What is Walking Yoga?

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What is Walking Yoga?

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Walking yoga: What is it and does it really work?

May 28, 2026 | 4 min. read By Brooks Staff

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get moving, especially if you’re tight on time and can’t fit in an entire workout.

Walking to where you need to be instead of a quick drive can help get your heart rate up, your blood pumping, and help to improve your overall health, and is an easy and sustainable way to incorporate healthier living into your daily routine.

Now, you can ‘power up’ your walks by incorporating yoga positions. The latest trend of walking yoga combines the two most popular forms of low-impact workouts, making it accessible for anyone to get involved in. It blends the mindful practices of yoga with being outdoors and being more connected with nature.

But what does walking yoga actually entail – and does it work? We go through the basics, how you can get started and the benefits it brings.

The concept of combining walking with yoga isn’t a new one. It’s been around for a few years, recently picking up traction and becoming the latest trend that walkers and yoga enthusiasts alike are adding to their weekly workout routines.

At its core, walking yoga combines the mindful and deliberate breathing techniques during walks, in order to ground yourself and remain focused. It acts as a form of meditation when your mind may otherwise start to wander during walks, allowing you to enjoy the mental benefits of walking, as well as the physical.

Taking breaks every so often along your walk to stretch provides the additional benefits of yoga, allowing you to work muscles you otherwise wouldn’t in a run.

Benefits of walking yoga

The best part of walking yoga is you experience the benefits of both walking and yoga. The mindful breathing and deliberate steps can help to reduce stress and anxiety by lowering blood pressure, while the physical benefits of walking can improve your overall heart health.

Other benefits include:

Improved posture
Incorporating yoga principles encourages you to think carefully about your posture, while walking can help to strengthen muscles to assist with better form while running.
Cardiovascular health
Moving around and working out helps to improve your cardiovascular health by strengthening your heart and improving your blood circulation, which is hugely helpful when running longer distances. It can also help to manage weight and cholesterol, further boosting your heart health.
Strong muscles
Both walking and yoga stretches can help to strengthen your muscles by working out the muscles. Techniques such as heel-to-toe walking can strengthen your ankles, calves, and your core muscles, helping you run quicker in shorter sprints and improving your stamina during longer marathon-level distances.

How to do walking yoga

Find a walking route that works for you, choosing one that you can complete quite easily, with space to pause and practice a yoga pose. When you start walking, ensure that you’re mentally focused and present (this means leaving headphones at home). Think carefully about your breathing, feeling the ground beneath your feet, and taking in your surroundings.

You could also synchronize your breath with each step you take or counting your breath.

After walking for a short period of time, find a space to pause and complete a simple yoga pose, like warrior pose and tree pose.

How to do warrior pose

Stand straight up with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms in a neutral position by your side
Take a large step forward with your right leg, as if you’re completing a lunge, turning your right foot in by around 15 degrees, and your left foot out by 90 degrees
Turn your body to the left, so you’re facing the same direction as your left foot
Breathe in and reach up with your arms, keeping them parallel to the floor
Breathe our while bending your right knee so your right thigh is parallel to the floor, making sure that your knee doesn’t extend further than your ankle
After completing a few deep breaths, return to your neutral position and repeat on the other side

How to do tree pose

Stand straight up with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms in a neutral position by your side
Balancing firmly on your left leg, lift your right leg and bend at the knee
Place your right foot against the inside of your left thigh, ensuring that your toes are facing downwards
Join your palms together at your chest – like in a prayer – before lifting your arms above your head until your arms are stretched upwards, still in the prayer position
Hold the position while breathing deeply, allowing you to feel the stretch
Return to your neutral position and repeat on the other side

You should also ensure that you’re comfortable. This includes choosing the right walking shoes and the right outfit. Comfortable leggings and a loose t-shirt are ideal for walking yoga.

Take your time with your walk and your yoga poses, allowing yourself to think deeply and mindfully. Practicing walking yoga 3-4 times a week ensures that you’ll start seeing the benefits mentally, physically and while running.