The Perfect Pair: The Best Strength Training Exercises After a Walk

You've finished your walk. Now what?

Many people head straight for the couch, but science suggests that spending just 10–15 minutes on a few simple strength exercises after your walk can improve muscle strength, bone health, balance, metabolism, and healthy aging.

Today we're exploring the best strength training exercises to do after a walk and why this combination may be one of the most effective fitness habits you can build.

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Transcript

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Welcome back to Why Walking Matters, The Science Explained. I'm Tatiana, your host, and this is the podcast where we explore the benefits of walking. The science, the psychology, the physiology. Walking is a complex, rhythmic, and coordinated process of locomotion that involves the entire body, acting as a low-impact cardiovascular activity. And today we're exploring the best strength training exercises to do after a walk and why this combination may be one of the most effective fitness habits you can build. Science suggests that spending just 10 to 15 minutes on a few simple strength exercises after you walk can improve muscle strength, bone health, balance, metabolism, and healthy aging. As we age, we naturally lose muscle, bone density, strength, and power. Strength training helps to counter these losses. Research consistently shows that adults who combine aerobic activity and resistance training have better overall health outcomes than those who do either one alone. But first, I want to say welcome back if you're a loyal listener, and welcome if you're a new listener. And I invite you to share your walking story at whywalking matters.com. From the National Library of Medicine, the National Center for Biotechnology Information background. Older adults experience considerable muscle and bone loss that are closely interconnected. The efficacy of progressive resistance training programs to concurrently reverse or slow the age-related decline in muscle strength and bone mineral density or BMD in older adults remains unclear. Objective of the study. We aim to quantify concomitant changes in lower body muscle strength and BMD in older adults following a progressive resistance training program, and to determine how these changes are influenced by mode, that's resistance only, versus combined resistance and weight-bearing exercises, frequency, volume, load, and program length. 780 studies were identified and 14 were included, progressive resistance training, increased muscle strength, and femur hip BMD, but not BMD of the lumbar spine. The certainty for improvement was greater for muscle strength compared with BMD. Evidenced by less heterogeneity and a higher overall quality of evidence, no training characteristics significantly affected both outcomes. Although concomitant increases in strength and BMD were favored by higher training frequencies, increases in strength were favored by resistance only and higher volumes, and increases in BMD were favored by combined resistance plus weight-bearing exercises, lower volumes and higher loads. Conclusions progressive resistance training programs concomitantly increase lower limb muscle strength and femur hip bone mineral density in older adults with greater certainty for strength improvement. Thus, to maximize the efficacy of progressive resistance training programs to concurrently prevent muscle and bone loss in older adults, it is recommended to incorporate training characteristics more likely to improve BMD. So, listeners, aerobic exercise like walking and resistance training like strength training provide distinct benefits, and resistance training is necessary to preserve muscle mass, strength, and physical function with aging. But don't feel pressured to add strength training if you're not yet at that point in your walking journey. But if you feel like you could do a little more after your walk, or if you feel like strength training is something that would be advantageous to you, this episode will answer the question why strength training after walking works so well, and we'll talk about the five best strength exercises after walk. From everydayhealth.com, walking is more than a lower body workout. It activates every muscle in your body. Resistance training shores up these muscles for more efficient injury-proof walks. You might think of walking as just a lower body exercise. That's not necessarily the case, says Carrie Boyle, a walking coach with the Bridgehampton, New York-based virtual walking program 99 Walks, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. We're activating the entire body when walking. Your core, upper back, and shoulders support good posture while your arms swing or pump at your sides. With each step, your glutes, buttocks, engage, and your calves, ankles, and feet keep you stable, Boyle explains. Those muscles work even harder if you walk uphill or add weight by wearing a backpack or weighted vest, she adds. Uphill walking also targets the quadriceps, the muscles in the front of your thighs, glutes, and calves more than walking on level ground does, research finds. Walking is great exercise, and you can maximize benefits by pairing the activity with strength-based training, says James N. Robinson MD, a primary sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. In general, for good health, you need full body strength training, which will help you function better in day-to-day life, he says. In fact, research shows that combining a 10-week walking program with resistance training at home can improve muscle quality and size in older adults and enhance their ability to do everyday activities. In addition, pairing walking with strength training may be a practical approach to maintaining a healthy weight. A study that included nearly 12,000 healthy adults of all ages found that those who met weekly recommendations for aerobic exercise, that's 150 minutes of moderate intensity activities such as walking and resistance exercise, that's two full body sessions, had the lowest risk of developing obesity compared with those who didn't meet either exercise marker. When building a strength routine to complement walking, focus on targeting the muscles most used in your workouts, such as your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, the muscles in the back of your thighs, ankles, and feet. If you're a walker looking to level up your strength routine, Boyle suggests starting with these five exercises, which are appropriate for walkers of all levels. Begin with 10 reps of each exercise and build up to 15 as you become more advanced. Go through the sequence once to prepare your legs for a shorter walk or to squeeze in some strength training on a non-walking day. Boyle recommends doing these movements at least twice weekly, but she adds that you can safely perform them more often because they are not high intensity. She also advises supplementing this routine with additional body weight or weighted exercises for your upper and lower body. To meet the physical activity recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here's what you need to do: at least two full body strength sessions per week targeting all the major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms, and working the muscles to the point of fatigue. If you've never tried strength training, seeking guidance from a personal trainer can be helpful. They can ensure that you're doing appropriate exercises for your needs and abilities and that you're using the proper form. Not only will this guard against injury, it will also help you get the most from each exercise. Check with your doctor before trying these exercises. It's always advised to talk to your doctor when making lifestyle changes, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are working through or recovering from an illness or injury, Boyle says. In general, the advice to start low and go slow holds. Your body should adapt to the stress of strength exercises over time. Exercise one, side lying clam. This exercise activates and strengthens your hip muscles, which are heavily recruited while walking, says Boyle. Exercise two, glute bridges. As the name implies, this exercise targets your glutes, a large muscle group in the hips that helps power walking movements. Exercise three, banded sidesteps. Performing side to side movements like this one activates muscles that kick in when you slip on ice or have to work around more technical terrain, says Boyle. Single leg step up. Single leg movements will improve your balance while walking. For this exercise, you'll need a staircase or a low, sturdy surface like an aerobic step platform or bench. Exercise five. Heel and toe walks with calf raises. This exercise is one that you can do in the middle of a short walk, says Boyle. It strengthens key muscles in your ankles and calves that can help you avoid potential injury. If you step and start to roll your ankle, these muscles will quickly activate to stabilize your ankle and prevent injury, she says. Well, listeners, that was great advice from a walking coach. Let's hear what fellow podcaster Avid Walker and author Frank Rink says. As we age, strength becomes critical, not just for fitness, but for independence. Strong muscles protect joints, improve posture, prevent injuries, and help you stay mobile for decades. That's why adding strength moves to your walk is such a game changer. The core four bodyweight moves that power your walk. When you combine walking with short bursts of strength training, you're training your body in a balanced, sustainable way. The core four bodyweight moves are simple, effective, and require no equipment. One, push-ups, strengthens your chest, shoulders, arms, and core, squats, works your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, lunges, builds leg strength, stability and balance, and planks, strengthens the core, back and shoulders. According to Frank, together these four moves create a full body workout when layered into your walk. The science of double the benefit, combining walking and strength training has unique benefits. Metabolic boost. Strength moves increase muscle mass, which raises your resting metabolism. You burn more calories even at rest. Afterburn effect. Alternating between brisk walking and strength creates higher oxygen demand, which means your body keeps burning calories for hours after the workout. Bone health. Weight-bearing moves like squats and lunges strengthen bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Mental benefits. Both walking and strength training release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, improving mood and reducing anxiety. A study in obesity reviews found that combining aerobic and resistance training led to greater fat loss and lean muscle gain than either method alone. This was from Walkingfor Health and Fitness.com. From BuffaloRehab.com. Getting older does not have to mean slowing down. The real secret to living longer and feeling better is not a miracle pill, it is movement. Simple, consistent exercise keeps your muscles strong, your balance sharp, and your body able to do the things that matter most. The goal is not just more years, it is better years. Healthy aging is about protecting your strength, your confidence, and your independence. These five exercises build the foundation your body needs to stay active and capable at every stage of life. As the years pass, we naturally lose strength, balance, and bone density. Tasks that once felt automatic, such as climbing stairs or lifting groceries, can start to feel harder. The good news is that this decline is not a guarantee. According to the CDC, regular physical activity lowers the risk of early death, improves chronic disease outcomes, strengthens bones and muscles, and helps older adults stay independent. Adults who meet recommended activity levels experience fewer mobility limitations and fewer falls. Strong muscles support better balance. Better balance supports safer movement. Safer movement protects your ability to stay active. This cycle is at the center of healthy aging and long-term independence. The five longevity exercises, squats, strength for everyday life. Every sit and stand is a squat. Training squats builds strong legs and hips that help with stairs, getting out of a chair, and staying steady on your feet. Stronger legs support independence. Lunges, training your balance system. Falls are one of the biggest risks for older adults. Lunges challenge your balance and single leg control, two abilities that reduce slips and stumbles as you age. Push-ups, upper body strength and heart health. You do not need floor push-ups. Wall and countertop versions work well. Push-ups improve heart and upper body strength, helping you stay capable with everyday tasks like carrying bags or lifting grandkids. Rows or resistance pulls, grip and posture strength. Pulling exercises with bands or weights strengthen your back, improve posture, and build grip strength. These abilities help protect mobility and support confident movement. And planks, core stability for pain-free movement. A strong core supports your spine, improves posture, and reduces back pain. Planks train the deep muscles that keep you steady as you walk, turn, and bend. You do not need long workouts. Start with 10 to 15 minutes a day. Focus on two things: steady walking to support heart health, short strength sessions to maintain muscle and balance. If something bothers you, shorten the range of motion or try the easiest version of each movement. Your body will adapt over time. Consistency matters more than perfection. And our final article of the day is from CNN.com. If you're looking for extra motivation to get outdoors and walk, or even walk around your house, you can easily turn your walk into a workout. Adding some intervals, core work, and strength training will maximize the impact of your daily activity. Incorporating intervals into your walks can help improve cardiovascular endurance, burn more calories, and keep your exercise routine fun and interesting. Building muscles through strength training helps speed up the metabolism, improve balance, and improve lean muscle mass. Stabilizing the core can help reduce back pain and improve posture. Here's how to take your walk to the next level. Walking intervals. Speed up and slow down. Instead of walking at a steady pace, try adding in some speed drills to get your heart pumping. Work for one block at a regular pace and then speed walk for the next block. Keep alternating for your entire walk. Research shows that just one minute total of going all out in cardio exercise out of 10 minutes significantly improves aerobic capacity and blood sugar scores. During short bursts, in this case, the study's participants went for 10 to 20 second bursts as fast as possible within the 10 minutes, yielded these positive results. If we translate this to walking, adding in intervals and speed walking alternated with moderately paced walking is more impactful than just maintaining one pace for the entire walk. Core engagement. As you walk, be precise about each step. Strike with your heel and toe. Squeeze your glutes as you step and pull your navel in toward your spine. Engage this position whether you're walking at a moderate pace or speed walking. Really think about pressing down through each heel and engaging the hamstring and glute of that leg each time you strike the ground. While you're breathing, think about exhaling to pull the navel in toward the spine as if you're zipping a tight pair of pants and trying to squeeze into them. Lower body strength training. Working out the legs and glutes during your walk will create more of a high intensity. Intensity interval training workout, you'll be alternating between cardio walking and strength training or leg exercises, which is similar to doing a circuit class at the gym. There are many ways to integrate lower body strength training into your walk. Here are a few suggestions. After you walk for one block, stop and do 10 squats. Walk another block and do 10 more squats. Do this at least three times throughout your walk. Walk for a block, then do walking lunges for another block. If you're walking inside, time yourself for five minutes. After walking for five minutes, do three sets of ten repetitions of either squats or lunges. For modifications, only go down halfway into a squat or halfway into a lunge. You can also stay stationary with the lunges instead of walking lunges. Upper body strength training. You don't need weights to work your arms and back. Doing upper body strength training exercises during your walk is a great way to tone and tizzle your arms and upper back. Two exercises that are very simple to perform while walking include shoulder blade squeezes and lats pull-down moves. Repeat for 30 seconds or for a block, then rest. Moving meditation. Finally, focus on your breath. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Imagine your walk as your own moving meditation. If you find thoughts swirling in your head or you start feeling stressed or anxious about something in your day, bring your attention back to your breath. In yoga and meditation, the breath is the centering focus that keeps you present and mindful. Turn your walk into a moving meditation by focusing on one thing, your breath. Inhale positivity and exhale negativity, or inhale and think calm and exhale and think getting rid of stress. With these five ways to amplify your routine, you'll find that a simple walk can take you further than you had thought in improving the health of your body and mind. Make the most of your walk by choosing one or all five of these suggestions or incorporating one of them today, two tomorrow, and three the next day. There was a lot of overlap in those articles, listeners. Each professional had their go-to exercise. Squats strengthens glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, and supports everyday activity like climbing stairs, getting out of chairs, and hiking. And there are beginner options like chair squats or advanced options like body weight or goblet squats. Step ups mimic everyday movement patterns and improve leg strength, balance, and your ability to climb stairs. This exercise is also especially valuable for hikers and hill walkers. Glute bridges help to build strong glutes that help with walking efficiency, posture, and lower back health. Push-ups strengthen chest, shoulders, arms, and core. And this is especially helpful because walking doesn't challenge the upper body very much. There are also modified versions of push-ups like wall push-ups or counter push-ups. And the planks strengthen the core, which supports walking posture, balance, and injury prevention. Additionally, calf raises benefit balance, ankle stability, and hiking performance, which are important because walking heavily uses the calves. Resistance band rows strengthen the upper back, posture muscles, and counteract desk work and forward head posture. And finally, farmers carries. Simply walk while carrying weight. That improves grip strength, core stability, and functional fitness. I know today's episode had a lot of information that's not that easy to get in one listen. So perhaps listen to the episode a few times and do your own research to figure out which exercises might work best for you. If you're an older adult, focus on controlled movements, good form, and balanced support, and use chairs, walls, and railings when necessary. But most of all, the important takeaway from today's episode is that strength training is not just for athletes. It's one of the most effective tools we have for maintaining independence as we age. We know that walking is one of the best things we can do for our health. And when you add just a few minutes of strength training afterwards, you can create a powerful combination that supports your heart, muscles, bones, balance, and long-term mobility. The goal isn't to become a bodybuilder, it's to build a body that keeps carrying you wherever you want to go, whether that's around the neighborhood, up a mountain trail, or simply through the activities of everyday life. Because walking matters, and being strong enough to keep walking matters even more. After your next walk, try just one or two of these exercises. And let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear. Share your experience with me at whywalking matters.com and click on share your walking story. I'll share it on the podcast. Thanks again, listeners, for learning with me today. And remember, links to all sources used in this episode can be found in the podcast description or show notes. Until next time, keep walking.