Walking to start (or restart)

If you are looking for where to start, walking is probably the simplest answer. It needs no equipment, no gym and no technique, and almost everyone already knows how to do it.

Why walking suits beginners so well #

• Accessible: a comfortable pair of shoes is enough.
• Adjustable: you set the duration and the pace as you like.
• Easy to attach to a trip you already make: popping out for bread, getting off a stop early.
• No technical awkwardness: no movement to learn, no one to feel watched by.

A brisk walk is endurance activity in its own right, and the WHO includes walking among the forms of activity that count.

How to start #

1. Ten minutes, at whatever pace suits you. That is all for the first time.
2. Choose a fixed moment: after lunch, on the way home from work.
3. Repeat before you lengthen. Once ten minutes has become easy, add a few minutes, not before.
4. Prepare a fallback version: five minutes around the block on difficult days.

What pace? #

No device needed. A comfortable pace to begin with is one where you can talk without difficulty. Over time, walking a little faster, until you feel you are working a little while still being able to talk, corresponds to what is called moderate activity.

Small obstacles #

• It is raining or cold: suitable clothing, or a walk in a shopping centre or arcade, or on the spot at home.
• Boredom: a podcast, music, a call to someone you like.
• Feeling watched: choose a quiet route, a park or a little-used path.
• Shoes: comfortable, already worn in, flexible enough. No need to invest at first.

Walking in good company #

Walking with someone sometimes turns a chore into a pleasant moment. A friend, a neighbour, a local walking group: a commitment to another person helps you go on the days you do not feel like it.

And afterwards? #

Once walking is established, you can add to it at your own pace: gentle movements at home, more everyday activity. And if time is short, see Finding 20 minutes.

For the big picture, the Start exercising page and the sedentary lifestyle quiz help you see where you are starting from. If you have no idea where to begin: I’ve never exercised.

This information is general and does not replace medical advice. If you have a chronic condition, if you are pregnant, or if you feel chest pain, unusual breathlessness or dizziness when exerting yourself, get medical advice before increasing the effort.