Your daily walk already gives your core some work, but a few small changes can make your abs and other stabilising muscles work noticeably harder.
As Men’s Health explains, your core helps stabilise your pelvis and torso with every step. Changing the terrain, adding resistance or choosing a steeper route can increase that demand without turning your walk into a dedicated ab session.
Uneven ground and extra weight make your core work harder
Getting off smooth pavement is a good place to start, as trails, woodland paths and other uneven surfaces force your body to keep adjusting as your footing changes. That can increase muscle activity compared with walking on flat, predictable ground.
You can build on that by adding some extra weight. A loaded backpack turns an ordinary walk into a ruck, giving your torso more to control while you maintain your posture. Research into loaded walking has also found changes in abdominal and back muscle activity, particularly when inclines are involved.
If you want to make things harder again, carry a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand for short sections of your walk. The uneven load forces your core to resist being pulled to one side as you move.
Taking your route uphill adds another challenge. Walking on a slope increases the demands on your legs and cardiovascular system, while your torso works to keep you stable. If you are using an inclined treadmill, avoid leaning heavily on the handrails, as that takes some of the work away from your body.
Don’t forget about your walking form
The way you carry yourself can make a difference as well. Instead of constantly sucking in your stomach or aggressively bracing your abs, focus on controlled breathing and a comfortable upright posture as you walk.
Even with all of these tweaks, walking should not replace dedicated core training. Your abdominal muscles are active with every step, but resistance exercises provide a much stronger stimulus if building strength or muscle is the goal.
That said, trails, hills and the occasional loaded carry can make a walk you were already planning work a little harder for your core.