26 | Get fit for free Walking | 27

Eight-week walking plan With a canny combination of technique and speed sessions, this
schedule will enable you to walk your way to improved health within
weeks. If you’re time-crunched, simply split the daily sessions in two

Before you begin

To measure your progress, first
complete a fitness test, then find your
baseline number of steps. If you decide
to split the subsequent sessions in two,
remember to complete a warm-up and
cool-down whenever you walk at OWP.
Keep up the momentum by revisiting
the break point drill every time you
walk at OWP.

WEEK ONE
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
Fitness test: Find your Find your Find your 3 x 10 mins 3 x 10 mins 2 x 10 mins 15 min walk 5 min warm-up 15 mins focusing 5 min warm-up 15 mins focusing 5 min warm-up
choose a baseline baseline baseline focusing on focusing on focusing on focusing on focusing on on technique focusing on on technique focusing on

WEEK TWO
route in your number number number foot position foot and hip technique; technique technique; technique; technique;
local area of steps of steps of steps position; 15 mins using 30 mins or 30 mins or 25 mins at OWP;
and walk at (see p24) do break technique 2 x 15 mins 2 x 15 mins 5 min cool-down
least one mile point drill at OWP at OWP; 5 min at OWP; 5 min focusing on
(2km) without to establish cool-down cool-down technique
stopping. your OWP focusing on focusing on
Record your technique technique
time and how
you feel

Day 7
5 min warm-up focusing on
technique; 25 mins at OWP;
5 min cool-down focusing
on technique

WEEK THREE
Day 1
24 mins or 2 x 12 mins
focusing on technique

Day 6 Day 5 Day 4 Day 3 Day 2 Day 1 Day 7 Day 6 Day 5 Day 4 Day 3 Day 2
5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 24 mins or 5 min warm-up 24 mins or 5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 24 mins or 5 min warm-up 24 mins or 5 min warm-up
focusing on focusing on 2 x 12 mins focusing on 2 x 12 mins focusing on focusing on focusing on 2 x 12 mins focusing on 2 x 12 mins focusing on
WEEK FOUR

technique; 15 technique; focusing on technique; focusing on technique; technique; technique; focusing on technique; 20 focusing on technique;
mins at OWP; 20 mins at technique 20 mins at technique 20 mins at 25 mins at OWP; 25 mins at OWP; technique mins or 2 x 10 technique 20 mins or
4 x (1-2 min OWP; 5 min OWP; 5 min OWP; 5 min 5 min cool-down 5 min cool-down mins at OWP; 2 x 10 mins at
incline walks at cool-down cool-down cool-down focusing on focusing on 5 min cool-down OWP; 5 min

ILLUSTRATION: JAMIE CULLEN

OWP + downhill focusing on focusing on focusing on technique technique focusing on cool-down
recovery); 15 technique technique technique technique focusing on
mins at OWP; technique
5 min cool-
down focusing
on hips
Day 7
5 min warm-up focusing on
technique; 15 mins at OWP;
4 x (1-2 min incline walks at
OWP + downhill recovery);
15 mins at OWP; 5 min
cool-down focusing on hips
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Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 WEEK EIGHT

5 min warm-up focusing on 20 mins or 5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up
technique; 4 x (10 mins at 2 x 10 mins focusing on focusing on focusing on Day 1
OWP + 30-45 secs recovery); focusing on technique; 30 technique; 5 x technique; 40 24 mins or 2 x 12 mins
5 min cool-down focusing on technique mins or 2 x 15 (10 mins at OWP mins at OWP; focusing on technique
foot position mins at OWP; + 30-45 secs 5 min cool-
5 min cool-down recovery); 4 x down focusing
focusing on (1-2 min incline on technique
Day 2 technique walk + downhill
20 mins or 2 x 10 mins recovery); 5 min
focusing on technique cool-down Day 2
focusing on 5 min warm-up focusing on
foot position technique; 20 mins at OWP;
5 min cool-down focusing
on technique
Day 1
5 min warm-up focusing on
technique; 30 mins or 2 x Day 3
15 mins at OWP; 5 min cool- 24 mins or 2 x 12 mins
down focusing on technique focusing on technique

WEEK FIVE WEEK SEVEN

Day 1 Day 7 Day 4
5 min warm-up focusing on 5 min warm-up; 4 x (10 mins 5 min warm-up focusing on
technique; 20 mins at OWP; at OWP + 1 min recovery); technique; 20 mins at OWP;
5 min cool-down focusing 4 x (1-2 min incline walks at 5 min cool-down focusing
on technique OWP + downhill recovery); on technique
5 min cool-down focusing
on foot position
Day 2 Day 6 Day 5
20 mins or 2 x 10 mins 5 min warm-up; 4 x (10 mins 24 mins or 2 x 12 mins
focusing on technique at OWP + 1 min recovery); focusing on technique
4 x (1-2 min incline walks at
OWP + downhill recovery);
5 min cool-down focusing
on foot position

Day 3 Day 5 Day 6

5 min warm-up focusing on 5 min warm-up focusing on 5 min warm-up focusing on
technique; 20 mins at OWP; technique; 20 mins at OWP; technique; repeat the week 1
5 min cool-down focusing 5 min cool-down focusing day 1 fitness test and record
on technique on technique your time and how you feel;
20 mins at OWP; 5 min cool-
down focusing on technique
Day 4 Day 4 Day 7
20 mins or 2 x 10 mins 20 mins or 2 x 10 mins 5 min warm-up focusing on
focusing on technique focusing on technique technique; 45 mins at OWP;
4 x (1-2 min incline walk at
OWP + downhill recovery);
5 min cool-down focusing
on technique
Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 5 min warm-up 20 mins or 5 min warm-up;
focusing on focusing on focusing on focusing on 2 x 10 mins walk a route that
technique; technique; technique; 15 technique; focusing on takes about 10
WEEK SIX

20 mins at 15 mins at OWP; mins at OWP; 20 mins at technique mins at OWP. Time
OWP; 5 min 4 x (1-2 min 4 x (1-2 min OWP; 5 min yourself. Repeat x
cool-down incline walks at incline walks at cool-down 3. Try to complete

ILLUSTRATION: JAMIE CULLEN

focusing on OWP + downhill OWP + downhill focusing on the route within
technique recovery); 15 recovery); 15 technique 15 secs of your
mins at OWP; 5 mins at OWP; first time. Allow
min cool-down 5 min cool-down 1 min recovery
focusing on hips focusing on hips between each;
5 min cool-down