Gentle Pace guide
How to start walking for exercise: a gentle 6-week beginner's plan
Start with a short, easy walk most days, around 10 minutes, and add a few minutes each week until you reach about 30 minutes of brisk walking on five days. Brisk means you can still talk but couldn't sing. Build up slowly, take rest days when your body asks for them, and count every walk: consistency matters far more than speed or distance.
Why walking is a good place to start
Walking needs no kit beyond comfortable shoes, no gym and no skill, and you can do it almost anywhere. It's easy to scale: a slow stroll on a tired day, a brisk loop of the park on a good one. UK guidelines suggest adults aim for around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and brisk walking counts towards it. That's 30 minutes on five days, but any amount is better than none, and short walks add up.
How brisk is brisk?
You don't need a heart-rate monitor. The simple "talk test" works well:
| Pace | How it feels | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | You could sing | Warming up, rest days, recovery |
| Brisk | You can talk in sentences, but not sing | Most of your walks once you've built up |
| Hard | Only a few words at a time | Short bursts, such as a hill, if you want them |
A 1 to 10 effort scale is another handy check: brisk walking usually feels around 4 to 6, and an easy stroll 2 or 3.
A gentle 6-week plan
This plan builds from short, easy walks to the 150-minute mark. If a week feels too much, repeat it. There's no prize for finishing in six weeks rather than ten.
| Week | Walks | Each walk | Weekly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 days | 10 minutes, easy | 50 min |
| 2 | 5 days | 15 minutes, easy to brisk | 75 min |
| 3 | 5 days | 20 minutes, mostly brisk | 100 min |
| 4 | 5 days | 20 minutes brisk, one walk of 30 | 110 min |
| 5 | 5 days | 25 minutes brisk | 125 min |
| 6 | 5 days | 30 minutes brisk | 150 min |
Start and finish each walk with a few minutes at an easy pace. Two rest or very easy days a week are part of the plan, not a failure of it.
Fitting walks into your day
- Split it up. Three 10-minute walks count just as well as one 30-minute walk.
- Attach it to something you already do: after lunch, after dropping the children at school, or getting off the bus a stop early.
- Walk and talk. Take phone calls on foot, or turn a coffee with a friend into a walk.
- Have a bad-weather plan: a shopping centre, stairs at home, or simply a shorter walk.
Why rest days matter
Many people quit a new habit after one missed day, because the streak is broken and it feels like starting over. Rest is part of getting fitter: your body adapts in the time between walks. Some days you'll be tired, sore, busy or low, and a rest day or a short, easy stroll is the right call. What matters is coming back the next day.
Tracking your walks with Gentle Pace
Gentle Pace is built around that idea: it rewards showing up, and treats rest as part of the plan.
- One-tap walks. On the Today screen, tap I walked today and pick the minutes. Or start a timed Gentle walk of 10, 20 or 30 minutes, with optional spoken cues at the start, halfway and near the end. Keep the screen open; the time is worked out from the clock, so a locked phone won't lose minutes.
- Log anything else with Log activity: over 20 types, from running and cycling to yoga, gardening and tai chi, with minutes, effort from 1 to 10 and how it felt.
- A morning check-in. Four quick taps on sleep, soreness, mood and energy, and Pip, your companion, suggests rest, recovery or a day in the zone.
- Your Activity Path. Each activity earns points (minutes × effort). Your path is a personal band worked out from your last 30 days, so it grows with you. The Path tab colours each day by where it landed.
- A streak rest never breaks. If Pip suggested rest and you rested, your gentle streak keeps going.
Gentle Pace is free, with no account, and everything stays in your browser. You can back up to a file or export a CSV any time.
Common mistakes
- Doing too much in week one. Sore shins and blisters stop more beginners than boredom does.
- Waiting for the "right" time. A 10-minute walk now beats a 45-minute walk you never take.
- Ignoring your shoes. Comfortable, supportive footwear makes a real difference.
- Treating a missed day as the end. Just walk tomorrow.
Questions
How long should a beginner walk for?
Around 10 minutes at an easy pace is a good start. Add a few minutes each week until you can walk briskly for about 30 minutes on most days.
How many minutes of walking a week is recommended?
UK guidelines suggest adults aim for around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking. You can build up to it gradually, and any amount is better than none.
How fast is brisk walking?
Fast enough that you can talk but couldn't sing. For many people that's around 5 to 6 km an hour, but going by feel is more useful than a number.
Do short walks count?
Yes. Several short walks across the day add up, and they're often easier to fit in than one long walk.
Should I walk every day?
You can, as long as you feel well. Most plans include one or two rest or very easy days, especially while you're building up. Listen to your body and see a doctor if pain persists.
Is Gentle Pace free?
Yes. It's free, needs no account and keeps every activity and check-in only in your browser. You can back up to a file or export a CSV.