Walking workout for today

The moves, one by one

1. 1

   Belly breathing

   1 min 5 sStanding

   

   Feel your feet while you breathe.

   1. Sit tall on a sturdy chair with your feet flat. Or stand with a chair beside you.
   2. Rest one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
   3. Breathe in through your nose for about 4 counts. Let your belly rise under your hand.
   4. Breathe out gently through your lips for about 6 counts. Let your belly soften back.
   5. Repeat for the time on your page. Let your shoulders stay loose.

   Easier

   Skip the counting. Just breathe in and out at a pace that feels natural, with one hand on your belly.

   Take care

   • Feeling light-headed: breathe normally for a few breaths, then sit down if you are standing. Keep the breath gentle, never forced.
2. 2

   Tai chi opening

   50 sStanding

   

   Float up, sink down.

   1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, a wall or kitchen counter within reach. Let your arms hang.
   2. Breathe in. Let your hands float forward and up to shoulder height, palms down, as if the water is lifting them.
   3. Pause with your elbows soft and your shoulders low.
   4. Breathe out. Bend your knees a little as your palms sink down to your thighs.
   5. Repeat 6 times, slowly.

   Easier

   Lift your hands only to waist height, and rest one hand on the wall or counter.

   Seated version

   Sit tall with your feet flat. Float your hands up on the in breath and let them sink to your thighs on the out breath. Everything else is the same.

   Take care

   • Balance: keep a wall or counter within reach. Stay in the range of knee bend that feels steady.
   • Sensitive shoulders: lift your hands only to chest height.
   • Sensitive knees: bend only a little.
3. 3

   Weight shift

   50 sStanding

   

   Feel your weight travel from root to root.

   1. Face the wall, about a forearm's length away, both hands flat on the wall at shoulder height. Or use a kitchen counter. Feet hip-width apart, knees soft.
   2. Breathe out and slowly move your weight onto your right foot, until it carries most of you.
   3. Keep your head over your hips and your chest tall.
   4. Breathe in and pour your weight back through the middle to your left foot.
   5. Rock side to side 8 times, slowly.

   Easier

   Shift only an inch or two, with both hands on the support.

   Seated version

   Sit tall with your feet flat. Press down a little more through your right foot, then your left, rocking slowly from side to side.

   Take care

   • Balance: keep at least one hand on the wall, counter or chair back.
   • Sensitive knees: keep the standing knee soft.
   • Sensitive hips: shift a smaller way.
4. 4

   Embrace the tree

   1 min 45 sStanding

   Hold 30 to 60 seconds, then rest and repeat.

   1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, a wall or kitchen counter within reach.
   2. Let your weight sink evenly through both feet.
   3. Lift your arms in front of your chest, rounded, with your fingers a hand's width apart, as if hugging a big tree.
   4. Keep your shoulders low and your elbows below your wrists. Let your crown reach up.
   5. Stay here for 30 seconds, breathing slowly through your nose.

   Easier

   Hold for 20 seconds, or rest your hands on your belly. Rest one hand on the wall or counter if you wish.

   Seated version

   Sit tall, feet flat, back away from the chair. Round your arms in front of your chest as above and hold.

   Take care

   • Sensitive shoulders: lower your arms until the hug feels light, even to your belly.
   • Sensitive knees: keep them very soft, not deeply bent.
   • Balance: keep a wall or counter within reach. If you feel light-headed, lower your arms and sit down.
5. 5

   Tai chi walk

   1 min 20 sStanding

   

   Walk like a tree that can walk: rooted, tall.

   1. Choose a short route, such as a hallway, with a wall or kitchen counter close.
   2. Stand tall with your arms relaxed and your knees soft.
   3. Step forward with your right foot, landing on the heel first, and roll through the middle to the toes.
   4. Move your weight forward only when your foot is down. Then step with the other foot.
   5. Walk slowly for the time on your page. Turn at the end with small steps, not a pivot.

   Easier

   Walk along a counter or wall with one hand on it. Pause whenever you wish.

   Seated version

   Sit tall, feet flat. Slide one foot forward on its heel, roll it down, and then the other, as if walking slowly while seated.

   Take care

   • Balance: keep a wall or counter close. Choose a clear path with no rugs.
   • Sensitive knees or hips: keep your steps short and your knees soft.
   • Wear supportive, non-slip shoes.
6. 6

   Closing form

   1 min 10 sStanding

   

   Hands float up, then sink.

   1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, a wall or kitchen counter within reach.
   2. Breathe in and float your hands up in front of you, palms down, to chest height.
   3. Breathe out. Let your knees bend a little as your palms sink slowly to your sides.
   4. Keep your feet hip-width apart, with a hand on the support if you like, and stand quietly for 3 breaths.
   5. Notice how you feel. Repeat the lift and sink twice if you like.

   Easier

   Skip the knee bend. Just float your hands up and lower them.

   Seated version

   Sit tall, feet flat. Float your hands up, sink them to your thighs, then rest for 3 breaths.

   Take care

   • Balance: keep a wall, counter or chair back within reach, and hold it if you feel unsteady.
   • Stand up slowly after sitting.
   • Sensitive shoulders: lift your hands only to waist height.

Then, if you like, walk on Optional

Then stretch, 3 minutes Optional

1. 7

   Wrist and finger flow

   1 minStanding

   

   Easy circles, then open and close the fingers.

   1. Sit tall on a sturdy chair, or stand with your feet hip-width apart and a chair nearby.
   2. Hold your arms out in front of you, elbows soft.
   3. Make 5 slow circles with your wrists in each direction.
   4. Open your fingers wide like a star, then close them into a soft fist. Repeat 5 times.
   5. Finish by shaking your hands out lightly and letting them rest.

   Easier

   Rest your forearms on your thighs or a table and move only your hands.

   Take care

   • Sensitive wrists or hands: use small circles, and skip the fist if it is uncomfortable.
   • Sensitive shoulders: rest your elbows on your thighs.
2. 8

   Neck release

   1 minStanding

   

   Tip the ear toward the shoulder only until you feel a gentle stretch.

   1. Sit tall on a sturdy chair, feet flat.
   2. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears.
   3. Breathe out and slowly tip your right ear toward your right shoulder. Stop as soon as you feel a gentle stretch. Breathe 3 slow breaths.
   4. Come back to the center on an in breath. Repeat on the left.
   5. Finish by turning your head a little to each side.

   Easier

   Make the tip very small.

   Take care

   • Sensitive neck: skip any head position that causes tingling or a pinch, and keep every movement small. Never roll your head in full circles or tip it back.
   • Sensitive shoulders: keep both shoulders relaxed and level.
   • Feeling dizzy: stop and breathe normally.
3. 9

   Wall calf stretch

   1 minStanding

   

   Hold the wall. Heels stay down. About 4 slow breaths each leg.

   1. Stand facing a wall an arm's length away. Place both hands on it at shoulder height.
   2. Step your right foot back about 1 stride. Keep both heels on the floor and toes pointing forward.
   3. Bend your left knee a little. Keep your right leg long with a soft knee.
   4. Breathe out and lean your hips gently toward the wall until you feel a stretch in the right calf.
   5. Hold for 4 slow breaths. Step back in and switch legs.

   Easier

   Take a shorter stride and lean less.

   Seated version

   Sit tall near the front edge of a chair. Slide your right heel forward, toes up, and hinge forward a little from the hips. Hold 4 breaths, then switch.

   Take care

   • Balance: keep both hands on the wall and wear non-slip shoes.
   • Sensitive knees: keep the front knee soft.
   • Low bone density: lean only as far as feels easy.