- Schedule: How far and how often to walk.
- How fast to walk
- Warning signs and what's normal
- Tracking your walks
The Absolute Beginner Schedule
Health goals: Walking a half hour a day or 3 hours per week is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. Walking 7 hours a week is associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer and Type II diabetes. For this reason, I recommend that you build up to walking an hour a day, most days of the week.Track your walks: Keeping records will keep you on track.
Build a Habit: Walk at least 5 days a week, even if some days you must decrease your time, in order to build your new healthy habit. Increase the time you spend walking each week before working on speed.
Week 1: Start with a daily 15 minute walk at an easy pace.
Walk five days the first week. We want to build a habit, so consistency is important. Spread out your rest days, such as making day 3 a rest day and day 6 a rest day.
Weekly total goal: 60 - 75 minutes.
Week 2: Add 5 minutes a day so you are walking 20 minutes, 5 days a week. Or you may wish to extend yourself more on some days, followed by a rest day.
Weekly total goal: 75 - 100 minutes.
Week 3: Add 5 minutes a day so you are walking 25 minutes, 5 days a week.
Weekly total goal: 100 - 125 minutes.
Week 4: Add 5 minutes a day to walk 30 minutes, 5 days a week.
Weekly total goal: 125 - 150 minutes.
Snags:If you find any week to be difficult, repeat that week rather than adding more time, until you are able to progress comfortably.
Graduate: Once you are able to walk 30 minutes at a time comfortably, progress to our Weekly Walking Workouts.
Let's Get Walking
Subscribe to our free 4-week daily email newsletter course to get you walking. Each day you receive a walking assignment following the Absolute Beginners Walking Schedule, plus tips on walking technique.Let's Get Walking 4-Week Daily Newsletter
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Absolute Beginner Walking Tutorial
- Prepare to Walk
- Walking Technique for Beginners
- Schedule: How Far and How Often to Walk
- How Fast to Walk
- Warning Signs and What's Normal
- Tracking Your Walks
- Beginners Links
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Walking Prevents Breast Cancer
Walking: the Miracle Cure
