Course description

Walking is one of the simplest ways to become more active, and you can start from your own front door. This course takes you from short, gentle strolls to regular brisk walks, at your own pace, following the physical activity guidance from the NHS and the UK Chief Medical Officers. When you're ready, it adds hills, stairs, interval walks and Nordic walking with poles.

It's written for adults who haven't been active for a while, for beginners of any age and for older people. It's practical and gentle: you start with 10 easy minutes, learn to judge your effort with the talking check, and build up gradually over 12 weeks to 150 brisk minutes a week, the weekly guideline for moderate activity. Safety comes first, with clear advice on when to talk to your GP and the warning signs that mean stop.

There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons, each with a worked example and a short practical task. You follow Vera, who started walking at 59 in Redcar after years of driving short trips, through her first months of walking, including the weeks that went wrong. Every section has a practice pack with a worksheet and example answers, plus a safety card, a walking log spreadsheet, a kit checklist, technique and effort cards, the full 12-week plan with a page for each week, a route planner, a countryside card and progress review sheets.

What you'll learn

• Getting started safely: why walking is good for you, what the UK physical activity guidelines say in plain words, when to talk to your GP first, the warning signs that mean stop, your starting point and goals you can keep.
• Footwear, clothing and kit: choosing walking shoes that fit, socks and blisters, caring for your feet, dressing in layers and the few small things worth carrying.
• Walking technique: walking tall, heel to toe, a natural stride, arm swing, breathing and rhythm, and easing in and out of every walk.
• Brisk walking and how hard to work: the talking check, three effort levels, counting your active minutes, and phone step counts and the 10,000 steps idea.
• The 12-week walking plan: from five easy 10-minute walks a week to 150 brisk minutes a week, changing one thing at a time, with what to do when a week goes wrong.
• Hills, stairs, intervals and Nordic walking: walking up and down slopes, using steps and stairs, interval walking, and what Nordic walking is and how to start.
• Walking with health conditions: arthritis and joint pain, back pain, diabetes, heart and lung conditions, weight and low mood, and working with your health team.
• Where to walk and staying safe: towns and parks, the Countryside Code, rights of way and access in each UK nation, maps and route planning, weather, dark evenings and walking alone.
• Walking with others and keeping going: health walks, groups and buddies, motivation and habits, walking with children and older relatives, mobility aids and tracking your progress.
• Final project: your own personal 12-week walking plan and log, with routes, backup plans and review dates.

Who it's for

Adults in the UK who want to walk more for their health and fitness: people who haven't been active for a while, beginners, older people, and people with a health condition who have been told walking could help. You need comfortable, supportive shoes and the clothes you already have.

What this course is, and isn't

This course gives general information about walking for health, based on NHS and UK Chief Medical Officers' guidance. It isn't medical advice or a treatment for any condition: if you have a health condition or symptoms that worry you, talk to your GP. It doesn't promise weight loss or any particular result, and it doesn't recommend any brands, shops or apps. Everything you need is in the lessons and the practice packs.

What will I learn?

• Explain what the UK physical activity guidelines say about walking, and how brisk walking counts towards 150 minutes a week
• Know when to talk to your GP before walking more, and the warning signs that mean stop or call 999
• Choose walking shoes that fit, look after your feet, and dress in layers for UK weather
• Walk with good posture, a natural stride, an active arm swing and steady breathing, easing in and out of every walk
• Judge your effort with the talking check, and count your brisk minutes week by week
• Follow a gradual 12-week plan from five easy 10-minute walks a week up to 150 brisk minutes a week, and handle missed walks and setbacks
• Add hills, stairs, interval walks and Nordic walking safely when you're ready
• Walk sensibly with arthritis, back pain, diabetes, heart or lung conditions or low mood, working with your health team
• Plan routes, follow the Countryside Code and the access rules in each UK nation, and stay safe in all weathers and on your own
• Build your own personal 12-week walking plan and log, with routes, backups and review dates

Frequently asked questions