The 6-6-6 walking routine specifies a six-minute warm-up where you walk at a slower pace before hitting your full stride and a six-minute cool-down period of stretching.

“Warming up and cooling down are essential – and often overlooked – parts of exercise,” says Mari-Carmen Sanchez-Morris, personal trainer and founder of Fit Mama. “A warm-up gets your body prepped for exercise by gradually increasing your heart rate and blood flow to your muscles. This boosts oxygen delivery, making your muscles more elastic and ready to perform while also loosening your joints, giving you a greater range of motion.”

Stretching post-workout is also key, says Sanchez-Morris: “[Regular cool-downs will help you to] maintain flexibility, reduce muscle tightness and help circulation to aid recovery. Not only this, but cooling down gives you a chance to mentally decompress.” When asked about walking-specific stretches, Sanchez-Morris recommends anything that targets the calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes and hip flexors – ideally holding each for 30 seconds.

“I tried the 6-6-6 walking challenge for 2 weeks – this is why I plan to keep it going throughout spring”