Increase Your Walking Workout Intensity: Hills and Stairs

Some people really don’t like to run, and for others they may not be able to run due to medical issues. Biking can be expensive to get into, as bikes are not cheap (especially nice ones), and they’re often not a feasible option for people just beginning a weight loss journey.

Walking, however, is an excellent way to exercise while being easier on the joints than running. Similar to running, getting into walking really doesn’t require a large investment. You’re going to need a decent pair of shoes - trust me, your feet will thank you later. Other than that, you’ll just need a bit of motivation to actually get outside and walk.

Walking is also a great way to be active as you don’t have to go anywhere very special. You can simply step outside and start walking in any direction. Depending on where you live, that may give you a lot of options of different places to see and explore, all while being active.

Walking is also one of the easiest activities that you can take younger children with you on. You’ll need a stroller to push your child in. Walking at a brisk pace with a stroller is a good workout. If you’ve walked as a form of exercise in the past, you’ll know that it’s a good form of exercise. Throw a stroller into the mix, and you’ve just increased intensity while also entertaining your child outside of the home.

At some point, walking will become too easy. You won’t feel like you’re progressing in your goals. When this is the case, it’s time to find ways to take it to the next level. A stroller can be a great way to mix it up a little, but that may not be an option depending on the age of your kids. My favorite two options for this are hills and stairs.

If you live in an area that has hills close by, then you can easily double the amount of calories that you burn during a walk. When you use your legs to push yourself up a hill, you’re going to really feel the burn compared to walking on flat terrain. Walking up a hill the first time will likely wind you far more than on flat ground - your body isn’t used to that type of incline, and it will let you know.

Hills are also great as you can take your kids on them, with a stroller if you want. Pushing a stroller up a steep incline is killer - I really struggle with this actually. It will wind you quickly, and you’ll really feel your heart pumping as you do so. We live in an area that has inclines of 30% in some locations. Whenever I’m walking on those hills, and especially when I’m pushing a stroller on them, I get winded really easily. It makes for a great workout.

If you don’t live in an area that you can get to some type of hills easily, then stairs are also a great option. Stairs are a little bit harder on the knees, but they can be equally devastating on your legs and lungs. Walk up and down a flight of stairs 10 times in a row, and tell me that your heart isn’t pumping. If you have more than a single flight of stairs that you can go up, go all the way to the top, and then back down.

I work in a building that is 15 stories high. I like to try to walk up those stairs at least once a day. I’ve got a nice little sweat going by the time I’m to the top of the building, and will often need to slow it down about half way up. Adding stairs at any point in a walking workout will make your heart pump much faster, and ultimately help burn more calories.

Conclusion

Try to increase the intensity of your walks by incorporating hills or stairs into them. They will greatly increase your heart rate, and the overall intensity of your workout. Good luck walking.