Walking Club
The ChickieNob and I have started a walking club. We invited Josh and the Wolvog, but neither saw the appeal of walking in place.
But the ChickieNob and I are indoor kids. We think walking club is our most amazing invention.
It started when I read an article on Jazzercise and looked online to see if I could try out a Jazzercise class before committing to the digital subscription. This led deep into the bowels of YouTube where I discovered that there is a thriving community of people who make videos as they walk, and then other people walk, job, or bike in place, watching them. (Just go on YouTube, put in “virtual walk” + a place you want to go.)
It sounds sad when I describe it like that, but it has become my favourite hour of the day.
We’ve found that you need to watch most of the walking videos on 1.5x or 1.75x speed.
We’ve started with places we’ve already been, reminiscing as we walk down familiar streets. But we’ve started bookmarking places we want to go. Or dozens of videos around a theme—the Scottish Highlands, for example—so we can turn off the sound and listen to an audio book while we walk. We comment on the random people we pass (who have no clue they’ve been captured on video like a fly in amber) or talk about whatever is on our mind; just as we would a walk outside. Except it’s pandemic stress-free because it’s inside. And we’re not freezing. We’re not affected by rain, and we don’t need to be mindful of cars driving beside us. We don’t have to wear a mask. Yet we’re averaging between 5000 – 6000 steps per walk.
Like I said, favourite hour of the day.
I think we’ll keep it up even after the pandemic is over because we get to see the world vs. our neighbourhood over and over and over again. Plus, we’re indoor kids.
9 comments
Thank you!! I’ve spent the last few days trying out free apps (not really free) for virtual runs and hikes for my treadmill. Why didn’t I think of YouTube?!?! I just found great options for today. I’ll use my own playlist and bam! I’ll be running the beaches and hiking mountains!! Thanks!!
OMG–this sounds amazing. My partner does indoor cycling this way, but I did not know there were videos for walking. If you have the time+inclination, could you please link to one? My search for “youtube walking videos” netted me nothing relevant.
So cool! Not sad at all. My husband does something similar while he runs on the treadmill. Also, whatever brings you joy right now.
I watch old episodes of law & order while I walk on my treadmill.. this sounds like a huge upgrade!
That’s a great idea! I do walking videos for exercise when the weather is awful outside, but they get boring after a while. This sounds like more fun!
Itwould be not for me but I can understand how it is cool. I went on a citytrip with a friend last week. Two hours in ourown city walkingbut it felt like a holiday! So here you can walk there too.
When the pandemic was a couple of months old I started walking these kind of videos of walking through museums…I would sit on the couch and weep, fearing I would never see these magical places again. It was heartbreaking and soothing at the same time.
I love your walking club!
That sounds like such fun! I had never considered this or realized it existed. I’m glad you and the ChickieNob are enjoying it.
(I’ve been using a rebounder since the pandemic started and I look like something straight out of the ’80s. One of my favorite instructors is based out of Mexico and does quite a lot of videos outside. Nice to escape to a tropical climate when in reality, we have around 2 feet of snow on the ground…)
“Indoor kids” – I haven’t thought about that before. I think one of my kids maybe an “indoor” kid.
I’ve never heard of virtual walks before!!! This is neat – I checked out a few cities in Russia and nearby countries that I haven’t been to in decades 🙂 So much has changed… My parents have been “visiting” cities they used to live in.
So many places to visit, so little time 🙂