Change Your Average Walking Program Into a Power Workout By Adding These 7 Simple Things

1. Choose a route with up-hill and down-hill climbs

This is a nice way to incorporate interval training into your walking program. Interval training increases your fitness levels and boosts your metabolism due to increase in heart-rate. You will find overall fat-burning benefits as well as lovely weight training benefits for the quads (top of upper leg) and calves. This is especially great for toning.

2. Add Walking Lunges 

Choose a stretch of road which is even and out of the way of other pedestrians and cyclists. Start off by doing 4 sets of 20 steps that will equal ten steps per leg per set. Make sure the leg you put forward for your stride forms a 90 degree angle and the knee doesn’t go over the tip of your toe. The back leg must support you comfortably and stabilise the execution of the exercise first before coming up and taking the next step. What is really important with this exercise is quality and not quantity. Make sure your posture is perfect align your shoulders with your hip and pull that tum-tum towards the spine. No slacking allowed!

3. Try To Incorporate 100m sprints

Do your normal walking program and choose 1km stretch of road where you will be able to run. Now on your fitness-band or use a rough estimate if you choose, sprint as fast as you can for 100m use your arms as much as possible push yourself to do the best you can. Walk for a minute and repeat 10 times.

4. Butt/hamstring Kicks

Again choose a stretch of road to do the exercise, kicking your bum with the heel of your foot first with the right then with the left (as in a normal running motion) really fast 40 times (2 times per leg) rest for a minute (walk for a minute) and repeat ten times.

5. Use Arm and ankle weights

 Add ankle weights and arm weights to increase the amount of calories you burn, increase your fitness and endurance and build and tone. What is nice about this is you will be doing some strength training as well so you will be building muscle. As we all know building muscle is great because you carry on burning more calories long after you have stopped training.

6. Use a heart-rate monitor

This way you can train in your fat-burning zone and monitor your effort progress and its a great motivator for me to know where I am and where I should be. If you are still deciding on which one is right for you have a look at this Fitness-Band

7. Incorporate stairs into your program

This is once again a great way to do high intensity interval training and really change your fitness level! Make sure you warm up properly and choose a nice flight of stairs, don’t over do it to start with and work up your fitness levels before going to hard too fast. The muscles worked will be similar to the lunge and step up with added benefits of cardiovascular fitness and a lovely toned bum!

 I hope these moves will help drive you to reach the next goal in your training program! 

About The Author

brigitte

Yes I am THAT girl that hopped around on an island in Panama on the first season of survivor South Africa (my claim to fame). Thank goodness I had a modeling career to fall back on because I was left starving and I didn't win the million bucks! I am anything but ordinary and I have learned to be ok with it. What drives me is the stuff that I love doing, spending time with good friends, learning from extraordinary people, drinking wine, writing, (did I mention drinking delicious wine?) I love traveling, nature, animals, exercise helping others to achieve their goals gives me a kick, I thoroughly enjoy music that moves me and love looking at and taking pictures that speak to me. I stay slim by following a healthy diet of wine and carrying my massive baby around (not sure how he got that big but he is huge, and very cute) - He is my absolute pinnacle out of everything I have done right so far. (I actually have some real weight loss secrets on The Jog Blog) I also run with my two Jack Russell's Jesse and James, James is really, lets call it, "big boned", so I wouldn't say we run marathons but we at least enjoy it thoroughly. Like all South African's I also love the odd South African Braai and grew up barefoot playing on dirt roads. The biggest goal in my life is to enjoy and savor every moment, to be mindful of each and every person and situation in my life and to be the master of my own mind. What do I do for a living? I have a bit of digital savvy, write a lot, manage projects and initiatives that help promote brands digitally and love a challenge. I am an avid entrepreneur Sport and Sports-development is close to my heart. I also proudly endorse Futurelife, Garmin, Adidas Eyewear and Cipla Nutrition. I help where I can do the best with what I have and give it my 110% I am the Glass-Half-Full girl and thank you for supporting The Jog Blog. You can have a look at my charity projects www.glamouraid.co.za or follow me @brigittewillers @glamouraid and @thejogblog oh and don't forget instagram @brigittewillers (totally obsessed) *laughs*