Don’t sleep on the power of walking. Research shows it can boost your mood, burn fat and strengthen your cardiovascular system, but if you’re anything like team Women’s Health, you’re probably struggling to stick to your daily step goal as it gets colder this season. The good news is that all is not lost. Indoor walking workouts are the next best thing, and with circa 750k videos to try on YouTube, there’s something for everyone.
Digital creator and podcast host Kayla Nelsen committed to trading her walk for one of YT’s most popular videos with fitness coach Grow With Jo to determine exactly what indoor walking workouts are, how they work, and whether they’re actually beneficial – or just another fad.
‘I’ve done my fair share of workouts before,’ she says in the video. ‘I’ve done treadmill workouts, strength training, dance workouts – but I’m yet to have tried an indoor walking workout, so I’m intrigued. I don’t use my Apple Watch much anymore, but to review the workout, I’m going to wear it and track it as “mixed cardio”.’ Here’s everything she learned.
Read on for the top indoor walking workouts to try on YouTube.
‘6 things I learned from trying indoor walking workouts’1.They involve more than just walking on the spot
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Indoor walking workouts often include bodyweight strength exercises
‘Grow With Jo’s indoor walking workout involved six-seven moves – like punches and standing crunches – with adequate rest breaks where you would be walking on the spot to keep your heart rate up. Once you’ve done all six-seven moves, you then work back down to the first, with walking in between, so you know what to expect throughout the workout, but without being bored,’ Nelson says.
2. They’re convenient
‘This is definitely a good cardio workout if you need something low-impact – where was this in early quarantine? I was doing Chloe Ting instead. I’d highly recommend you try it. I feel like I’ve just been to the gym without even leaving my apartment,’ says Nelson.
3. They’re harder than they look
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Nelson says she underestimated how hard indoor walking workouts can be
As Nelson comes to the end of her workout, she says, ‘I’m dripping in sweat. I underestimated the walking. I am pleasantly surprised by how good I feel after that workout. I didn’t expect to sweat as much as I currently am.’
4. They’re a solid form of cardio 
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Indoor walking workouts can increase your heart rate and improve cardio health
Nelson shares her Apple Watch stats: ‘For that 20-minute low-impact indoor walking workout, I burned 186 calories, and my average heart was 145bpm. I average 130-145 when I go outside and go for a walk, so this was awesome.’
5. They require coordination, but they’re relatively easy to follow
‘You think I’m joking about my poor coordination; this is not a joke. I have horrible coordination, truly. I was born with no rhythm. But these moves were relatively easy to follow even without coordination,’ says Nelson.
6. Instructors don’t always talk you through the workouts – you can follow along using a timer and music
Nelson’s final thoughts? ‘I like it when the instructor doesn’t talk, so this was great – she didn’t talk, played great music, and the routine was easy to follow.’
Benefits of indoor walking workouts
The expert: Kate Neudecker is a qualified PT and fitness writer.
They’re free They’re convenient and can be done at homeThey’re accessible for all levels – read on for progressions and modifications They’re low-impact They boost cardiovascular health They can improve blood sugar regulation and ease perimenopausal symptomsThey improve mood and reduce stressThey ease joint pain by producing synovial fluid to lubricate your jointsThey build muscle strength They’re pre and postnatal-friendlyIndoor walking workout progressions: 3 ways to make them harder Indoor walking workout modifications: 4 ways to make them easier Reduce the pace and go at your own speedMiss out every other strength exercise (if these are included in your indoor walking workout) Use a walking pole or balance stick if you struggle with balance Perform only the first half of your chosen indoor walking workout until you feel confident to complete the whole sessionBest indoor walking workouts on YouTube1.20-minute indoor walking workout with Grow With Jo2. 1-hour indoor walking workout with Olivia Lawson3. 15-minute indoor walking workout with Holly Dolke4. 30-minute indoor walking workout with Leslie Sansone
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director (and a qualified yoga teacher), Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. She secured her first role at Look Magazine, where her obsession with fitness began and she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!. Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red.
Now, she oversees all fitness content across womenshealthmag.com.uk and the print magazine, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, where we showcase the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise. She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how.
Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.