From counting the number of steps you cover in a day to brisk walking - the virtues of walking for fitness, have been passed through the years. However, if you are someone who finds it difficult to walk every single day or feel that there is a lack of physical activity in your daily routine, a new workout seems to be offering a quick fix! Yoga trainer and naturopathy expert Dr Janani Subburaj recently shared a social media video, talking about a 150-second walking workout. She claims that if a person has a sitting desk job or if someone is stuck at home due to weather conditions, this 2.5 minute workout can be effective. Let us tell you more about this 150-second walking workout!

What is a 150-second walking workout?

As per Subburaj, if you are unable to go outside for a walk, but wish to increase your daily step count and shed weight, you can give this short yet effective workout a try. So, what is the hack? Dr Subburaj shared a video demonstrating the exercises that begin with march past, moving onto jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks and opposite toe touches.

Incorporating exercises into your daily walk can enhance your workout and help burn more calories in less time! Image courtesy: Adobe Stock

Here is how it works:

• March-past-for stabilization of core and posture for 30 seconds

• Do jumping jacks for 30 seconds. It aids in improving blood circulation

• Move on to high knees for 30 seconds to activate your hip flexors

• Then proceed to butt kicks for 30 seconds to activate your glutes and hamstrings

• Do opposite toe touches for 30 seconds to improve and increase your balance and coordination

Dr Subburaj recommends doing these exercises for 10 rounds, which amounts to about 4,000-5,000 steps. This technique can also be effective for at-home mothers, who spend most of their daily lives indoors.

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Adding exercise makes walking more effective

Walking is invariably an excellent way of working out. To make the most out of it, you can add exercise variations while walking. You can make your daily walk an effective workout by incorporating exercise moves that enhance the workout by targeting various muscle groups.

One simple yet effective addition can be interval walking. Using this technique, you alternate between brisk walking and slower recovery paces. This enhances cardiovascular endurance and helps burn more calories. Adding lunges while walking is another impactful addition that can strengthen the legs and improve balance. After every few minutes, bend into a deep lunge with each leg, engaging your thighs and glutes.

Another effective move is walking with high knees. This workout technique activates the high flexors, core, and lower body muscles. When you lift your knees higher, you add intensity, making your daily walk more challenging. In the same way, adding arm movements, such as overhead reaches or lifting light weights, can enhance and tone the upper body while improving posture.

Walking uphill or on an inclined surface also engages your hamstrings, calves, and glutes, thereby increasing the difficulty of your workout. To activate your core, try incorporating lateral shuffles or side steps that target different groups of muscles and enhance agility.

By adding these exercise moves into your walking routine, you not only end up increasing your calorie burn but are also engaging a myriad of muscle groups, turning a simple walk into a full-body workout.

Doing Jumping Jacks in your 150-second walking workout is a fun and effective at the same time! Image courtesy: Adobe Stock

Is a 150-second walking workout effective?

This kind of micro-workout highlights an emerging need for the importance of workouts. By making such small shifts, people can feel motivated to become more active. Yes, the 150-second walking workout technique is simple and time-saving. However, it should also be understood that small bouts of movement cannot fully replace complete workout programs. For exercise to be effective, extended physical activity that challenges the body through increased endurance, strength, and overall fitness needs to happen.

If you wish to hit your long-term health goals and achieve optimum physical fitness, you need to strike a balance. Little actions like these can surely go a long way if included daily, but they also need to be complemented with long structured workouts that engage full body muscles for one to lead a healthy life.

Adults need 150 minutes of physical activity every week

Obesity, triggered due to lack of exercise and other physical activity, has enveloped more than half of the entire world’s population at the moment. A recent analysis by the World Health Organization found that nearly one-third (31 per cent) of the world’s adult population, 1.8 billion adults, are physically inactive. If this lack of movement continues, the proportion of adults not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity is predicted to rise by 35 percent by 2030.

Keeping in mind the lack of physical activity in people's current-day lifestyle, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reckons that every adult should indulge in at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity per week, at intervals of 10 minutes or more. Some examples include going for a swim, gardening, dancing, or going for a brisk walk. Also, bear in mind that if you are running out of time, you can break down your daily physical activity over the course of the week or can be broken up into quick sessions during the day like doing a 150-second walking workout.

As per the WHO, women are less physically active than men by an average of 5 percentage points. This scenario has not changed since 2020, and there are many factors to blame. It includes traditional roles that demand that women should prioritize domestic responsibilities, limiting their time for exercise or outdoor workouts. Safety is also a big concern while moving outdoors. Hormonal imbalances, pregnancy, and caretaking responsibilities also influence physical activity in women.

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