This 4-week walking workout program was inspired by a workout type that has been growing in popularity at your request: walking workouts! These types of workouts will make up the bulk of this 4-week program. Each week will be supplemented with various strength training workouts to complement and make your training experience comprehensive. Yoga, pilates, barre, balance, and mobility training are also woven in with the cardio and strength.

What makes it a walking workout? 
Walking workouts include the following characteristics:

• A focus on steps that build beyond a basic walking pattern
• Includes various ranges of motion that incorporate the whole body
• Movements are multi-directional, semi-rhythmic, and generally low-impact
• Engage the brain
• Brings cardiovascular and muscular benefits 

Who is this program for? 
This program will appeal to a variety of people for a variety of reasons! Here are some uses/benefits: 

• Improved joint health - the walking workouts are generally low-impact and the 2 days of strength training each week will gently strengthen your joints 
• Deloading - lighten up your training routine, giving a temporary break to intensity and/or frequency while still maintaining existing progress
• Beginners / Getting back to it - this is a welcoming program for those easing into exercise for a variety of reasons 
• Balanced training without burnout - walking workouts keep heart rate steadily elevated for cardiovascular benefits, while still achieving strength training benefits 2 days each week makes for a sustainable and mentally approachable plan
• Improved total body coordination & conditioning - move your body in new ways, strengthen your muscles, and heart
• Fun - there is something simply fun and enjoyable about the rhythmic nature and exercise selection found in walking workouts! 

What to expect
This walking workout program was built from existing workouts on-site. Below is the layout you can expect each week. As you can see, the main focus is on the walking workouts. You'll see 3 of them during days 1, 3, and 5 each week. Days 2 and 4 each week will focus on dumbbell strength training. Weeks 1 and 3 have a total body strength focus for both of the strength days, and weeks 2 and 4 will be a split between upper and lower body strength training. You'll notice that on every strength training day, you will get the option to choose between a longer/harder workout or a shorter/easier workout. Enjoy a rest on days 6 and 7!

The average length of all workouts included in this program is 35 minutes, so your average may be different depending on what workouts you choose for the strength days. The shortest workout offered in this program is 17 minutes, with the longest at 51 minutes. 

Day 1 - Walking workout 
Day 2 - Strength training - 2 options
Day 3 - Walking workout
Day 4 - Strength training - 2 options
Day 5 - Walking workout
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Rest

Pro Tip: For the walking workouts, put on some songs that have a 120-130 BPM (beats per minute) to help you get into a groove 😎 

There's more! A moment each week for your mental health 
Thank you to Haley, each week there is a thoughtfully selected meditation for you to complete! It will be placed on day 6 of each week but can be completed any time during the week that works best for you. There are 2 walking meditations and 2 focused attention meditations. The incorporation of these was inspired by something called MAP Training (Mental and Physical Training). It's shown improvements in anxiety, depression, sleep, quality of life, perceived stress, and more (Alderman et al., 2016). This 4-week program incorporates elements of it, but you're encouraged to fill in the gaps yourself if you'd like to follow it fully! Below is the full protocol.

6-8 weeks of 2x/week sessions of:

• 20 minutes focused attention meditation
• 10 minutes walking meditation
• 30 minutes cardio (reaching 60-80% of max heart rate)

Equipment
Range of dumbbells and a mat

The program was built by Erica, featuring a variety of trainers: Kelli, Tasha, Nicole, Brian, Patrice, Kayla, Amanda, Aly, and Marina. Meet the team here.