10-Minute Walking Pad Workout blog cover.

10-Minute Walking Pad Workout (10-Minute At Home Walking Workout)

If you’ve been curious about walking pads but aren’t sure where to start, this 10-minute walking pad workout is the perfect way to ease in. Whether you’re squeezing in movement during nap time, work breaks, or while catching up on your favorite podcast, this low-impact workout is quick, energizing, and totally doable—no gym required.

And the best part? You’ll be incorporating light wrist bangles or ankle weights on the wrists to tone, sculpt, and strengthen your upper body—while boosting your heart rate and shredding fat at the same time.

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Why Try a Walking Pad Workout?

Walking pads are compact, quiet, and easy to use in small spaces. They’re a favorite among busy women, moms, and remote workers because they allow you to get your steps in without leaving the house. This 10-minute walking pad workout for beginners is ideal for those looking to move more consistently without committing to a full treadmill setup.

And unlike a typical walk, this routine adds upper body sculpting moves using 2–3 lb wrist weights to target your arms, shoulders, and back while you walk—doubling the impact in just 10 minutes.

Pilatesbody by Kayla walking pad workout.

The Benefits of Walking: Why It’s One of the Best Forms of Exercise

Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise—especially for women who are short on time, overwhelmed by complex fitness routines, or recovering from burnout. Here’s why it deserves a place in your routine:

Boosts mood and reduces stress: Just 10–20 minutes of walking can help reduce cortisol levels and release feel-good endorphins.
Improves cardiovascular health: Regular walking supports heart health, lowers blood pressure, and helps regulate cholesterol levels.
Supports weight loss and fat burn: Especially when paired with upper body resistance using wrist weights, walking becomes a total-body fat-burning activity.
Low-impact and joint-friendly: Unlike running or HIIT, walking is gentle on the knees and hips, making it sustainable for long-term fitness goals.

According to Better Health Channel, even just 30 minutes of walking each day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. When you add sculpting moves with resistance, you build lean muscle and increase metabolic demand—all from the comfort of your home.

Walking Pads Make Daily Steps Achievable—Even on Busy Days

You’ve probably heard the advice to aim for 10,000 steps a day—but if you’re working from home or juggling mom life, that number can feel impossible. Personally I have stepped away from focusing on steps and tracking miles. Either way whatever your goal is, steps, time, miles, walking pads can help you achieve it.

Using a walking pad for just 10–20 minutes a day, especially when adding upper body moves with wrist weights, makes every step more powerful.

According to ACE Fitness, walking pads can be a highly effective way to increase daily movement, improve posture, and reduce the health risks associated with prolonged sitting. They’re ideal for multitaskers—letting you stay active while answering emails, watching the kids, or even attending a virtual meeting.

Here’s what consistent walking with added resistance can help you achieve:

Higher calorie burn and elevated heart rate
More toned arms, shoulders, and back
Better posture from active core and shoulder engagement
A sense of momentum and accomplishment—even on the busiest days

Is a walking pad as good as a treadmill?

It depends on your goals—but for most people focused on daily movement, walking pads are just as effective as treadmills.

Here’s a side-by-side breakdown to help you choose:

Feature	Walking Pad	Treadmill
Size & Portability	Compact, lightweight, easy to store under a desk or couch	Larger, bulkier—usually requires a dedicated space
Noise Level	Quiet—ideal for apartments or shared spaces	Louder motor and belt, may disturb others
Speed & Intensity	Typically tops out around 4 mph (walking pace)	Can support high speeds and incline for running
Price	Budget-friendly ($100–$500 range)	Bigger investment ($700 and up for quality models)
Purpose	Best for walking, light cardio, multitasking	Better for running, interval training, or higher intensity

According to the Cleveland Clinic, walking pads are a smart solution for anyone looking to increase daily steps and decrease sedentary time—especially if you’re working from home or in a small space.

Why choose a walking pad:

You’re focused on low-impact cardio, step goals, or movement throughout the workday
You live in a small space or apartment
You want to walk while working at a desk
You prefer quiet workouts without disturbing others

Why choose a treadmill:

You’re training for running or high-intensity intervals
You want incline features to add more challenge
You have dedicated space for a home gym
You’re looking for a machine with long-term durability at high speeds

Bottom Line:

If your goal is to move more during the day, increase steps, and combine gentle cardio with toning—a walking pad is a fantastic, space-saving, budget-friendly choice. But if you love running or need high performance for intense cardio sessions, a traditional treadmill might be the better investment.

Shop My Favorites: Walking Pad vs. Treadmill

Ready to invest in your movement routine but not sure which one is right for you? Here are my top picks for both walking pads and treadmills—whether you’re carving out space in your living room or building a full home gym.

Best Walking Pads for Small Spaces

These are ideal if you’re working from home, short on space, or just want a quiet, low-impact way to stay active daily.

WalkingPad Foldable Treadmill

Sleek, compact, and folds in half to store under your couch or bed.

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REVO 2-in-1 Under Desk Treadmill

Great for walking while working, with a remote and built-in display.

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The best walking pads for staying active indoors.

Abonow Under Desk Treadmill

The best lightweight walking pad on Amazon.

Lightweight and easy to move, adjustable 8% incline and a quiet motor.

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Best Treadmills for Runners & Intense Cardio

If you’re looking for a treadmill that can handle running, incline, and higher speeds—these are strong contenders.

NordicTrack T Series Treadmill

High-end features, incline, and iFIT integration for immersive workouts.

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Sunny Health & Fitness Folding Treadmill

Budget-friendly with incline options and easy fold-up storage.

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Peloton Treadmill

Immersive 24’’ touchscreen with manual and auto incline.

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✨ Tip: If you’re new to walking workouts or want to add upper body toning, pair your walking pad with wrist weights like these for an extra burn.

Walking Pad Workout Plan: How to Stay Consistent

One of the best things about a walking pad workout plan is its flexibility. You don’t need an hour or fancy equipment. With a pair of light wrist weights and a walking pad, you can get in an efficient, full-body burn.

Here’s a simple weekly plan to stay active:

2–3 days/week: Start with 10-minute walking + upper body sculpt workouts
1–2 days/week: Increase to 15–20 minutes or combine with light Pilates or strength
Optional: Add more challenging resistance or increase pace to continue building strength and stamina

What to Expect in This 10-Minute Walking Pad Workout

Even a few minutes a day of targeted movement adds up—especially when you combine cardio and toning in one efficient session.

▶️ Watch the workout on YouTube here.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll do in this quick session:

Warm-Up (1 minute): Slow-paced walk to get your body moving
Main Set (8 minutes): Moderate to fast walking pace + upper body toning intervals using wrist weights—think arm circles, punches, and controlled overhead presses to strengthen and sculpt
Cool-Down (1 minute): Gentle pace to lower heart rate and stretch

This workout turns your walk into a full-body workout without feeling overwhelming. You’ll:

Boost your heart rate with purposeful arm movements
Sculpt your shoulders, triceps, and upper back
Burn more calories in less time—all while staying low impact

10-Minute At-Home Walking Pad Workout

Level up your walking game with this 10-Minute Walking Pad Workout! We’ll use 1-minute intervals and wrist-worn ankle weights to add upper body strengthening while you walk, turning your steps into a full-body burn. It’s quick, effective, and the perfect way to get more out of your walking pad workouts!

Workout Equipment

Wrist Weights and a Walking Pad or Treadmill is all you need for this workout.

* Click here to view all items featured in this workout blog. *

Shop My Folding Walking Pad

This folding walking pad is heavy duty and has a similar feel to a treadmill. It folds in half for space saving and easy storage. With automatic and manual modes this walking pad goes up to 3.75mph helping you get up to power walking speed.

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Shop My Folding Walking Pad

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Walking Pad Workout Instructions

Follow along with Pilatesbody by Kayla YouTube, led by Certified Pilates Instructor, Kayla Brugger of PILATESBODY by Kayla.

Fitness Level: Beginner

Duration: 10 minutes

Overview:

Walking workout at moderate pace
Upper body arm strengthening exercises while walking
1-minute strength intervals

Workout Outline

Power walk
Shoulder press
Tricep press
Arm circles backwards
Arm circles forwards
Power walk
Chest fly
Bicep curl
Lateral raise
Power walk

Prefer to Watch on YouTube?

WALKING PAD WORKOUT

10-Minute Walking Pad Workout

Power Walking

Targets: Legs, glutes, cardiovascular system

How to Do Power Walking

Set your speed between 3.2–4.0mph.
Walk at a face pace while pumping your arms back and forth at your sides.
Continue for 60 seconds.

* For a live demonstration of Power Walking, watch the workout video at the top!

Shoulder Press Exercise

Targets: Shoulders, back

How to Do Shoulder Press

Place 2–3 lb weights on your wrist or hold dumbbells.
Bring your arms into a goal post position.
Exhale, press arms straight up so your biceps are by your ears.
Inhale lower arms back down to a goal post.
Continue for 60 seconds.

* For a live demonstration of the Shoulder Press Exercise, watch the workout video at the top!

Tricep Press Exercise

Targets: Triceps, back

How to Do Tricep Press

Place 2–3 lb weights on your wrist or hold dumbbells.
Bend your elbows as you pull them slightly behind your torso.
As you exhale, press your arms straight back without the elbows changing position while you engage the back of your arm.
Inhale as you begin to bend the elbows back to starting position.
Continue for 60 seconds.

* For a live demonstration of the Tricep Press Exercise, watch the workout video at the top!

Arm Circles Backward Exercise

Targets: Shoulders, back, triceps

How to Do Arm Circles Backward

Place 2–3 lb weights on your wrist or hold dumbbells.
With your right arm straight begin to press it straight back behind you, then up and around to the ceiling and in front of you as you make a full circle.
Repeat with the left arm.
Continue to alternate the arms moving backward in the circle first.
Continue for 60 seconds.

* For a live demonstration of the Arm Circles Backward Exercise, watch the workout video at the top!

Arm Circles Forward Exercise

Targets: Shoulders, back, triceps

How to Do Arm Circles Forward

Place 2–3 lb weights on your wrist or hold dumbbells.
With your right arm straight begin to raise it straight out in front of you, then up to the ceiling and back behind as you make a full circle.
Repeat with the left arm.
Continue to alternate the arms moving forward in the circle first.
Continue for 60 seconds.

* For a live demonstration of the Arms Circles Forward Exercise, watch the workout video at the top!