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Exercise library / Easy walk

Easy walk

Suggestions, not prescriptions. Exercises here pass automated checks. They have not been clinically reviewed, and no exercise is right for everyone. Adjust to your comfort and ability.

A comfortable walk, indoors or out. It is where most people begin building up toward the weekly activity the CDC describes.

Main focus
Cardio and endurance
Level
Starting
Equipment
Bodyweight
Load
Your body weight
Stability
Free: you control the whole movement

Keep something steady within reach: a counter, wall or sturdy chair.

Before you start
  • Warm up first with a minute or two of easy walking or marching in place, and cool down the same way after.
  • Wear flat, closed shoes with a good grip, or go barefoot on a non-slip floor if that feels steady to you.
  • Clear the floor around you. Keep a sturdy chair, counter or wall within reach for any move you do standing.
  • Build up slowly. Add repetitions or minutes over weeks, not days. If you take a break, work back up gradually.

Talk with a doctor or physical therapist before you start if you have not been active for some time, if you have a health condition or a worry about exercise, if you have fallen or fear falling, or if a clinician has told you to limit activity. This library is general information, not medical advice.

What you need

Comfortable shoes and a surface you know. A mall, a hallway or a quiet street all work.

How to do it

  1. Walk at a pace where you can talk easily.
  2. Start with the amount that feels comfortable today, and stop for a break when you want one.
  3. Keep your head up and let your arms swing naturally.
  4. Finish with a minute of slower walking.

How much

To start: 5 to 10 minutes, once or twice a day.

As it gets easier: 10 minutes or more at a time. Add a few minutes each week as it feels easy.

How it should feel: You can talk in full sentences. If you can sing, you can go a little faster.

Make it easier

  • Walk for a shorter time, or split it into two shorter walks.
  • Walk indoors, near a seat.

Make it harder

  • Add a few minutes each week.
  • Pick up the pace a little and move toward the brisk walk.

Safety

  • Choose even, well-lit ground and watch for curbs and cracks.
  • In heat, cold, ice or poor air, walk indoors.
  • Carry water on longer walks and tell someone where you are going if you walk alone outside.

When to stop

  • Stop and rest if you feel dizzy or lightheaded, sick to your stomach, or unusually short of breath.
  • Stop if you feel sharp, sudden or joint pain. Muscles working hard is expected. Pain is a signal to stop.
  • Stop and sit down if you feel unsteady and cannot settle yourself right away.
  • Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure, fainting, or sudden weakness, numbness or trouble speaking.
  • After any of these, do not repeat the exercise until you have talked with a doctor or physical therapist.
  • You feel pain or tightness in your chest, or pressure that does not ease when you stop.
  • You feel pain in a hip, knee or foot that gets worse as you walk.

Connected exercises

Other ways to do this movement

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Where this comes from

CDC: adults 65+ need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (30 minutes, 5 days is one example) and some activity is better than none. NIA: build up gradually; aerobic activity should not cause dizziness, chest pain or pressure, or nausea; walk indoors in bad weather. NHS: any comfortable shoes; increase distance gradually if not very active.

This is general information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose anything or tell you whether an exercise is right for you. Adjust to your comfort and ability.