Is Walking in Place Good Exercise?

Physical activity promotes physical health and can boost mental health, too. If you have a busy life—work, family obligations, a bustling social life—hitting the gym can be challenging. Are you reading this saying, "That's me!"? Then walking in place may be just what you need to stay active and healthy.

What Is Walking in Place?

As the phrase suggests, walking in place involves lifting the knees in a walking motion while remaining in one spot. The nice thing about this exercise is you can walk in place anywhere—at a standing desk at work, while waiting in line at the store, on the sidelines of your child's soccer game, and so on.

This is slightly different than house walking, which involves walking around your house. Both are forms of indoor walking. Yet, with house walking, you're moving from one location to another. When walking in place, you remain in the same spot.

If you walk at home, you may use walking in place to stay active while watching TV. You can also walk in place while standing at the stove and waiting for dinner.

You can even walk in place outdoors. If you let your dog out, walk in place while waiting to let him or her back in. If your kids are playing outside, you can walk in place while ensuring they are safe and having fun.

Benefits of Walking in Place 

An advantage of walking in place is that you don’t need nice weather to get physically active. While you can walk in place outdoors, you can just as easily do it indoors. It is a physical activity you can do year-round.

You don't need to purchase a gym membership or buy equipment for a home gym. It's a no-cost way to get and stay in shape. And you don't have to drive anywhere to do it.

It's great to look at your pedometer after walking in place and see how many steps you’ve racked up. Just think about all the extra calories you’re burning, without even really trying. That makes it a great tool for weight loss and maintenance.

The best part of this walking exercise is that you can do it no matter your fitness level. If you're new to working out, bring your knees up when walking in place. If you're more advanced, do more of a march instead of a walk. 

How to Walk in Place

Use these tips to help get started if you're ready to begin walking in place:

1. Put on your walking shoes. Going without shoes may be okay when walking in place for a few minutes, but you should put on proper footwear—say walking shoes for women—if you want to walk longer. This ensures your feet have support.
2. Start walking. It really is as simple as it sounds. The next time you find yourself sitting, get up and start walking in place. Either walk for the sake of walking or multitask. Waiting for the oven timer to go off? Folding laundry? On the phone? Watching TV? Add walking in place to any of these!
3. Track your steps. Motivation is key. Use the health app on your smartphone or watch to clock the steps you rack up to motivate you to walk in place whenever possible.
4. Set a step goal. Aim for a number of steps each day. If 10,000 steps is too intimidating, start with 7,500 or even 5,000. Once you've hit your step goal several days in a row, step it up!
   
5. Use a heart rate monitor. If you're wondering whether walking in place is raising your heart rate enough to boost your cardiovascular health, wearing a monitor can help. A heart rate monitor can ensure you're in your target heart rate zone. If you need to kick it up a notch, swing your arms more or lift your knees higher.
6. Do intervals. Does the idea of walking in place sound a bit too monotonous? Instead of walking at the same pace, pick up the speed for a minute or two and then drop it down. Alternate between faster and slower paces and you now have an interval training workout.
7. Add strength training. Turn your walking exercise into a total body workout by incorporating muscle-building movements. Bodyweight exercises work well for this purpose. Walk in place for a few minutes, then do a few push-ups. Walk in place a few more minutes then do a couple of crunches. By the time you're done, you will have worked every muscle group in the body!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does walking around your house count as exercise?

Any movement you do can help you become more physically active—even walking in place! When answering this question, ask yourself: What is my goal?

If you want to move around more, then yes: Walking around your house is exercise. If your goal is to improve your health, moderate-intensity exercise is recommended. You may need to boost the intensity of your walking to hit this goal.

Can walking in place help you lose weight?

Yes. You can lose weight by walking in place, especially if you were sedentary before, as any movement can increase the calories you burn. Pair regular walking in place with a healthy, balanced diet and you have the recipe for weight-loss success.

How many calories can you burn walking in place for 30 minutes?

One study found that stepping in place burns roughly 258 calories per hour, equating to 129 calories for 30 minutes. This research further noted that if you only walk in place during commercials, by the end of a one-hour television show, you will have burned around 148 calories.

A Word From Verywell

Although our schedules may be busy, there are still ways we can keep ourselves more active and move toward a healthier lifestyle. Walking in place is one option to help you do both.