Not running or swimming —- this cardio workout boosts your metabolism and targets your abs

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Indoor walking workouts have never been top of my list — I prefer to get outside twice a day with my energetic (read: feral) cocker spaniel in tow. However, I recently added walking workouts to my routine as a way to boost my cardio between meetings, or as a quick workout to do from home as my baby naps. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed these workouts — a way to increase my daily step count, without leaving the house.

Walking workouts are an effective way to raise your heart rate, boost your metabolic rate, and burn calories. They have far less impact than running workouts, and unlike swimming and cycling, you don’t need to leave your home and head to a pool, or invest in extra equipment.

As a reminder, if you’re new to exercise, or you’re returning to exercise following an injury or pregnancy, it’s always a good idea to check with a doctor or personal trainer before trying anything new.

What is the workout?

This walking workout from Rick Bhullar, from the Get Fit with Rick channel on YouTube, combines boxing and standing ab exercises with walking steps to raise your heart rate and target your arm and ab muscles as well as your legs. It’s a full-body workout, but it’s only 15 minutes long, so you’ll be able to do it on your lunch break, and you don’t need any additional equipment.

Like Rick’s other workouts, the screen has a step counter, so if you keep pace with Rick, you’ll be able to see exactly how many steps you’ve taken.

You can follow along with Rick in real time, and unlike other instructors, he jumps right into the workout. His commentary is easy to follow and extremely motivating, and the steps and sequences change throughout, so you don’t have time to get bored.

As mentioned, you can put your weights to one side for this workout, however, you might want to wear one of the best fitness trackers if you want accurate data on your step count and calories burned. I completed the workout in my socks on the carpet, but if you’re doing this on hard floors or taking it outside, you might want to wear a comfortable pair of running shoes.

Fun Standing Boxing Abs Workout 🥊 - YouTube

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I tried this standing boxing abs workout — here’s what happened

I jumped up from my desk between meetings and gave this workout a go. Here’s what I learned:

It worked my abs harder than expected

Unlike other walking workouts, this one has the double-whammy of boxing moves and standing ab exercises. As Rick explains, you’re not aiming for perfect boxing techniques here, but the extra jabs and punches force you to keep your abs engaged throughout the workout and target your upper body muscles.

I wasn’t expecting to work my abs as hard as I did during this workout, but the standing crunches forced me to engage my core, especially during the faster pace sections. Far from being the easy option, standing ab exercises are a great way to mix up your ab routines, as you’ll find you’re working different muscles than you would during sit-ups and planks.

I walked 0.8 miles without leaving my office

I wore my Apple Watch 10 during this workout and found that I walked 0.8 miles in 15 minutes. It’s difficult to know how many steps this is, as Apple doesn’t record steps during individual workouts, but it’s slightly slower than my usual walking pace, although I don’t normally jab and crunch as I walk.

When it comes to the accuracy of fitness trackers during indoor walking workouts, it’s important to remember that most trackers measure steps by the swing of your arms. If, like in this workout, you’re not moving your arms as you usually would when walking, the numbers might be off.

Instead of focusing on my steps, I kept an eye on my heart rate, which stayed around 99 beats per minute, which is in my easy range, or zone one. This is perfect as a form of active recovery after a harder running workout the day before, but this aerobic training also helps build endurance and burn fat.

I was left feeling energized

I loved this workout and was left feeling energized, with a smile on my face. I loved the combination of steps and boxing punches, and although I’m sure I fumbled through most of the steps, I really did find it fun. Rick’s laid-back attitude to fitness is refreshing, and this is a workout I’ll definitely be repeating.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.