Walking is a big trend on social media. Here’s how to choose the best one for your fitness goals.

Don’t just experiment with all the gait trends that appear in your FYP. There is no one walking trend that works for everyone. Dr. Janet DufecThe most important thing, said the professor of biomechanics and kinesiology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is finding a gait that you can maintain. To determine what it is for you, it helps to identify a list of “red” and “green” flags depending on your needs. Here’s how:

5 popular walking trends and how to do it

walking backwards

As the name suggests, backwalking involves people moving in opposite directions. Reversing steps can help strengthen the joints, especially for people with knee problems, by taking pressure off the front of the knees while strengthening the quadriceps and hamstrings. Here’s how:

• Find an open space (such as an empty lane on a running track) or find a treadmill set at a slow walking pace (recommended 1 mile per hour).
• Turn around and extend one leg behind you, landing on your toes, then your heels, then extending your knees.
• Keep your torso upright and use handrails for stability when riding on the treadmill.

6-6-6 Walking Challenge

Unlike other walking trends that promise weight loss or increased muscle mass, the 6-6-6 walking trend is a workout that helps people stay consistent with their daily exercise goals. The walk is one hour from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• 6 minute warm up stretch.
• 60 minutes of brisk walking.
• Stretch for 6 minutes to cool down.

12-3-30 Walking Challenge

The 12-3-30 workout is one of the most popular walking challenges on TikTok (more than 11,000 people have posted themselves doing it or shown their before-and-after results). You will need a treadmill. Set the treadmill on an incline to increase the challenge.

• Set the treadmill incline to 12.0.
• Set the speed to 3.0 mph.
• Walk for 30 minutes (recommended 5 times a week).

racking

A strength-based walking challenge is rucking. Originally it was a conditioning exercise for the military. Basically, you will be walking long distances carrying a heavy backpack.

You’ll need a bag, but technically you can start with a backpack. Your backpack should be durable, comfortable, and keep your weight close to your body to prevent the bag from bouncing or shifting. You can use actual rack plates for weights, or you can DIY them using rice bags, water bottles, bricks, books, etc. Be sure to record the packaging weight and adjust as necessary.

Japanese interval walking method

Similar to interval running, this method involves alternating between slow and fast paces. You can do it on a treadmill, walking pad, or outdoors.

• Start by taking a leisurely walk for the first few minutes to warm up your muscles.
• Increase your pace for the next 3 minutes until you reach 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. Your breathing may be heavy, but you may still be able to have a conversation or say short sentences.
• Slow down for another 3 minutes, returning to your starting pace or 40% of your maximum heart rate.
• Repeat this 5 times until you reach the 30 minute mark.

“Green flags” to look for in walking trends

Perfect for your fitness level

They say that walking training using specific numbers is the most effective for beginners Kyle Sanchez, PT, DPT, CSCSPhysical therapist at Bespoke Physical Therapy. Consider 12-3-30 and Japan’s 30-minute walking trend. He finds the structure of numbered workouts to be beginner-friendly, especially since they don’t require as much time as other methods. “If I recommend, [the 12-3-30 method] For my patients, it’s certainly a good thing that people rail against,” Sanchez added.

He also says that exercising for at least 30 minutes, at least five days a week, is enough to meet the recommended amount of exercise. 150 minutes of physical activity Every week.

heart rate increases

A leisurely walk isn’t as good for your heart as a brisk walk. Sanchez says walking trends that encourage fast paces and purposeful strides can put you in cardio zone 2. This is a state of 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. “If you’re doing it for heart health, you might want to track your heart rate zones using a wearable device like the Apple Watch or the Oura ring,” he says. Sanchez added that brisk walking, which gets your heart pumping, is especially beneficial for people with diabetes and high blood pressure.

increase endurance

If your schedule allows you to walk longer, you may want to level up your walking protocol to an hour or even up to 90 minutes. An example is modifying the 6-6-6 workout or the 12-3-30 challenge to be longer than 30 minutes.

“30 minutes is a good place to start, but build up as you move toward something like a 6-6-6 where you walk for an hour,” Sanchez explains. “Start with a 30-minute walk with your neighbor and try to maintain a moderate conversational pace. Then increase your time to 60 minutes, then 90 minutes if you can maintain a good conversation while walking.”

reduce stress

Walking activities should not be scary. Dufek is all about choosing fun, achievable plans that keep you motivated every day. She also recommends a tendency to walk outdoors or on scenic routes, as being in nature calms the body. “If you’re using a treadmill indoors and have a visual aid or monitor that lets you select scenes, it can help relieve stress,” says Dufek.

increase social connections

Dufek says the walking trend, which encourages companionship, is more valuable than just giving people a chance to chat. Making walks more social can help reduce stress and increase a sense of responsibility. “You don’t want to be that person who doesn’t show up at 6 a.m. when three of your other friends are there,” she says.

Red flags to avoid when it comes to walking trends

cause pain

Both Dufek and Sanchez advise listening to your body for any unusual aches or pains when you walk. If your knee starts to swell or your plantar fasciitis returns, Sanchez advises stopping your session or cutting it short. Dufek also recommends reducing the intensity of your walking if the pain persists. For example, people who jump into high-intensity walking that they’ve never done before may experience long-lasting pain and an increased risk of injury, she says.

For people who occasionally experience knee pain, Dufek recommends walking backwards. She says the biomechanics of walking backwards and forwards are different. “It reduces impact and reduces ground reaction forces, especially in the knee joint,” explains Dufek. “You’ll have less range of motion, but you’ll have more flexibility,” she says, adding that increased flexibility in your hamstrings will reduce tension in your lower back and legs.

I’m too heavy

Dufek warns that carrying heavy loads can affect your posture and strain your muscles. For this reason, she recommends weighted walkers be more cautious on their first attempt. The goal is to gradually build up to your target weight, rather than building it all up at once.

“I recommend or encourage people to start slow and light,” she says. “When you’re doing something wrong, your body gives you signs, like pain. Pay attention to those signs.”

What is the best walking plan for weight loss?

No matter what TikTok influencers say, there’s no single walking trend guaranteed to help you lose weight. According to Dufek, the most important factor when using walking as a weight loss strategy is to maintain consistency. Once you’ve established your routine, it’s a good idea to gradually increase the resistance by increasing the weight, intensity, such as uphill climbs, or time.

Sanchez says her weight loss priority isn’t reaching 10,000 steps a day. Instead, he says it’s important to maintain a pace that keeps your heart rate in zone 2 or zone 3. “If you are [walking] For weight loss, heart rate zones are the most important thing to be aware of and aware of when it comes to wearables,” adds Sanchez.

Rather than jumping on trends, you can also try a routine that is specifically programmed with weight loss in mind. Check out what’s new M.H. The 4-Week Walking Plan for Weight Loss is designed to tick multiple boxes in your walking routine to get you up and moving intentionally.

What are the best walking trends to build muscle?

For those looking to increase the intensity of their training, Sanchez recommends using a weighted vest or backpack. Try to increase your weight according to your fitness level. Dufek recommends starting small with a lightweight fanny pack, or maybe a fanny pack containing two bottles of water.

“Find a trend that works for you, or just get up and start walking,” says Sanchez. “Movement is medicine. There are no recognized rules for this. Just move.”

Jocelyn Solis Moreira, Mississippi, is a health and fitness associate. men’s health and wrote earlier CNN, Scientific American, Popular Scienceand national geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she enjoys performing circus acts and working on perfect pull-ups.