Walking workouts are an effective way to move your body, boost your mood and get your steps in—all without leaving the house.
What I also love about them is there’s no need to arrange childcare, no expensive gym membership and you don’t need to worry about the weather to get a decent session in.
And ones with just 1,000 steps, which tend to take less than 10 minutes, are a great way to take a desk break when you work from home.
There are so many walking workouts online to choose from it can be a little overwhelming so I have tested the five most viewed ones on YouTube so you can skip straight to the best one.
1. Pamela Reif: 1000 Step Cardio Walking Workout
Views to date: 3.3 million
This workout is by influencer Pamela Reif, who takes you through a high-energy circuit guaranteed to get your heart rate up and boost your mood in just 10 minutes. You’re constantly moving and there’s lots of arm movements which adds to the intensity.
It’s super easy to follow and the choreography exercises the brain a bit, too. Time goes really fast during this fun step workout and you definitely feel like you’ve had a full-body session.
By the end, my mood had lifted, my stress levels had lowered and I felt calmer and more ready to tackle my workload. I really enjoyed this video and will definitely do it again.
2. Holly Dolke: 7 Minute 1000 Steps Walking Workout
Views to date: 1.4 million
This fun and fast-paced workout is by certified fitness trainer Holly Dolke, who offers lots of useful technique tips and advice throughout, including to brace the core and keep the feet up.
She also recommends doing the workout twice if you have time—it’s only seven minutes—to get more steps in for the day. You don’t need any equipment and you can do it anywhere, so it’s a great quick workout to have on your radar.
3. Rick Bhullar: 1000 Steps 7 Minute Power Walking Workout
Views to date: 722K
I’ve done a lot of personal trainer Rick Bhullar’s walking workouts, including his 3,000-step speed walking workout and I really like his energy, the dance element and the easy-to-follow choreography.
Bhullar says you can use this seven-minute video as a warm-up, a pre-workout or just to kick-start your day.
Bhullar’s energy is contagious and there’s a step count and timer on the screen to help you know how long there is left—not that you’ll be paying attention. You’ll be too busy following the steps, keeping up with the choreography and having fun.
Reassuringly, Bhullar says not to worry if you get the steps wrong, because it’s just about keeping moving. This is my favorite workout because it just has such a nice vibe—plus it’s a really challenging workout that leaves you feeling good.
4. Keoni Tamayo: Fun 1000 Steps In 8 Minutes
Views to date: 400K
Created by trainer Keoni Tamayo, this walking workout takes just eight minutes. There’s no voiceover so you have to rely on copying Tamayo’s moves, but they are easy to follow. He incorporates some punching and other arm movements to elevate the heart rate.
There’s a step count and timer on screen for those clock watchers among you. There are also some motivating captions that appear from time to time including “300! Almost a third of the way there!”
I enjoyed this workout, but think I prefer it when the trainer is giving spoken direction or there’s a voiceover with form tips.
5. Funfitt With Susana Yabar: Cardio 1000 Steps Walking Workout
This outdoor workout by fitness influencer and YouTuber Susana Yabar, who is famous online for her fun exercise videos. It’s set with the beautiful backdrop of mountains and blue skies so you can imagine you are on vacation while working out.
She offers encouragement throughout and there’s a step count in the corner so you know how long you have left to go. It’s a high-energy and fun workout with plenty of arm moves thrown in for good measure.
The only thing I’d say is that the only leg move is marching them up and down, rather than moving around with different steps, so it gets a bit monotonous.
My Favorite 1,000-Steps Walking Workout
I really liked trying these walking workouts, especially because they are so quick—most only took seven or eight minutes so they were easy to fit into my busy schedule. The winner? It has to be Get Fit With Rick’s 1,000-step workout I love his clear instruction, the dance-style workout and his contagious energy.
