{"id":183359,"date":"2025-10-07T13:38:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T13:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/183359\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T13:38:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T13:38:11","slug":"i-tried-the-6-6-6-walking-challenge-heres-how-it-went","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/183359\/","title":{"rendered":"I Tried The ‘6-6-6’ Walking Challenge. Here’s How It Went"},"content":{"rendered":"

For someone who\u2019s written a lot about walking trends (I\u2019ve given Japanese walking<\/a>, \u201cmindful\u201d walking<\/a>, and even strolling like an Austen character<\/a> a go), I\u2019ve been pretty inactive lately. <\/p>\n

Part of that has to do with an injury,<\/a> but to be honest, I just haven\u2019t been as bothered<\/a> to head outside since the season change. Chalk it up to \u201cpumpkin spice lethargy<\/a>\u201d if you like \u2015 but I know it\u2019s not good for me<\/a>. <\/p>\n

So, in my typical fashion, I figured I\u2019d try to \u201cviral challenge\u201d myself out of the slump. In this case, I went for the \u201c6-6-6\u201d walking rule<\/a>; so far, I\u2019m glad I have. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the \u20186-6-6\u2019 walking rule?<\/p>\n

The trend involves walking for 60 minutes at either 6am or 6pm, followed by a six-minute \u201ccooldown\u201d. <\/p>\n

And Lannay Dale-Tooze, a personal trainer working at Gymshark<\/a>, explained: \u201cThe timings of the walks are said to be vital, as the 6am option can help set up your day and boost your energy, while the 6pm walk can help you decompress and mark the end of your workday.\u201d <\/p>\n

While the PT stated not everyone will be able to stick to those precise hours, the pattern can \u201cimprove your mood through the release of endorphins at the start or end of the day\u201d and hold you \u201caccountable\u201d to a workout plan.<\/p>\n

Dr Daniel Atkinson, a GP clinical lead at Treated<\/a>, agreed, saying that though a morning walk is likely to improve your mood, \u201cWalking for an hour at any time of day will have similar cardiovascular health benefits\u201d. <\/p>\n

He added, \u201cThe \u20186-6-6\u2019 approach also includes a warm-up and cool down, which is important before and after any kind of exercise as it can help you avoid injuries.<\/p>\n

\u201cCooling down can also help restore your heart rate gradually, which can prevent dizziness and lightheadedness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ideally, you should walk at a \u201cbrisk pace\u201d \u2015 where you\u2019d struggle to sing<\/a> while moving, but could still hold a conversation. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s because faster walking is linked<\/a> to a 20% reduction in premature death compared to 4% for slower walkers.<\/p>\n

Still, Dale-Tooze said, \u201cWalking of any kind is a great way to improve heart health, help maintain a healthy weight and boost your mood.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Dawn<\/p>\n

So… is \u201c6-6-6\u201d walking worth it?<\/p>\n

I found that it helped me to get out of a fitness funk, though I\u2019m with the experts: I don\u2019t think the specific timing is as important as the consistency it builds. <\/p>\n

I liked that it helped me to build a morning routine, and because the days are getting shorter, I get to enjoy beautiful dawnbreaks on my 6am-7am walks.<\/p>\n

Aside from finding these motivating, this has a more practical use: natural morning light is uniquely good at regulating our body clocks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dr Atkinson told HuffPost UK, \u201can early morning walk is an easy way of getting some much-needed daylight during the winter months.\u201d This becomes ever more important as we approach the clock changes<\/a>, and it has helped me sleep better than I had before. <\/p>\n

Additionally, it means I don\u2019t have to focus on \u201cboring\u201d metrics like step count. For me, a medium-pace walker strolling on uneven ground, an hour\u2019s walk gets me to pretty much exactly 7,000 steps (5km in my case). <\/p>\n

Funnily enough, that\u2019s precisely how many steps<\/a> a recent study suggested for optimal health benefits in place of the traditional 10,000 steps. <\/p>\n

Most of all, though, as Dr Atkinson pointed out, the rule is \u201ceasy to remember\u201d, not too overwhelming, and perfect for my work schedule; far more important factors than the numbers themselves.<\/p>\n