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No matter your age, walking is one of the best exercises you can do for your body. Still, the same-old stroll every day can start to feel boring. By incorporating some creative walking exercises to build muscle into your session, you can bust boredom as well as maximize the benefits of your walk<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAny repetitive motion in one plane of motion, such as walking forward, will activate the same muscles each time,\u201d said Amy West, M.D.<\/a>, a sports medicine physician at Northwell Health in New York. While the muscles you use to walk forward (like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves) are certainly smart to strengthen, there are other muscles in the lower body and core that are important to keep strong as you age. \u201cOur muscles support our joints, so by improving muscle strength you can help reduce impact on your joints,\u201d Dr. West said. \u201cWhen you use different walking methods, different muscles are activated each time, which promotes balanced muscle development and postural alignment\u2014and could potentially prevent future aches and pains.\u201d<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Amy West, M.D.<\/a>, a sports medicine physician at Northwell Health in New York; Lindsey Benoit O\u2019Connell, C.S.C.S.<\/a>, a certified trainer, a meditation teacher, and the founder of The LAB Wellness; Janet S. Dufek, Ph.D.<\/a>, a professor in the department of kinesiology and nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Samantha Pinkston, P.T., D.P.T.<\/a>, a senior physical therapist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City; Latreal Mitchell<\/a>, a personal trainer and health coach.<\/p>\n Lindsey Benoit O\u2019Connell, C.S.C.S.<\/a>, a certified trainer, a meditation teacher, and the founder of The LAB Wellness, agreed: \u201cDifferent walking styles can help improve balance, coordination, and agility,\u201d she said. Aside from building strength throughout your body, using different walking styles \u201cchallenges your brain to work harder to coordinate the steps,\u201d O\u2019Connell added. Then, once you can confidently do all of these, you can add high-intensity intervals or extra resistance. \u201cMix up your walks during the week by doing different styles on different days,\u201d O\u2019Connell suggested. “Over time, you\u2019ll see big payoffs!\u201d<\/p>\n Read on for fitness experts\u2019 favorite walking variations, plus how each can help you get stronger and improve mobility and balance as you age.<\/p>\n How to walk to build muscleBackward Walking<\/p>\n Physical therapists often incorporate backward walking (also called \u201cretro walking\u201d) into treatment plans for various leg injuries and stroke rehabilitation because it helps improve balance, coordination, and range of motion in the hips, leading to better mobility and stability, said backward-walking researcher Janet S. Dufek, Ph.D.<\/a>, a professor in the department of kinesiology and nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Walking backward may also help you maintain a healthy weight (varying the exercises you do helps prevent you from plateauing) and reduce your levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of chronic inflammation, based on a study<\/a> in which overweight individuals walked backward on a treadmill four times a week.<\/p>\n Muscles Worked: <\/strong><\/p>\n Try It: <\/strong>Simply take steps backward instead of forward. Because you won\u2019t be able to see where you\u2019re going, it\u2019s smart to do this in a safe, controlled environment\u2014ideally on a treadmill at a slow speed so you can use the rails for balance if necessary. If you don\u2019t have access to a treadmill, then your driveway, a flat and even area of sidewalk, or your local track should work. If you\u2019re not walking on a treadmill, Dufek suggested recruiting a partner\u2014they can be your eyes, and you can hold hands with them for additional support while you master this skill. Start with short bouts so your muscles can get used to the new way of moving (and don\u2019t be surprised if they feel fatigued faster than with regular walking): \u201cBegin with 30-second intervals and gradually extend them as you gain confidence and endurance,\u201d O\u2019Connell advised.<\/p>\n Criss-Cross Walking<\/p>\n Ever watch a clip of supermodels strutting along the runway? They lift one foot, cross it in front of the other to take a step, and continue that pattern. This is essentially how you walk criss-cross style. Walking in this manner strengthens muscles that can help you maintain good coordination, hip mobility, and balance<\/a>, leading to better overall mobility and less risk of injury, said Samantha Pinkston, P.T., D.P.T.<\/a>, a senior physical therapist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.<\/p>\n Muscles Worked: <\/strong><\/p>\n Try It: <\/strong>Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Lift your right foot and cross it diagonally in front of your left before lowering it to the ground. Then lift your left foot, kick out your knee, and cross it diagonally in front of your right foot in the same way. Think of it as if you\u2019re making an \u201cX\u201d as you stride. Tighten your buttock muscles and breathe to engage your core. \u201cPractice on flat surfaces and avoid overexaggerating your steps to maintain your balance,\u201d suggested O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n Nanba Walking<\/p>\n You may not have heard of Nanba walking, but you\u2019ve probably seen it in movies featuring samurai warriors who walk by moving the same arm and leg in sync\u2014a more stilted, less fluid stride than traditional walking. Old research from Singapore has found that this style of walking, which originated in Japan, is more stable and energy-efficient than traditional walking, partly because it involves less twisting of the body and promotes greater integration between the upper body and the lower body. It can also promote mindfulness<\/a> because it causes you to really focus on your movements, said Latreal Mitchell<\/a>, a personal trainer and health coach.<\/p>\n Muscles Worked: <\/strong><\/p>\n Try It: <\/strong>Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. Bend your knees slightly, as if you were holding a mini squat. Try to stay in this position as you move, as \u201cit\u2019s key for engaging the glutes and keeping the focus there so you don\u2019t end up relying on bigger muscles in your legs to do all the work,\u201d said O\u2019Connell. Step forward with your right leg, moving your right arm forward with it; then step forward with your left leg and bring your left arm forward. Focus on your posture, engaging your core and maintaining an open chest, Mitchell advised. \u201cIt\u2019s going to feel awkward at first,\u201d O\u2019Connell said, so practice slowly, and then ramp up. This is a great movement to incorporate into a warm-up before or a cooldown following your usual walking workout.<\/p>\n Side-Stepping<\/p>\n Also known as lateral walking, it\u2019s when you walk sideways with relatively small steps, similarly to how a crab scuttles across the sand. You can boost the effort by placing a resistance band<\/a> around your calves or thighs once you\u2019ve gotten the form down. Side-stepping improves balance, flexibility, and pelvic stability, which can help prevent falls and injuries that could interrupt your lifestyle and walking routine.<\/p>\n Muscles Worked: <\/strong><\/p>\n Try It: <\/strong>Stand up straight with your feet nearly touching, knees slightly bent, and your chest lifted. Keeping your feet facing forward, step to the side with your right foot and quickly bring the left one to meet it. Continue this pattern, taking 10 steps to the right and pausing, then taking 10 steps to the left. \u201cKeep the steps small to maintain control,\u201d O\u2019Connell suggested. When you\u2019re ready to add a resistance band, position it around your ankles or right above your knees and then perform the steps above. Having the band around your ankles works your lower leg muscles more, whereas placing it above your knees makes your glutes and hips work harder.<\/p>\n Skipping<\/p>\n\n
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