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Exercises

Warm up exercises for walking: a 5-minute routine

Published October 24, 2026

Before a walk, do 10 arm circles each way, 10 leg swings each way per leg (holding a wall), 10 ankle circles each way per foot, 10 slow bodyweight squats, 10 calf raises, and 10 side leg lifts per leg, then walk slowly for 2 minutes before picking up the pace. That takes about 5 minutes and you can do it all standing, in your kitchen or at the start of the path.

  1. Arm Circles Shoulders
  2. Leg Swings Hamstrings, Glutes
  3. Ankle Circles Calves
  4. Bodyweight Squat Quads
  5. Standing Calf Raise Calves
  6. Standing Side Leg Raise Abductors
  7. Brisk Walk Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves

Arms and shoulders (1 minute)

Swinging your arms helps you walk faster, so loosen the shoulders first.

Shoulder mobility

Arm Circles

Shoulders

Loose shoulders let your arms swing freely, which helps you walk faster.

How to do it

  1. Stand with both arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height.
  2. Draw small forward circles and widen them little by little.
  3. Reverse direction for the same count.
  4. Keep your shoulders low, away from your ears.

Cues

  • Long arms
  • Small to big

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging up
  • Letting the elbows bend

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart

Build a session with Arm Circles

Hips, knees and ankles (2 minutes)

Walking uses the hips, knees and ankles on every step. Move each through its range a few times, holding a wall if you need to.

Hip mobility

Leg Swings

Hamstrings, Glutes

Swings move the hip through the arc of each step.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a wall or rail and hold it with one hand.
  2. Swing the outside leg forward and back like a pendulum, small at first.
  3. Let each swing travel a bit farther while your torso stays upright.
  4. Finish the count, turn around, and swing the other leg.

Cues

  • Loose leg, still torso
  • A little bigger each swing

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back on the backswing
  • Forcing full range on the first rep

Swap for: Standing Cable Hip Flexion, Cossack Squat

Build a session with Leg Swings

Ankle mobility

Ankle Circles

Calves

Circles get your ankles ready to roll from heel to toe.

How to do it

  1. Hold a support and stand on one foot, or sit, with the other foot off the floor.
  2. Trace slow, full circles with your toes, moving only at the ankle.
  3. Do the count one way, then reverse.
  4. Change feet.

Cues

  • As big a circle as you can draw
  • Slow and even

Common mistakes

  • Turning the whole leg instead of the ankle
  • Rushing the circles

Swap for: Single-Leg Calf Raise, Standing Calf Raise

Build a session with Ankle Circles

Hips and knees

Bodyweight Squat

Quads

Ten slow squats loosen hips and knees through more range than walking.

How to do it

  1. Set your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Send your hips back and bend your knees to sit down between your heels.
  3. Go as deep as you can while the heels stay flat.
  4. Drive the floor away to stand up.

Cues

  • Knees follow the toes
  • Whole foot planted

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving in
  • Heels coming up

Swap for: Cossack Squat, Step-Up

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Calves and hips (1 minute)

Your calves push you forward, and the side of the hip keeps you steady on each step.

Calf activation

Standing Calf Raise

Calves

Calf raises off a step, or on flat ground, prepare the calves for the push-off.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the front of your feet on a step and the heels hanging off.
  2. Let the heels sink below the step.
  3. Press up as high as you can onto your toes.
  4. Hold at the top a moment, then lower under control.

Cues

  • Full range
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing at the bottom
  • Bending the knees to help

Swap for: Single-Leg Calf Raise, Ankle Circles

Build a session with Standing Calf Raise

Hip activation

Standing Side Leg Raise

Abductors

Side leg lifts wake up the muscles on the outside of the hip that keep you steady on one foot.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall, hands resting at your waist, near a wall you can touch if you wobble.
  2. Keep the leg straight and the toes facing forward as you lift it sideways.
  3. Lower it with control, finish the count and switch legs.

Cues

  • Toes point forward
  • Torso stays upright

Common mistakes

  • Leaning over to lift higher
  • Swinging the leg

Swap for: Lateral Band Walk, Clamshell

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Start slow, then speed up (2 minutes)

Walk slowly for the first two minutes, then pick up the pace. On a treadmill, do the same with the speed.

Easy start, then brisk

Brisk Walk

Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves

Two easy minutes at the start of the walk finish the warm-up.

How to do it

  1. Stroll easily for the first minute.
  2. Lengthen your stride a little and let the arms swing from the shoulder.
  3. Pick up the pace until you breathe more deeply but can still chat.
  4. Roll from heel to toe on each step.

Cues

  • Tall, eyes forward
  • Bent elbows, steady swing

Common mistakes

  • Shuffling with short flat steps
  • Walking with your head down at a phone

Swap for: Treadmill Walk, Running

Build a session with Brisk Walk

Treadmill option

Treadmill Walk

Quads, Glutes, Calves

On a treadmill, start slowly and raise the speed every minute.

How to do it

  1. Step on with the belt stopped, clip the safety key, and start at a slow walk.
  2. Raise the speed in small steps until you walk briskly with a full arm swing.
  3. Add a little incline in the final minute if the session starts uphill.
  4. Keep your hands off the rails so your legs carry you.

Cues

  • Eyes ahead, not on your feet
  • Heel, then toe, every step

Common mistakes

  • Holding the handrails
  • Jumping to running speed in the first minute

Swap for: Brisk Walk, Treadmill Run

Build a session with Treadmill Walk

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

Daily walk

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts7× a week
  • Working sets42 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentBodyweight

You walk most days and want a quick routine before you head out.

The plan takes 5 minutes and is all standing. It loosens your joints and gets you walking comfortably from the first minute.

Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Arm CirclesEach direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg SwingsPer leg, each direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Ankle CirclesEach way, per foot. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Bodyweight Squat 1 × 10 4 0 s
Brisk WalkSeconds. Slow pace before you speed up. 2 × 60 4 0 s
How to run it
Do it at home before your walk, then start slowly.
How to progress
Add a second round of squats and calf raises once it feels easy.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Brisk or power walk

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts4× a week
  • Working sets28 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentStanding Calf Raise

You are doing a fast fitness walk and want your calves and hips ready.

Fast walking loads the calves and hips more, so this plan adds calf raises and side leg lifts before you build to your brisk pace.

Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Arm CirclesEach direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg SwingsPer leg, each direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Standing Calf Raise 1 × 12 4 0 s
Standing Side Leg RaisePer leg. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Brisk WalkSeconds. Build from slow to brisk. 3 × 60 4 0 s
How to run it
Do the floor part, walk slowly for 2 minutes, then build to your brisk pace over the next 3.
How to progress
Add a few minutes of brisk walking each week.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Treadmill walk

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentStanding Calf Raise, Treadmill

You are walking on a treadmill, flat or with some incline.

The treadmill makes the warm-up simple: do the standing moves beside it and then raise the speed a little each minute.

Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Ankle CirclesEach way, per foot. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Bodyweight Squat 1 × 10 4 0 s
Standing Calf Raise 1 × 10 4 0 s
Treadmill WalkSeconds. Speed up each minute. 3 × 60 4 0 s
How to run it
Do the moves beside the treadmill, then start slowly on the belt.
How to progress
Raise the incline once the flat walk feels easy.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is a good warmup for walking?

Arm circles, leg swings, ankle circles, slow squats, calf raises and side leg lifts, then two minutes of easy walking. About 5 minutes.

What is a good 5-minute warm up before walking?

Do 10 reps each of arm circles, leg swings, ankle circles, squats, calf raises and side leg lifts, then walk slowly for 2 minutes.

Do you need to warm up before walking?

A short one helps, especially before a brisk walk. At the very least, start your walk slowly for a few minutes.

Should I stretch before walking?

Use moving exercises like leg swings and ankle circles before; longer stretches are better after the walk.

What are good warm-up exercises before walking for older adults?

The same standing moves, holding a wall or chair for balance: leg swings, ankle circles, slow squats to a chair height, and calf raises.