Week 5
Walk for flexibility
Your focus this week
Combining stretching with your regular walks can make other activities easier. There is a freedom in the ability to move without discomfort.
Weekly challenge
Check if your flexibility is equal on both sides of your body. If not, then have an extra stretch on the less flexible side.
Plan support
Have a question about your plan. Reach out to the walking team at walking@heartfoundation.org.au
Week 5 of your Personal Walking Plan
It’s the second-last week of your challenge. Can you believe you’ve come this far?
This week is about building on the gains you’ve made. You’ll be building up your walk to 45 minutes, and adding an extra walk.
Here’s what you’ll be doing in Week 5:
| Week 5 | |
|---|---|
| Number of walks | 5 |
| Duration | 45 minutes per walk + stretching |
| Intensity | Moderate (5/10) |
| Number of strength sessions | 2 |
Short on time?
You can break your walks into smaller chunks throughout the day – for example, you could complete 1 x 20-minute walk and 1 x 25-minute walk to give you a total of 45 minutes.
Stretching exercises
Continue with the same stretching routine from last week. Are you feeling any different? Do your muscles feel more relaxed? Can you stretch more deeply? These are all signs that your stretching routine is already paying off.
Need a refresher? Here’s our how-to video again:
Strength exercises
By now, your body might be getting used to doing the same strength sessions every week. It’s time to add a bit of extra load if you can: try gradually increasing the number of reps or sets you’re doing for each exercise.
Here’s a reminder of some of the combinations you can try:
- Beginner = 1 set of 6–10 reps
- Intermediate = 2 sets of 10-15 reps
- Advanced = 3 sets of 10–15 reps
Watch our how-to video:
Download and print off your weekly Program Card, Stretch Card and Strength Card to keep track of your progress.
Remember, if you experience any chest pain, have difficulty breathing or become unwell during any physical activity, stop and seek advice from your doctor or health care team.
Share your walks with us
Join our Facebook group and upload a selfie during your walk. Let us know what you're listening to, how the program's going, what you love most about walking.
