There’s a Walking Workout You Can Do Entirely Inside—and Trainers Say the Benefits Are Next Level ...Saudi Arabia

Walking is one of the absolute best activities you can do for your health. When it’s done regularly, walking can lower blood pressure, prevent or help with joint stiffness, lower the risk of dementia, support your mental health and even help you sleep better.

But sometimes, it’s not possible to walk outside. The weather may be too hot, cold or rainy to go on a walk. If you don’t have a treadmill or access to a gym, you may think inclement weather means missing out on your daily walk. But according to a personal trainer and two physical therapists we talked to, there’s a walking workout you can do entirely inside—and the benefits are pretty noteworthy.

Related: This Is the Absolute Best Walking Workout for People Over 50, According to Physical Therapists

The health benefits of this indoor walking workout include improved balance and stability, enhanced cognitive function and a lower risk of falls. It also reduces anxiety and depression. The best part is that anyone of any age can do it, it doesn’t require any equipment and it’s completely free.

Here, the experts reveal the walking workout many people overlook, what the benefits are and how to do it safely at home.

Related: This One Change Will Make Your Walks More Effective, According to Personal Trainers

The Walking Workout You Can Do Indoors

While traditional walking workouts require a decent amount of space (unless you’re on a treadmill), tai chi walking is a slower, more mindful form of walking that has many scientifically proven benefits. Raymond Li, NASM, CPT, a personal trainer and tai chi teacher at Manhattan Tai Chi, says that tai chi walking can be done just as easily indoors as it can outdoors. “In many cases, indoor practice is actually ideal, especially for beginners or older adults,” he says.

Tai chi walking isn’t about the space it’s done in; it’s about the practice. “While practicing outdoors can feel refreshing and offers a connection to nature, the essence of tai chi walking is not about the location. It’s about awareness, balance and quality of movement. Those can be trained anywhere,” Li says.

Related: Here’s Exactly What Your Walking Gait Can Tell You About Your Health

Li says that one of the biggest misconceptions about tai chi walking is that it requires a lot of space. But he emphasizes that this isn’t true. “A small space—such as a living room, hallway, community center or studio can work well. Even taking just a few slow, mindful steps forward and backward can be very effective. In traditional Chinese martial arts, including tai chi, there is a saying: ‘You should be able to practice and apply your martial art even in a space no bigger than where an ox lies down,’” he says.

Unlike traditional walking exercises, which emphasize speed, distance or both, Li says that tai chi walking is not focused on how far you walk. Instead, it’s about how you shift your weight, place your feet, maintain your posture and how aware you are during movement.

The Benefits of Tai Chi Indoor Walking

Regie Tiu, PT, a physical therapist and founder of Restore Plus Physical Therapy in Long Island City, New York, says that the benefits of tai chi indoor walking are the same as doing it outside. This includes improving balance and stability (which in turn helps reduce the risk of falls), strengthening core and leg muscles, reducing joint strain and supporting cognitive health.

“Tai chi walking indoors and outdoors have similar benefits and they overlap a lot. The slow movement and weight shifting work the muscles and improve balance, whether it’s done indoors or outdoors,” Tiu says. 

He says that the main way that outdoor and indoor tai chi differ is the surface. “For people doing it in the park, the ground is not perfectly even, and sometimes there is wind that can move them a little bit. People will have to make small corrections to maintain their balance, which is something that they don’t have to do when doing it indoors,” he says. For this reason, the balance benefits may be slightly more when doing tai chi outdoors.

Physical therapist and Out Wellness founder Dr. Syd Young, DPT, PT, adds to this, saying that doing tai chi outside has the additional benefits of being in nature and being exposed to sunlight. But doing tai chi indoors offers its own advantages, Dr. Young says, which include a controlled, predictable surface that’s ideal for beginners and no weather barrier. “I tell clients the best version is both: indoors for daily skill-building, outdoors when conditions allow,” Dr. Young says.

One 2017 scientific study found that tai chi improved cognitive function in healthy older adults more than brisk walking did. Researchers found that tai chi particularly benefitted executive functioning, which are skills the brain uses to plan, focus attention, remember instructions or juggle multiple tasks.

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How To Do Tai Chi Walking Indoors

If you’ve never tried tai chi walking before, it can be helpful to watch some online tutorials, such as this one, about how to do it safely and properly. 

When finding a place inside your home to try tai chi indoor walking, Li says to find a stable surface that isn’t slippery and is free of obstacles. Dr. Young says this too, saying, “Clear the path of throw rugs, cords, clutter and pets—home hazards are a meaningful contributor to falls in older adults. Make sure lighting is good and position yourself within arm’s reach of a countertop or sturdy furniture for the first few weeks. Pay attention to the floor surface: Slick tile or hardwood demands more caution than carpet.”

For your first several times trying it, Dr. Young says to keep sessions short. “Slow walking is surprisingly fatiguing, and fatigue is when form and balance slip,” they say.

All three experts say that tai chi indoor walking can be done barefoot, in grippy socks or in shoes. “Doing it barefoot has the advantage of getting sensory feedback on the feet.  The intrinsic muscles of the foot can also help with stability,” Tiu says. 

But for adults with certain conditions like neuropathy, diabetic foot or numbness, Tiu says that doing tai chi walking barefoot increases the fall risk because hardwood floors or tiles can be slippery if you are doing it barefoot. “Grippy socks or shoes will prevent someone from accidentally slipping,” he says.

Li says that wearing supportive shoes for tai chi indoor walking is beneficial in its own ways, and can be especially helpful for senior adults. “Supportive shoes can provide better stability, cushioning, arch support and give sensitive feet protection,” he says. If you struggle with balance, he says that wearing supportive shoes when doing tai chi walking is the safest bet.

“Indoor tai chi walking removes nearly every excuse we tell ourselves. No equipment, no class fee, no weather, no driving. You only need a hallway and a few unhurried minutes,” Dr. Young says. There’s certainly no reason not to give it a try, and doing it regularly can help support your body as you age. 

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