{"id":231139,"date":"2026-01-06T22:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T22:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/231139\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T22:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T22:04:09","slug":"fitness-experts-share-how-to-boost-your-walks-and-build-muscle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/231139\/","title":{"rendered":"Fitness Experts Share How to Boost Your Walks and Build Muscle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Walking<\/a> is a powerful form of exercise that offers numerous benefits, many of which help promote healthy aging<\/a>. But while studies have shown<\/a> that walking can help build bone to improve bone density, building muscle via a simple stroll is not quite as effortless. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to walk to build muscle that can make walking an effective part of your strength-training regimen<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Meet the Experts: Justin Kraft, C.P.T., founder and trainer at Aspire 2 More Fitness<\/a>, Cara D\u2019Orazio, C.P.T., group fitness instructor and owner of C.G.M. Fitness<\/a>, and Joy Puleo, N.P.C.P., A.C.S.M., director of education at Balanced Body<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here, personal trainers and fitness experts explain how to build muscle through walking, plus the small adjustments you can make to your strolls that may help you get stronger even faster. <\/p>\n

How walking supports muscle-building<\/p>\n

Muscle growth isn\u2019t just about lifting weights, explained Justin Kraft, C.P.T., founder and trainer at Aspire 2 More Fitness<\/a>. \u201cIt has three major contributors: strength training, proper nutrition, and recovery,\u201d he continued. \u201cStrength training stimulates muscles, causing micro-tears that your body repairs, making them stronger. Nutrition fuels the process with adequate protein, carbs, and healthy fats that ensure optimal muscle development. Rest is where growth happens\u2014neglecting recovery can stall progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

How does walking fit into that process? \u201cWhen we walk, we engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which can help improve muscle endurance and strength,\u201d said Cara D\u2019Orazio, C.P.T., group fitness instructor and owner of C.G.M. Fitness<\/a>. \u201cWhile walking alone may not be enough to build significant muscle mass, it can certainly contribute to overall muscle development. The key is to incorporate walking into a comprehensive exercise routine that includes strength training and other forms of physical activity.\u201d Kraft said it\u2019s also ideal for injury recovery and weight management.<\/p>\n

What muscles are working when you walk?<\/p>\n

Walking activates multiple muscle groups with a primary focus on legs, glutes, and core, Kraft said. Over time, that engagement enriches stability, posture, and overall mobility, he added. The more specific heavy hitter muscles walking engages, according to D\u2019Orazio, are: <\/p>\n

Quadriceps: These muscles in the front of the thigh help straighten the knee and extend the leg.Hamstrings: The hamstring muscles in the back of the thigh help bend the knee and flex the leg.Glutes: The gluteal muscles in the buttocks help extend the hip and stabilize the pelvis.Calves: The calf muscles in the lower leg help flex the foot and stabilize the ankle.Ways to boost your walks to build muscle<\/p>\n

There are lots of ways to enhance your walks with strength training. It\u2019s all about incorporating resistance and variety. Below, D\u2019Orazio and Joy Puleo, N.P.C.P., A.C.S.M., director of education at Balanced Body<\/a>, suggest adding one or two of the following variations to each of your walks to increase the challenge for your muscles.<\/p>\n

Intervals: Vary your speed by walking at a relaxed pace followed by short, faster paced intervals. This will challenge your cardio threshold and increase general cardiovascular health\u2014plus, studies show<\/a> that interval training may also help build muscle mass. Even adding short intervals of light jogging will do the trick. As little as 20 to 30 seconds for every two minutes of walking can reap excellent results. Incline\/Decline: Walking inclines, declines, and generally uneven terrain (safely!) will increase challenge, engage new muscles, and elevate your heart rate. \u201cIncline walking and decline walking will also challenge different muscle groups, creating strength and the development of power,\u201d Puleo added. \u201cWalking stairs is another way to add inclines and declines to your routine.\u201dFitness moments: Throwing in squats, lunges, or other fitness-based calisthenics are a great way to mix up your walking routine, Puleo said. \u201cFor every 15 minutes of walking, stop, do a set of 10 to 15 squats and\/or lunges, then continue,\u201d she suggested. \u201cAdding some lower body fitness moments will go a long way in developing strength while you also increase your cardio capacity.\u201dUse weights or resistance bands: \u201cWearing a weighted vest or using resistance bands can help increase the resistance and challenge your muscles,\u201d D\u2019Orazio said.Focus on proper form and technique: Maintaining proper form and technique can help ensure that you\u2019re targeting the correct muscle groups, plus reducing your risk of injury.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that while walking is a wonderful exercise, if you have goals of significant muscle building, you\u2019ll want to walk, strength train, and eat nutritiously. Below, D\u2019Orazio shared an example workout for muscle building that includes walking.<\/p>\n

Do a dynamic warm-up: Begin with a five to 10 minute walk, jog, or jumping jacks to prepare your muscles for exercise.Incorporate strength-training exercises: Do squats, lunges, and\/or leg presses to target specific muscles and build overall muscle strength.Add high-intensity interval training (HIIT): Try some fast-paced, challenging bursts, such as sprint intervals or burpees, to improve cardiovascular endurance and increase muscle strength.Finish with a static cool-down: Finish your workout with a five to 10 minute static cool-down such as stretching or foam rolling to help your muscles recover and reduce your risk of injury.Other health benefits of walking<\/p>\n

In addition to the fitness perks mentioned above, our experts said walking is associated with tons of other benefits<\/a> for your overall health and wellness, including:<\/p>\n

Increased bone density and reduced osteoporosis riskBreath regulation Decreased anxiety and depressionGreater longevityDiabetes managementLower blood pressureImproved circulation Weight managementReduced chronic disease risk Related Stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Walking is a powerful form of exercise that offers numerous benefits, many of which help promote healthy aging.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":231140,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[1977,118277,1107,499,103,61,60,1106,118276],"class_list":{"0":"post-231139","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-how-to-service","9":"tag-contentid-3c23fc14-7adf-4cd6-895e-5e0a5855a03e","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-locale-us","16":"tag-shorttitle-experts-share-how-to-build-muscle-while-walking"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231139\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}