Run and walk · 30 min

Longer Balance Walk

Three brisk walks, each ending in a harder balance stop.

• 30 minutes
• New to it
• No kit

Customise copies this workout to the Bench, where every move and number is yours to change.

Three walks of five and a half minutes, each followed by a balance stop that asks a little more than before: longer one-leg stands, reaching on one leg and a longer heel-to-toe walk. Keep a wall, fence or railing close at each stop. By now the walking should feel brisk but comfortable.

Kit

No kit

Music

The tempo follows each block.

Tempo shape

Z2 Warm · 90 to 115 bpmZ3 Steady · 115 to 128 bpmZ1 Recover · 60 to 90 bpm

Blocks

1. Warm up

   Z2 Warm
   • Brisk Walk120 s · Easy pace to start
   • Arm Circles20 s

2. Walk and balance3 rounds

   Z3 Steady
   • Brisk Walk330 s · Talk, but not sing
   • Single-Leg Stand30 s each side · Hand near a wall or rail
   • Single-Leg Reach5 reps each side · Small reaches, stay tall
   • Heel-to-Toe Walk40 s

3. Cool down

   Z1 Recover
   • Brisk Walk90 s · Slow it right down
   • Standing Quad Stretch20 s each side
   • Standing Hamstring Stretch20 s each side

General exercise guidance, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or a joint problem, are pregnant, or a doctor has limited your activity, check with them first. Stop if anything feels wrong.