-up routine.
0-4 minutes: Maintain a steady pace. You probably have a walking pace that you’re used to and that’s a great way to kick off your workout. During this interval, feel free to relax and focus on your breathing, taking in your surroundings and preparing mentally for the next interval. Maintain this pace for 4 minutes before moving on.
4-6 minutes: Pick up the pace. After 4 minutes of walking at a comfortable pace, it’s time to build up your momentum to a brisk walk. Remember to pump your arms and get your body involved. Keep your head up and look forward without slouching your shoulders or back. Engage your abdominals while keeping your back straight and roll your feet from heel to toe. Maintain this brisk walk for 2 minutes.
6-8 minutes: Return to a steady pace. After briskly walking for 2 minutes, you should feel your heart rate increasing. By returning to your original steady pace, you’re giving your body a short break while still moving and burning calories before moving on to the most intense interval: power walking. Maintain your original pace for another 2 minutes before moving on.
8-9 minutes: Power walk. The power walk is the most intense pace in this walking workout. In order to reap all the benefits of the power walk, it’s important to maintain proper form. Keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle and pump them as you walk. Your opposite arm and leg should be moving forward at the same time. Remember to move your feet from heel to toe using short strides at a fast pace. Taking more steps in a shorter amount of time is an important part of power walking and can help increase calorie burn. Power walk for just one minute and make sure you give it your all!
Indoor HIIT walking workout
Weather not cooperating? Get your HIIT walk in from the comfort of your living room with this fun routine:
Treadmill HIIT walking workout
If you like to log your miles on the treadmill at the gym, I am going to take all of the guesswork out of upping the intensity. We will play with the speed and incline to turn your treadmill stroll into a HIIT workout.
>>Get the 20-minute interval treadmill walking routine here.
HIIT workout routine
Where are my NFL fans at? To keep things interesting, I chose some fun, football-inspired exercises for this at-home HIIT routine. Perform each of the 5 exercises and then repeat the circuit for a total of 3 times through.
Remember: High intensity doesn’t have to mean high-impact. You can still do a HIIT workout if you have knee, hip or joint pain. I've provided low-impact modifications for every high-impact exercise.
NFL shuffle
Stand with your feet as wide as your shoulders. Put your hands up with palms facing away from you and pitter patter your feet quickly. Stay in place and up on your toes for 20 steps or 10 seconds total.
Modification: Instead of doing the NFL shuffle on your toes, keep your feet flat and simply step one foot up then the other foot up as if you’re walking in place with a wide stance.
Skaters
Start with your legs a little wider than shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Step the left leg behind the right leg at a slight angle into a reverse lunge. The right knee will bend to a 90-degree angle. Then switch sides by pushing off the right foot and jumping to the left, landing with the left foot in front and the right leg back in a reverse-lunge position. Swing the arms as you jump. Alternate your arms as you switch sides and channel your inner speed skater! Repeat 5 times to each side or for 20 seconds total.
Modification: For a low-impact modification, only bend the knees halfway and go into a halfway reverse lunge. Simply step side to side before sinking into the lunge position instead of jumping.
Side shuffle with jumps
Standing with your feet as wide as your hips, shuffle to the right for five steps. (A shuffle is when you step to the right and then your left foot follows, stepping toward your right so that you’re moving laterally.) After five shuffles, bend your knees into a half squat and then jump up reaching your arms up toward the ceiling and landing with soft knees. Repeat to the left. Perform five times to each side.
Modification: Perform the side shuffle and half squat, but eliminate the jump. If your balance allows, you can come up onto your toes instead, reaching your arms toward the sky.
Lunge to knee drive
With the feet as wide as the hips, step the right foot back into a reverse lunge. Then, with force, bring the right knee through center and up toward your chest as you jump up, pushing off the ground with your left foot. Land lightly with a slightly bent leg. Without stopping at the center, step the right foot back into the reverse lunge again. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.
Modification: Perform the reverse lunge. Still with force, bring the back knee up through center and toward your chest, but keep your front foot stationary on the ground, removing the jump. If your balance allows, you can come up on to the toes of your front foot before returning back to the reverse lunge.
Heismans
Start standing with your feet as wide as your shoulders. Put your weight in your right foot and bring your left knee up toward your chest. As you hop to the left foot and bring your right knee toward your chest, swing your bent left arm in front of you and slightly across the midline, and reach your right arm straight back. Then, jump back to the right foot as you swing your bent right arm in front of you and slightly across the midline, and reach your left arm straight back. Continue hopping side to side for 30 seconds.
Modification: For a low-impact option, complete the same side to side movement, but step instead of jump.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
