If you’re short on time or feeling knackered, walking is a great way to move your body. It doesn’t require pre-booking, you don’t need anyone else to do it with and it requires no equipment to get started. All you need is a decent pair of trainers and you’re good to go. 

While trends like the 6-6-6 walking challenge might encourage hour-long daily walks, there’s no need to plod along for miles or hit 10,000 steps to reap the health rewards of walking. According to a 2016 study, a few five-minute bouts of brisk walking spaced throughout the day can improve your mood and energy levels, while a paper from 2023 found that just 11 minutes of walking a day is enough to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. 

That’s music to our ears, given how busy most of us are. Staying active is crucial to mental and physical wellbeing, and after talking to various health experts, we’ve discovered a number of ways to squeeze the very most out of the shortest walk. Here, they offer seven clever ways to supercharge a 20-minute session, from arm swinging to Nordic walking.

Swing your arms

It can be tempting to shove your hands in your pockets while striding along (especially when it’s freezing), but pumping your arms energetically will warm you up in more ways than one.

“It gets your heart rate up, engages more muscles (including the shoulders, arms and core) and improves coordination. It also helps with posture and balance, making your walk feel smoother and more efficient,” says Eryn Barber, personal trainer at The Fitness Group, who recommends keeping your shoulders relaxed and bending your elbows to about 90-degrees.

“The extra movement also increases circulation, meaning more oxygen flows to your muscles and brain – great for both energy and focus.” 

Take the stairs

Got stairs at home or work? Stair climbing provides a challenging alternative to walking on flat ground (but please consult your GP beforehand if you have a pre-existing heart condition).

“Not only will stair climbing work your lower limb muscles, such as the glutes, quads and hamstrings, but it also uses your abdominal muscles to maintain stability,” says Dr Rupa Parmar, medical director at Midland Health. “Additional benefits include cardiovascular and respiratory [heart and lung] function, which is great for your cardiovascular system.”

To avoid injuries, it’s best to wear supportive shoes with good cushioning, stability and non-slip soles, Dr Parmar advises: “Equally, you should choose stairs where your knees don’t bend more than 90-degrees and always place your whole foot on each step, stepping softly to reduce any potential strain on your ankles and knees.”

Add some weights

Popular on TikTok, wearable weights – ankle, wrist or backpack – can help to take your walk to the next level.

“Walking with weights forces the body to work harder by putting the cardiovascular system under more pressure,” says Chanelle Smith, qualified PT, registered nurse and clinical lead at Jorja Healthcare Group. “This raises the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and boosts overall health fitness and levels.”

The extra load adds resistance, meaning your muscles work harder. “It can also help to improve balance, stability and bone density, helping to guard against osteoporosis and making you less prone to fractures and injuries,” says Smith. 

Go backwards

It may seem strange, but backwards walking is beneficial because it uses different biomechanics to walking forwards.

“When you walk backwards, it forces you to touch the ground with your toes first, instead of the heel,” says Helen O’Leary, physiotherapist and director of Complete Pilates. “The result is a decrease in compressive force and shock absorption at the knee joint and an increase in lower limb muscle activity.”

Because it requires greater concentration, backwards walking has also been shown to enhance balance performance, which could assist in fall prevention. To implement backwards walking safely, O’Leary says: “It’s best to choose a flat surface free of trip hazards. The optimal setting would be a treadmill at slow speed with the safety clip attached and a spotter present.”

Head up a hill

Incline walking – whether on a treadmill or hilly terrain – is an excellent way to maximise the benefits of regular walking by increasing intensity without the high impact of running.

“Walking on an incline engages more muscles, particularly the glutes, hamstrings and calves, leading to improved lower-body strength,” says Dr Layla Eagles, a GP from Wellsoon Private Healthcare.

“It also raises the heart rate and boosts cardiovascular endurance. Incline walking strengthens joints, improves posture and enhances overall balance. It’s a great way to challenge endurance while being easier on the knees compared to running.”

It’s best to ease yourself into incline walking by starting slowly or practising on a treadmill, Dr Eagles advises: “Start at a lower incline of 5% or so and then gradually increasingly the incline to 10% or 15% over time as you start to become more comfortable with the intensity of the exercise.”

Speed it up

If you find power walking a bit exhausting, adding speed intervals (meaning alternating between fast and slow walking paces) is a great way to improve your fitness gradually and break up the monotony of a walk.

“The bursts of higher-speed walking challenge the heart and lungs, improving aerobic capacity while also building leg strength,” Dr Eagles says. “It increases cardiovascular endurance and enhances metabolism compared to steady-paced walking. Additionally, interval walking can help regulate blood sugar levels by keeping the body in a state of increased energy expenditure, even after exercise.”

As with any new activity, remember to pace yourself. She adds: “It’s advisable to start with a moderate intensity for short pockets of time before gradually building up either the speed or duration of the intervals as your fitness increases.” 

Grab some poles and try Nordic walking

Originating in Finland as a summer training method for cross-country skiers, Nordic walking is known as an ‘enhanced’ form of walking that uses special poles to help propel the walker along.

“Using the poles requires more arm movement than regular walking, so Nordic walking is more of a full-body workout, helping to strengthen the back, shoulder and abdominal muscles,” O’Leary says. Nordic Walking UK suggest that when done correctly, it uses 90% of the major muscles.

A research review from 2013 showed that Nordic walking led to significant improvements in various health metrics, including resting heart rate, blood pressure, exercise capacity and quality of life that were superior to regular walking.

But it’s important to make sure you use the correct technique, O’Leary says: “It’s advised that you participate in a session conducted by a qualified Nordic walking instructor. This will help you understand how to use the poles in the most safe and effective way.” 

Join us at the Strong Women Trek 2025 

On the topic of walking, this summer we’re returning to the beautiful Surrey Hills on Saturday 14 June for our annual half-marathon hike. We’re also launching the brand-new Adventure Trek in Lake District, which is perfect for those looking for a chance to escape the city and try a series of outdoor activities from canoeing and abseiling to hiking and climbing. You can book tickets and find more information for both events here.

Images: Getty