Can You Combine Walking and Lifting in the Same Week?

Yes—you can combine walking and lifting in the same week, and you don’t need to do them in separate training blocks. For generally healthy adults, a practical starting point is two strength sessions and several brisk walks spread across the week. Keep the plan manageable, then add time or effort gradually if you’re recovering well.

A practical weekly example

This schedule reaches 150 minutes of brisk walking and includes two strength sessions. The CDC recommends adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days each week. Your brisk pace should feel purposeful; if it feels easy, it may not count as moderate intensity for you. CDC adult activity guidelines

The optional Thursday walk is extra, not required to reach 150 minutes. A full-body strength session can include movements for your legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms—for example, squats or sit-to-stands, a hip hinge, a row, a push-up variation, and a carry or core exercise. Choose versions you can do with controlled form; equipment and experience will shape the exact exercises.

Same day or separate days?

Either can work. Separate days if you prefer a clearer recovery day between lifting sessions, or combine a short walk and lifting session when your schedule is tight. If walking first leaves you tired for lower-body lifting, lift first or take the walk later. For a casual, easy walk, there’s usually less reason to treat it like a demanding workout; let your energy and goals guide the order.

Research on combined aerobic and strength training looks at varied activities and training plans, so it doesn’t prescribe one ideal weekly schedule for everyone. A practical approach is to start with a repeatable amount of each, then adjust if your strength sessions feel consistently harder or you’re not recovering between them. Systematic review and meta-analysis

Make the plan fit real life

If you’re new to either activity, begin below the example—perhaps two shorter walks and one manageable strength session—and build gradually. If you already walk regularly, keep those walks and add two lifting days before increasing everything at once. Short walks can be split across the day; consistency matters more than having a perfect calendar.

Walking with someone can make a routine easier to stick with. If you’d like to meet nearby people who enjoy walking or lifting, Actively helps adults connect through shared activity interests, mutual matching, and chat. It’s a way to find workout partners and active friends—not a coaching or workout-tracking service.