Walking is a great way to build a strong, toned core, even though it is sometimes overlooked as a basic exercise. While crunches and sit-ups are traditional ab exercises, walking provides a dynamic and full-body workout that specifically targets your midsection. The secret to working your abs while walking is paying close attention to movement and appropriate posture. By focusing on keeping your core muscles tight and your back straight, you can activate your abdominal muscles with every step. Keep your core slightly tight and visualise pulling your belly button towards your spine if you want to tone your abs while walking.

How does walking strengthen abs?

While walking is often associated with leg strength, it can also be an effective strategy to build abs. As you walk, your core muscles are continuously working to stabilise your body, maintain balance, and prevent your torso from swaying. This constant engagement strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles, especially the rectus abdominis (the six-pack muscles) and the obliques (the muscles on the sides of your abdomen). Additionally, walking on uneven surfaces or incorporating hill climbs can provide an even greater challenge for your core muscles, as per a study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

Walk regularly to get abs. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock

Easy ways to tone abs while walking

Here are some simple ways to tone your abs while walking, according to fitness expert Yash Agarwal.

1. Engage your core muscles

As you walk, actively engage your core muscles. Imagine drawing your belly button towards your spine. This constant tension helps activate and strengthen your abs. Maintain a tall posture with your shoulders relaxed and back straight. This alignment ensures your core muscles are working optimally.

2. Incorporate arm movements

Swinging your arms faster not only helps you walk faster and burns a lot of calories but it also engages the upper body, lower body, and, of course, your abs. Also, perform arm circles in different directions to further engage your core and upper body.

3. Do a power walk

Alternate between brisk walking and jogging or running. These intervals challenge your core muscles and elevate your heart rate, leading to increased fat burn. "Also, develop a rhythmic power walk, focusing on a strong push-off with your legs and engaging your core during each stride," says Agarwal.

4. Walk uphill

Walking uphill provides a more intense workout for your abs, quads, and glutes. The incline forces your core muscles to work harder to stabilise your body. Adding resistance to your walk can help you burn more calories, according to a study published in the Journal of Biomechanics, and gain lean muscle mass. Increasing your lean mass will enhance your metabolism and help you burn more calories when resting, resulting in a smaller waist. However, start with gentle incline walk and gradually increase the steepness as your fitness improves.

5. Follow weighted walking

Holding light weights like dumbbells or water bottles while walking can increase the intensity of your workout and target your core muscles more effectively. Wearing a weighted vest can also increase the resistance against which your core has to work, providing additional toning benefits. So, experiment with different weights to find what works best for you.

6. Perform side steps

Side steps are a dynamic workout that efficiently targets the obliques, or muscles on the sides of your abdomen. "When you perform side steps, your core muscles work to stabilise your body and keep your torso from twisting," says the expert. This regular engagement strengthens and tones the obliques, resulting in a more defined and contoured waistline. In addition, side steps can help with balance, coordination, and core stability.

7. Include walking lunges

Walking lunges, which primarily target the legs and glutes, also work the core muscles. When you lunge, your core muscles strive to stabilise your body, prevent your torso from leaning to the side, and maintain balance. This continuous engagement strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles, especially the rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscles) and obliques. Plus, the dynamic nature of walking lunges gives a full-body workout, which helps to improve core strength and stability.

Other ways to tone abs

1. Practice core exercises

Before or after your walk, incorporate core exercises like planks, leg raises, or Russian twists. These exercises complement your walking routine and target your abs directly. Ensure proper form during these exercises to maximise their effectiveness.

2. Maintain a healthy diet

A balanced diet is vital for developing a toned abdomen. Eat lean proteins, healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables to fuel your body and promote muscular building. Stay hydrated throughout the day to help your body perform and recover.

By incorporating these methods into your walking regimen, you may successfully target your abs and build a stronger, more defined abdomen. Remember, consistency is essential, so make walking a regular component of your workout routine.

How to hold your core while walking?

Here is a complete guide on how to hold your core muscles to tone your abs while walking.

• Keep your back straight and shoulders back. "This promotes proper alignment and engages the core," says the expert.
• Pull in your abdominal muscles slightly towards your spine to engage your core throughout the walk.
• Avoid tilting your pelvis excessively forward or backward. A neutral pelvis helps keep the core engaged.
• Use deep diaphragmatic breathing to maintain core stability. Avoid shallow, chest-only breathing.

Make modifications while walking for toned abs. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock.

These walking modifications for toning abs are generally safe, but some individuals should avoid due to the following reasons -

• Those with chronic back pain or conditions like herniated discs should be cautious as increased core engagement might aggravate symptoms.
• People with joint issues, particularly in the knees or hips, should avoid high-resistance or high-impact modifications.
• Individuals new to exercise or with a sedentary lifestyle should start with basic walking and gradually incorporate more intense modifications to avoid injury.
• Pregnant women should consult a healthcare provider before incorporating exercises that significantly alter core engagement or involve increased resistance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you tone your stomach by walking?

Walking alone is unlikely to produce significant abdominal toning. It helps with overall fat loss and can indirectly engage the abs, but targeted abdominal exercises are more effective for visible toning.

2. How long should you walk to work your abs?

Aim for 30 to 45 minutes of brisk walking every day to effectively target your abs and get results. Intervals of power walking or hill climbs might help to intensify the workout and increase core engagement. Remember, consistency is essential, so make walking a regular part of your regimen.

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