10-Minute Indoor Walking Workout With Denise Austin

This video is part of the 30-Day Couch-to-Fit Challenge designed to help you improve strength, cardio, balance and flexibility. Start the challenge here: aarp.org/CouchToFit

Try this easy walking workout with fitness expert Denise Austin in your own home to burn calories and work on your cardiovascular system.

Key takeaways

• Boost your heart health in just 10 minutes with Denise Austin’s indoor walking workout.
• Follow Denise’s easy cues for joint-friendly moves that energize every major muscle group.
• Make exercise a daily habit — enjoy better sleep, reduced stress and improved circulation at home.

Summary

Indoor walking workouts are an incredibly effective way to boost your heart health, burn calories and stay active — right from the comfort of your own home. Fitness expert Denise Austin guides you through a 10-minute indoor walking workout designed to be gentle on your joints while still giving your cardiovascular system a powerful boost. By focusing on simple movements like marching in place, pumping your arms and practicing good posture, you’ll engage every major muscle group, increase energy and improve circulation, all with minimal space required.

Taking just 10 minutes a day to move can help lower stress, support your immune system, and even improve your sleep. Denise Austin’s approach makes it easy for people of all fitness levels to get started, with clear cues to breathe deeply, stand tall, and enjoy the movement. Indoor walking workouts are perfect for anyone looking to make exercise a consistent part of their daily routine, proving that you don’t need a gym to reap big benefits for your body and mind.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full Transcript:

[00:00:00] [AARP’s Get Moving! Wherever You Are] [10-Minute Indoor Walking Workout with Fitness Expert Denise Austin]

[00:00:06] >>Denise Austin: Welcome everybody, I’m Denise Austin. And today we’re moving from home with a 10-minute easy

[00:00:13] indoor walking workout. Let’s begin. Take a nice deep breath. Bring in the oxygen,

[00:00:19] and exhale out any stress. This exercise is for you,

[00:00:25] to exercise and move in your own home. Let’s get started with a good pump of the arms.

[00:00:31] Let’s go. We are gonna burn calories, burn some fat, and work on our cardiovascular system with our

[00:00:37] 10-minute easy walk workout. All you have to do right now is begin by marching

[00:00:42] in place. Every step matters. Smile. You’re gonna feel better.

[00:00:48] Just get your heart rate up. Feeling good. That’s it. And now let’s work those arms.

[00:00:54] Take them forward and back. Stretch it out. That’s it, forward and back.

[00:00:59] Warming up. Inhale and exhale. Beautiful. That’s it.

[00:01:05] One more good deep breath, inhale and exhale. And let’s stretch to the side. Side to side.

[00:01:12] OK, are you ready to do your very best? Just give it a try, because you are worth it.

[00:01:19] That’s right. Good, side to side. Each step, you want to feel all in your

[00:01:26] thighs, your hips, your buttocks. That’s it. Great.

[00:01:32] And let’s work those arms. The more muscles you use, the more calories you burn.

[00:01:38] Working the whole body, head to toe. That’s right, getting in your low-impact aerobic workout.

[00:01:46] All through walking. Easy on your joints. You can do it.

[00:01:51] You got 2 more. Last one, great. Let’s take it forward and back. Great.

[00:01:58] Forward and back. Work those arms. Target tone those arms too.

[00:02:04] That’s it. Working all our 640 muscles of your body, head to toe.

[00:02:09] Pump those arms. Let me see those beautiful biceps. We got ’em.

[00:02:15] We gotta use them. That’s right, last one. OK, to the other side. Pump it forward.

[00:02:21] Good. Now really think about your triceps on this one. The back of your arms, yes!

[00:02:28] That’s it, great. 2 more just like that.

[00:02:33] Press it out. Last one, great. And now let’s just march in place, and simple arm circles.

[00:02:41] That’s it, but keep those legs going. You can do it. I know you can.

[00:02:47] These are easy moves, but they do help. Circulation is what helps heal your body.

[00:02:53] And bring your arms forward. Great! Chest high, good posture.

[00:02:59] Pull in the abdominals. Take it right back out. Just at the shoulder level.

[00:03:05] That’s it, and now chest presses, great. Just press forward. Using your chest muscles

[00:03:12] helps improve our posture and our upper back. That’s it. Notice the feet are still moving.

[00:03:19] It’s all about nonstop, little cardio here. And if you can get a little lower,

[00:03:25] that burns extra calories. The lower you go, the more muscle cells in your larger muscles —

[00:03:32] hips, thighs and buttocks — work. That’s it. Last one.

[00:03:38] Beautiful, now arms up if you can. Bring your knees towards our chest.

[00:03:43] That’s it. Think good posture. This also works your abdominals, your core muscles.

[00:03:48] Keeping your back strong. Keeping your back straight. Always think good posture. It’s a key to a healthy back.

[00:03:57] Your spine is your lifeline. Keep it healthy. Keep it strong. We got 2 more.

[00:04:03] Last one. OK, inhale and exhale. Now you’re ready.

[00:04:08] Let’s walk it out. Forward and back. That’s it. Forward and back.

[00:04:15] Just use the space you have in your living room. Our goal is to keep moving at home.

[00:04:21] That’s it, great. Walk forward and walk it back.

[00:04:27] Great, keep moving. That’s the whole idea. And if you could use your arms, that’s even better.

[00:04:33] Good, that’s it, keep going. Last one. Let’s go to the other side now,

[00:04:38] forward and back. Good.

[00:04:44] Smile, we’re gonna burn some calories. Work on our whole body from head to toe.

[00:04:50] You got it. You got 2 more. Last one.

[00:04:55] OK, march in place. Pump it up now, really pump it up. We’re ready.

[00:05:00] Get your heart rate up. Beautiful. You got it.

[00:05:05] Now walk it forward and kick it out, and kick it back,

[00:05:11] That’s it. Kick it out, just a little kick. Just do what you can. That’s the whole idea.

[00:05:16] Do what you can. Exercise gives you energy.

[00:05:22] That’s it. Oxygen is flowing. Good for your whole body.

[00:05:27] Good mentally and physically. Walking is the best workout. I love it.

[00:05:33] And you can do it right there in your own home. In your own living room, from mine to yours.

[00:05:38] Let’s all keep healthy, keep our immune system up. That’s right. You got 2 more on this side.

[00:05:45] Last one, good. Let’s move to the other side. Kick it out. You got it. Kick it out.

[00:05:52] Use your legs. Yes, have fun. Exercise is one of the best

[00:05:58] preventative medicines there is. Just makes you feel good. That’s it.

[00:06:04] Also, it helps you sleep better at night. Get in a little walking. So good for you.

[00:06:10] Great. Got 2 more here. Keep moving.

[00:06:16] Last one. Good, now kick it out. Kick it out. Let me see you. Come on, have fun.

[00:06:23] Just kick it out, keep moving. Wonderful. Feeling it up here in the waistline.

[00:06:29] That’s it. You’re lifting through the chest. You’re thinking good posture.

[00:06:35] Your abs are pulled in. That’s it. You’re lifting your chest high.

[00:06:41] That’s it, just kick it out. Just do the best that you can do.

[00:06:47] My workout is for you. Right there in your home. That’s it, 2 more just like that.

[00:06:54] Last one, OK. Walk it out. Just walk it out. Let’s take a deep breath together.

[00:07:01] Bring in the oxygen. And exhale it out. Good.

[00:07:06] One more deep cleansing breath. Bring in happiness, good thoughts. Exhale out

[00:07:12] any stress. No more anxiety, because you’re doing something good for you right now.

[00:07:17] OK, pump it up, great. No we’re gonna do it with a knee up. Walk it forward.

[00:07:22] Knee up. Walk it back. Knee high. That’s it. Just keep moving. You got it.

[00:07:29] You’re burning calories. Getting the heart rate up. Did you know just 10 minutes a day

[00:07:37] works? Yes, it sure does. It makes a difference in your attitude too,

[00:07:43] in how you feel. So let’s stay healthy together. We got 2 more here.

[00:07:49] Get that knee up. Every time you lift your knee, that’s great for the lower tummy. Yes, we all need that.

[00:07:55] Let’s bring it to the other side. You got it. Knee high. Just do the best you can. That’s it.

[00:08:01] Great. Lift that knee. Good.

[00:08:07] Use good posture. No slouching. Come on. We can do it together.

[00:08:13] Last one. Take it forward, and take it back. Now stand right there and lift your knees.

[00:08:19] Lift them high. Beautiful. High. Think posture, lift, think chest high.

[00:08:25] Great. Low impact is easy on your body, easy on your joints,

[00:08:31] and you can do this. Great. And do the other side. Lift high, lift high.

[00:08:37] You can do it. Good. We got 2 more of these. Lift.,

[00:08:43] Last one. OK, walk in place. Inhale and exhale. And walk it

[00:08:49] forward, and walk it back. Good. Walk it side and

[00:08:55] walk it forward. That’s it. Like in a little diagonal. And do the other side. Inhale

[00:09:01] up and exhale back. Good. Beginning now, getting our heart rate to come down

[00:09:07] a little. This is a walk flow. Flow through your walk. Just keep moving.

[00:09:13] Use the space that you have. Doesn’t take that much space, just about 5 feet

[00:09:19] of space. Inhale and exhale. Last side. Inhale

[00:09:25] and exhale. Wonderful. OK, knees up. Think knees high.

[00:09:31] Hold your body upright and take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale.

[00:09:37] Again. Inhale and exhale, and relax to the side.

[00:09:43] Just stretch it out, good. I love to stretch after a great walk

[00:09:49] workout, and it’s all indoors. That’s it. Keeping healthy is

[00:09:55] so important. And exercise, eating right, sleeping well, drinking lots of water,

[00:10:01] staying hydrated, it all helps. That’s right. We love to move

[00:10:07] from home. Yes. We got 2 more of these stretches, and let’s turn to the side.

[00:10:13] Work the waistline, and stretch it out. Beautiful.

[00:10:19] Stretch, and let’s take a deep breath. Inhale and exhale.

[00:10:25] Perfect. See you next time. [AARP Real Possibilities]