Walking is an incredible endurance builder. Research has shown that brisk walking lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, improves blood pressure, and even reduces the likelihood of early death.
A 2018 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that brisk walkers had a 24% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to slow walkers.
Another study in the European Heart Journal reported that slow walkers had double the risk of cardiovascular death compared to fast walkers.
Clearly, walking faster has enormous health benefits.
But walking primarily trains your cardiovascular system. It doesn’t challenge your muscles enough to build or maintain strength. And as we age, strength becomes critical—not just for fitness, but for independence. Strong muscles protect joints, improve posture, prevent injuries, and help you stay mobile for decades.
That’s why adding strength moves to your walk is such a game-changer.
The Core Four: Bodyweight Moves That Power Your Walk
When you combine walking with short bursts of strength training, you’re training your body in a balanced, sustainable way. The Core Four bodyweight moves are simple, effective, and require no equipment:
Pushups
Strengthens your chest, shoulders, arms, and core.
Modifications: wall pushups or knee pushups.
Squats
Works your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Improves mobility and mimics daily movements like sitting and standing.
Lunges
Builds leg strength, stability, and balance.
Great for protecting knees and hips.
Planks
Strengthens the core, back, and shoulders.
Improves posture and prevents back pain.
Together, these four moves create a full-body workout when layered into your walk.
The Science of Double the Benefit
Combining walking and strength training has unique benefits:
Metabolic Boost: Strength moves increase muscle mass, which raises your resting metabolism. You burn more calories even at rest.
Afterburn Effect (EPOC): Alternating between brisk walking and strength creates higher oxygen demand, which means your body keeps burning calories for hours after the workout.
Bone Health: Weight-bearing moves like squats and lunges strengthen bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Mental Benefits: Both walking and strength training release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, improving mood and reducing anxiety.
A study in Obesity Reviews found that combining aerobic and resistance training led to greater fat loss and lean muscle gain than either method alone.
The Supercharged Walk: A 32-Minute Routine
Here’s how to turn your next walk into a Supercharged Walk:
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Cycle: Walk + Strength (20 minutes)
Walk briskly for 4 minutes.
Stop and perform 40 seconds of a strength move.
Repeat with each of the Core Four: pushups, squats, lunges, planks.
Cooldown Walk (5 minutes)
Stretch (2–3 minutes)
Focus on calves, hamstrings, quads, and shoulders.
Total time: 32 minutes.
This routine delivers cardio, strength, flexibility, and recovery—all in one workout.
Real-Life Success Story
One of my listeners, Bob Boggs, shared this story with me:
“I am doing great with the Fitness Walking #1 workout. I do it one day, and the next day I just pleasure walk for 30 minutes, so a sort of hard-easy program. I will be 80 next month, and people tell me that I look much younger. Since I’ve been doing my hard-easy routine, I have never felt better.”
Bob proves that this isn’t just for athletes or young people—it’s for anyone who wants to feel stronger, healthier, and more energized, no matter their age.