It’s just gone 7.30am, the studio lights have suddenly dimmed and our treadmills have started to roll. The superstar trainer of the morning – Joslyn Thompson Rule – has just strolled into the room to rapturous applause, and now she’s taking us through a series of dynamic stretches to warm up tight calves and hamstrings. Are we in a treadmill sprint class? Are we at a TV studio? No, I’m at the Peloton Studios in Covent Garden about to do my first walking workout. 

Whether it’s a weekend wander in a new city, a head-clearing stroll between meetings or a mid-afternoon desk treadmill situation, walking has become the way to get our bodies moving. And it has massive health benefits to offer. From boosting brain health to being just as good for your heart as a run, a daily walk can be powerful stuff.

The one place walking hasn’t really permeated to, however, is the gym. The only time I walk on a treadmill is during the active recovery part of a sprint session; I’ve never considered using it as an opportunity to make walking the main activity. 

From a fitness perspective, walking is more of a YouTube and TikTok phenomenon. YouTube is bursting with at-home walking workouts that promise to up your step count in no time, while TikTok has been responsible for the 12-3-30, the grumpy girl stomp, hot girl walk and more. But given the rampant success of running classes in recent years (which tend to happen in dark rooms with pumping music and energetic trainers), it makes total sense to try to bring walking in-house.

Peloton’s walking class has all the atmosphere – and sweat – of a regular tread workout, but with the accessibility and fun you get from an at-home strut. Here are the things I learned from my first 30-minute session.

Warming up before a walk can be transformative

Head out for a 5K before limbering up and you’ll quickly run into tendon trouble. Walking is a much less intense, so there’s minimal risk if you don’t warm up, but I found that a few drills can make a big difference.  

Starting slowly, we began by walking on our toes then moving onto the heels. Soon, we were busy introducing knee drives (driving your knee towards your chest) every few steps. It only took a few minutes, but I felt more physically and mentally prepared for the session ahead. 

Walking can be a sweaty business

In less than 10 minutes, my brow was moist and my upper lip wet. Walking is warm work when you’re going at a decent lick, and that’s a good sign that your heart rate is increasing and therefore sending up your body temperature. It’s proof that you don’t need to run to get a good cardio workout.

Power walking is all about the arms

While any kind of walking is good for us, we do know that brisk walking is where all those life-extending health benefits lie. But walking fast is, in my experience, far harder than slow jogging. During those speedy segments, I desperately wanted to burst into a light run but had to stop myself – getting my calves to do the heavy lifting and using my arms to cut through the air. Thompson Rule advised keeping the arms at right angles and moving the elbows right out beyond our backs to give as much momentum as possible. It made me think of all those times when I’ve had to hurry to catch a bus or make it to a meeting and really struggled to up my speed. Perhaps it’s something to do with the fact that I always walk with my hands firmly in my pockets. 

It’s a great confidence-booster

Much as we might wish to, many of us don’t have the confidence to strut down the local high street. A walking class, however, is different. You’re actively encouraged to swing your hips like you’re sashaying down the catwalk. At slower speeds, you have the space to move exactly as you want; when going faster, you’ve got to own looking faintly ridiculous. So much of the class’s vibe is down to the other people in the room and Thompson Rule encourages everyone to be as extra as they wish. It’s a bit like spin… without the fear of falling off a bike.

Music is crucial for mood-setting

And that leads us to a very obvious point: music makes a whole world of difference. I always work out to music but very rarely listen to it while walking. If I’m heading out on a lunchtime stroll, I listen to podcasts or the news. But to get the most out of a walking workout, you need music. This class had a Black History Month theme (it’s BHM in America right now) and Thompson Rule had chosen a playlist packed with iconic artists from Prince to Janelle Monae. When the incline went up, the music got more upbeat and when we slowed down for recovery, it became more soulful.  I couldn’t tell you what music was played in my last sprint workout but you have way more brain power to observe, listen and enjoy when you’re moving slower.

You need to stretch out your calves at the end

In the final three minutes, Thompson Rule got us to slow our treads right down, breathe deeply and eventually bring them to a stop. After a run, I’ll do a very short walk around the block but never take the time to properly stretch or cool down, so it was interesting to feel how much calf relief I got from the cool down.

Treadmill walking is incredibly time-efficient

I clocked up around 7,000 steps in just 30 minutes – about 2,000 more than I usually manage during a 5K run. I stepped off the treadmill lightly sweaty but feeling energised for the day ahead. I’m also calm rather than buzzing from the usual post-workout adrenaline. I’ll definitely be back again.

You can find free guided walks on the Peloton app or find walking classes at the London studio.

Images: Getty