Build strength and get your daily steps in with this engaging 20-minute walking workout. Each circuit alternates two minutes of power walking exercises with two minutes of strength training exercises. Get 2,000 steps, build full body strength and burn calories with this at home cardio workout.
Get your steps in, burn calories and raise your heart rate with this all-standing, no repeats strength and walking workout.
Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise. It’s so beneficial for heart health and overall fitness – and requires no equipment, no jumping, and no expensive gym membership.
Walking workouts (such as this 1,500 Steps Beginner Workout, or this 2,000 Steps Standing Cardio Workout) are a great alternative to walking outdoors if you’re dealing with poor weather conditions or have a busy schedule.
Today’s workout combines walking exercises with full body strength exercises to increase the intensity. I personally tracked over 2,000 steps on my Garmin.
Free Beginner Workout Plan
Walking Workout FAQs
Beginners should set a goal of walking for 30 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, which can be broken down into fewer long walks, or more quick walking breaks (Mayo Clinic). I love alternating walking on the treadmill, jogging outdoors, and at-home cardio workouts like this one to get my steps in at home.
Walking for 30 minutes a day is a great way to improve overall fitness, cardiovascular health and endurance. For best results, I recommend adding in strength training as well. The 3-2-8 method is a popular way of structuring a weekly workout plan that combines strength training, barre/pilates and walking.
Aiming for 8,000 – 10,000 steps a day is a great way to improve overall fitness. You can track steps using an activity tracker, your phone, or simply estimate steps. For reference, 8,000 steps is approximately 3.5 miles.
Aerobic exercise, such as walking, has many health benefits. This includes improving mental health, reducing high blood pressure, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, and reducing risk of heart disease. Brisk walking or fast walking is also a joint-friendly way to burn calories and support healthy weight loss.
20-Minute Strength and Walking Workout
Get your steps in, burn calories and raise your heart rate with this 20-minute strength and walking workout.
Improve cardiovascular fitness, increase total body strength and get fit at home with this no-repeat, all-standing workout.
Add full body workouts like this one to your exercise routine 1-2 times a week.
Workout Equipment:
Medium to Heavy Set of Dumbbells. I recommend between 5-30 lbs depending on your fitness level. We used 15-20 lb dumbbells in today’s workout. Option to drop weights at any time and do this workout with just your body weight.
Shop My Fitness Tracker
I love my Garmin Venu 3s for tracking everything from my sleep quality, to daily steps, to stress levels! My favorite feature is the battery life (it lasts NINE DAYS!).
Workout Instructions:
Follow along with the guided All-Standing Strength and Walking Workout on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
- 4 Circuits
- Timed Intervals (~30 seconds work for the cardio exercises, moving directly from one move to the next. 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest for the strength exercises.)
- No Repeats (perform each exercise once)
Workout Outline
CIRCUIT ONE:
- Cardio: March In Place
- Cardio: Lateral Steps and Overhead Press
- Cardio: V-Walk
- Cardio: V-Walk and Two Jumping Jacks
- Cardio: Lateral Heisman Runner
- Strength: Side-to-Side Squats
- Strength: Bicep Curl and Press
CIRCUIT TWO:
- Cardio: Jump Rope Heel Taps
- Cardio: Wide/Narrow Fast Feet
- Cardio: Forward/Back Runs and Front Kick/Rear Kick (Right)
- Cardio: Press Jacks
- Cardio: Forward/Back Runs and Front Kick/Rear Kick (Left)
- Strength: Curtsy Lunge, Reverse Lunge and Switch
- Strength: Deadlift and Stack-On Back Rows
CIRCUIT THREE:
- Cardio: Inner Heel Taps
- Cardio: Lateral Shuffle
- Cardio: Punch and Tap
- Cardio: High Knees and Butt Kicks
- Cardio: Jog In Place
- Strength: Lateral Squats
- Strength: Overhead Press and Stack-On Overhead Triceps
CIRCUIT FOUR:
- Cardio: Standing Crunches
- Cardio: Shuffle Jabs (Right)
- Cardio: Speed Bag and Boxer Shuffle
- Cardio: Shuffle Jabs (Left)
- Cardio: High Knee Sprint
- Strength: Sumo Squat and Alternating Chest Fly
- Strength: Overhead March and Switch Press
5 At-Home Walking Exercises
Lateral Walk with Overhead Press
Targets: Hip flexors, quads, outer glutes, hamstrings, calves, shoulders, and back.
How To Do Lateral Walks with Overhead Presses
- Start standing in an athletic stance, feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold your arms just under shoulder height, slight bend in the elbows.
- Side step to the right with your right foot, then step your left foot across to join your right. As you step to the right, open the arms wide overhead to raise your heart rate. Pull the arms in as the left foot taps.
- Repeat, performing two lateral step-touches to the right side.
- Tap the left foot on the floor and then immediately step back to the left, following with your right to tap. Perform two lateral step-touches to the left side.
- Repeat this process, alternating two lateral steps to the right with two lateral steps to the left.
Jump Rope
Targets: Calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, oblique muscles, forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back and chest.
How To Jump Rope in Place
- Start standing, feet under hips, core engaged, and a slight bend in both knees.
- Mimic holding the handles of a jump rope in each hand, elbows at your sides (option to use a jump rope if you have one).
- Mimic the motion of swinging a rope over your head. Keep your elbows near your sides as you draw small circles with closed fists, keeping the biceps engaged.
- As the rope would approach your feet, perform a small jump. Land softly, with bent knees.
- Continue this pattern, finding a rhythm and speed you can maintain for the entire work interval.
Modification: Option to omit the small hops and instead alternate heel taps, tapping the right heel forward, bringing it back, then tapping the left heel forward.
Lateral Shuffle
Targets: Legs, glutes (outer gluteus medius), hips, calves, quads and core (for stability and balance).
How To Do Lateral Shuffles
- Start standing in an athletic stance, feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged.
- Leading with the right foot and following with the left foot, take two large shuffles towards the right. Option to tap the ground.
- Then reverse the movement, leading with your left foot as you take two large shuffles towards the left, returning to starting position.
Lateral Step and Jab
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, arms, shoulders, back, biceps and core.
How To Do Lateral Steps and Jabs or Punches
- Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged. Bring hands or knuckles up to “defend” your face in a guard position.
- Step out to the side with your right foot, performing a tap out to the right. As you step out with your right foot, perform a “jab” with your right fist, quickly punching your right arm directly in front of you.
- Then, alternate sides, this time stepping out with your left foot and performing a jab with your left arm.
- Repeat, alternating sides of the body with each rep.
Standing Crunches
Targets: Core (rectus abdominis, transverse abdominal muscles and obliques) and upper body (back, biceps and shoulders).
How To Do Standing Crunches
- Start standing, feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent. Rotate your hips and toes slightly towards the right.
- Extend your arms overhead as you step your left leg back into a shallow reverse lunge, forming a long diagonal line with your body as your finger tips and heel extend away from each other.
- Then, pull your left knee up towards your chest as you simultaneously pull your arms down to meet it, performing an oblique crunch on the left side of your body. Repeat, performing two standing crunches.
- Then alternate sides, stepping or hopping your feet to face the left side of the room and stepping your right leg back.
- Pull your right knee up towards your chest, while driving your hands down to meet it, performing an oblique crunch on the right side of your body. Repeat, performing two crunches on the right.
Shop This Post:
Pin this Workout: Strength and Indoor Walking Workout (2,000 Steps in 20 Minutes!)
This post includes affiliate links. I do earn a commission for products purchased using these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love, making the content you see on this blog possible.