A little walk boosts digestion, clears the mind, gives you new energy and can even get you fit. We reveal three tricks that you can use to make your walk more effective.

Walking has numerous benefits and can keep you physically and mentally fit. But can you actually train your fitness with a walk?

With three tips you can get more out of your walk and even turn it into a little workout.

That’s why walking is so healthy

Going for a walk every day is a real health booster. This is mainly due to the fact that it reduces the risk of many diseases – for example diabetes, high blood pressure or cardiovascular diseases.

Walking also strengthens the immune system, supports digestion and improves mood. If you also want to do something for your fitness, the following three tips will help.

Change the speed of the walk

This change is probably the simplest and yet extremely effective: Change the speed every now and then while walking. If you walk faster, you not only burn more calories, but also stimulate your metabolism.

A goose step is not necessary. It is enough to increase the speed for a few minutes and then slow down again.

Tip: If you listen to music while walking, you can simply increase the tempo for the duration of a song and walk comfortably again with the next song. This can help to consciously pick up the pace from time to time.

Take a few steps on tiptoe

If you are already used to increasing the pace, you can occasionally add walking on tiptoe. After just a few steps you will notice the tension in your calves.

If that’s too easy for you, you can also consciously tighten your buttock muscles and train your buttocks as well as your calves. Even if it can be exhausting at first: This exercise is enormously effective and transforms a leisurely walk into a toning exercise sequence.

Walking backwards

At first it might feel a bit strange to suddenly walk backwards in the park. Turning your back on the running direction from time to time has numerous positive effects.

Researchers have found that walking backwards can improve balance and mobility in both children and adults who have had a stroke. Older people who regularly walk backwards are less likely to fall. If you walk backwards regularly, the normal gait becomes more balanced because you train your coordination.

It is best to try this exercise with a training partner first to avoid falling. Alternatively, you can also practice walking backwards by looking backwards at the beginning with a shoulder glance. With this exercise fun is inevitable and on top of that it makes you fit.

How fit can you get with walking?

In this article, we have shown that the 10,000-step rule is nonsense. Still, it’s good for your body and mind to go for a walk every day. A walk cannot replace a proper workout.

Whether walking is enough for you depends on your goal. If you want to build muscle, workouts are more likely to get you there.

But if you want to promote your health and do something good for your body, you don’t have to do any sport in addition to the daily walk.

This article first appeared on FIT FOR FUN.