The Commute Workout: How Biking or Walking to Work Can Transform Your Fitness

The commute to work is one of the most frustrating parts of the job for most people. After all, who wants to get stuck in a sea of red taillights during the peak hours? We all are familiar with what happens next — you glance at the clock, realize that you’re already late for work, and then your stress levels skyrocket.

Then, there are people who cannot make time for the gym due to a jam-packed schedule or cannot afford pricey gym membership renewals.

While the problems might be far and wide, there is one solution to all of this — commute workouts.

As the name suggests, these workouts involve transforming your daily commute into a training session to achieve your fitness objectives.

To most of us, it makes total sense. You’re already going to go to work anyway, so why not make the journey work for you?

Commute workouts can help you burn a ton of calories, boost your mood, improve your cardiovascular health, help you save money by ditching gas-guzzling cars, and, best of all, boost your focus, which can help you be more productive at work.

In this article, I’ll take you over the benefits of commute workouts and how you can implement them in your routine.

Cardiovascular Health Boost

Physical exercise is incredibly potent for improving heart health. There are numerous heart-health benefits of cardiovascular training, including:

Lower Blood Pressure

Regular physical exercise, like daily commute workouts, can help keep your blood pressure in check.

Workouts like walking and biking can help widen the heart arteries, which can help the blood flow more easily, hence reducing pressure. The best part is that you don’t need high-intensity exercise to attain these benefits. Low-intensity studies state (LISS) cardio can significantly reduce your risk of high blood pressure. (1)

Heart Disease Prevention

Heart disease is one of the biggest concerns among an aging population, and aerobic exercise can help prevent it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity can reduce your risk of heart disease by a whopping 35 percent. (2)

Improved Heart Efficiency & Reduced Risk of Stroke

The thing with heart health is that the more you use it, the more efficient it gets. Daily commute workouts can strengthen the heart, allowing it to pump more blood with each beat.

A brain stroke is a result of a blood flow interruption to the brain. Daily commute workouts can boost blood circulation and strengthen the blood vessels, lowering the risk of strokes significantly.

Enhanced Lung Capacity 

Who doesn’t want improved physical performance to perform better at daily tasks? Commuting exercises improve your lung capacity by increasing your breathing rate and making your lungs work harder to supply oxygen to your muscles.

Mental Well-being and Stress Reduction

Our body and mind are not two separate entities. Physical exercise can lower your stress levels, which can help you excel at work.

The runner’s high is not a myth. Commute workouts can trigger the release of endorphins, which boost your mood and make you feel happier and more relaxed.

As mentioned earlier in the article, being stuck in traffic for extended periods can lead to stress and anger. On the other hand, when you’re cruising down the street and feel the wind in your hair, you’ll feel refreshed and energized.

Studies show that exercising, especially outdoors, can significantly lower stress levels and improve mental clarity. You must also take this time to slow down and appreciate everything around you, from the trees to the concrete jungle that is your city. (3)

I know many people who treat their commute workouts as an escape from the daily grind.

Calorie Burn and Weight Management

Most people start excising to lose the dreaded bulging belly. Commute workouts are a godsend for people who cannot make the time for long gym workouts. Biking or walking to work will also make you feel more productive as you can combine it with other things like making phone calls or listening to audiobooks or podcasts.

A calorie deficit is the holy grail of weight loss, meaning you must shed more calories than you consume to achieve your weight loss goal.

Active commuting helps you burn calories and keep your weight in check. Your exact calorie expenditure will primarily depend on three factors:

• Distance: A 2-mile bike ride will help you burn around 200 calories, while a brisk 5-mile walk could torch close to 350 calories.
• Intensity: Your effort in each workout significantly impacts how many calories you burn. For instance, walking uphill or picking up the pace will lead to greater calorie expenditure.
• Your Body: Individual factors like weight, metabolism, height, gender, and even weather conditions can alter calorie burn rate.

While 200 calories might sound too low, they add up to 1,400 calories a week, which can have a significant effect on your overall physique. This is even better news for people in the maintenance phase.

Ways to maximize calorie expenditure during commute workouts:

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating between bursts of high-intensity training with periods of recovery. In the case of commute workouts, interval training could include sprinting for a block and then walking for the next few miles. This is an excellent way to maximize calorie expenditure.

Another unintimidating way to boost your calorie burn is by picking a different route with varying terrains like hills or uneven roads.

Finally, you can make the workers more challenging by carrying a backpack. Start with a lighter backpack and add to the weight as you gain more experience and get more comfortable.

Gearing Up for the Commute Workout

Now that you know about the benefits of commute workouts, let’s talk about how you can prep for them:

Choosing the Right Bike or Shoes

Bikes and shoes come in all shapes and sizes. Most are built for a specific purpose and accelerate that. Try out different bikes and shoes, depending on your personal preferences and training goals, and buy the one that best suits your needs.

Essential Gear

Safety should be your number one priority when training outside. A helmet is a non-negotiable if you are biking. You must also install lights on the bike and wear reflective clothing, like vests or jackets, to ensure optimum visibility.

Carrying Your Essentials

Let’s not forget that you are commuting for work and you must carry all your work essentials. Choose a backpack that is comfortable, well-ventilated, and distributes the weight evenly.

Cyclists can carry heavier loads by using the right type of panniers. These are bags that can be attached to your bike rack.

Dressing Right

Besides reflective clothing, you must dress in layers that you can easily add or remove, depending on your body temperature, especially if you’ll be traveling long distances. When exercising, avoid cotton and opt for moisture-wicking fabrics that pull sweat away from your skin; these will keep you dry and comfortable.

I highly recommend investing in a quality, waterproof jacket and pants, as a little rain can derail your commute workouts and destroy all your progress.

Furthermore, as the temperature drops, add layers like thermal underwear, a fleece jacket, and gloves to your arsenal. Waterproof gloves are also a great choice for cyclists during cold weather.

Tips To Make the Most of The Commute Workout

Here are the things you must consider:

Start small and focus on your form

Focus on finding a comfortable rhythm on the first day of the week. You don’t want to push yourself too hard on the first day of the program or after a rest day. That said, you must prioritize an optimum training form while performing these exercises to ensure the best results and minimize the possibility of injury.

A rest day is not an excuse to turn into a couch potato. Before going to work or after returning, invest five to 10 minutes in active recovery methods like yoga, stretching, or foam rolling.

Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is the name of the game when it comes to improving your fitness levels. You could take a longer route to work or use HIIT programming, which involves short bursts of all-out effort followed by lower-intensity work.

Furthermore, feel free to knock yourself out on days that you’re feeling too ambitious. Increase the distance intensity or add an extra commute workout to your routine.

Cross-Training

The fifth day of the workout program is reserved for cross-training. You can use it for activities that you enjoy. It could be swimming, hiking, or dancing. However, if you’re not into any of these activities, you can go back to the regular commute workouts.

That said, I would highly recommend that you incorporate at least one day of cross-training as it can help prevent overuse injuries and keep your routine exciting.

Pick the activities you enjoy

Although you are pretty limited by the types of activities you can pick for your commute workouts. You should opt for activities that you enjoy and don’t have to force yourself into. Remember, the less friction you have to encounter, the higher the chances that you will stick to your fitness routine.

If you’re not a fan of biking, you could replace it with a light jog. On the other hand, if you’re not comfortable walking or running to work, you can go biking in all your workouts.

Learn to listen to your body. If a certain exercise feels uncomfortable, replace it with something similar.

While a single commute might not transform your physique, it is the first step toward a healthier and fitter you. Stick to this low-intensity training routine for at least eight to 12 weeks to witness noticeable results.

Like any other fitness regime, you must stay consistence, patient, and dedicated to get the best bang for your buck!

Beginner’s Weekly Commute Workout Plan

Below is a beginner-friendly five-days-a-week workout program that you can implement in your fitness routine:

Day	Activity	Distance/Duration	Intensity
Monday	Commute by Bike	2-3 miles	Easy (conversational pace)
Tuesday	Commute by Foot	1-2 miles	Moderate (you can feel your heart rate elevate)
Wednesday	Rest	–	–
Thursday	Commute by Bike	3-4 miles	Easy to Moderate (increase intensity in short bursts)
Friday	Commute by Foot	2-3 miles	Moderate (maintain a brisk pace)
Saturday	Cross-Training	30-45 minutes	Varies
Sunday	Rest	–	–

Conclusion 

Pedaling to work instead of riding in the car can help you unlock peak performance by boosting your cardiovascular health and calorie expenditure, reducing stress, and boosting your mental well-being.

To be honest, commuter workouts are among the most sustainable and enjoyable ways to improve your fitness levels and achieve your transformation objectives. Plus, they are an incredibly effective way of ditching traffic, saving money, and sculpting your physique at the same time. I highly recommend adopting the beginner commuter workout listed in this article. You could also enlist a personal trainer’s help to tweak it as per your needs or design a personalized fitness routine.

If you have any questions about the commute workout listed in this article or need help implementing them in your workout, please post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Alpsoy Ş. (2020). Exercise and Hypertension. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1228, 153–167. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1792-1_10
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, April 24). Benefits of physical activity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/benefits/index.htm
3. Coventry PA, Brown JE, Pervin J, Brabyn S, Pateman R, Breedvelt J, Gilbody S, Stancliffe R, McEachan R, White PL. Nature-based outdoor activities for mental and physical health: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SSM Popul Health. 2021 Oct 1;16:100934. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100934. PMID: 34646931; PMCID: PMC8498096.

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