How to do a Walkout
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Walkout
Instructions for Proper Form
Walkouts are a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your core, shoulders, and hamstrings. The exercise involves standing with your feet hip-width apart, bending over to touch the ground, walking your hands forward until you're in a push-up position, and then walking back to the standing position. This is a great exercise for improving strength, stability, and range of motion in your core and upper body.
- Stand upright with your feet hip width apart.
- Drop your hands down to the outsides of your feet and begin walking your hands forward until you’ve created a straight line from shoulders to your heels ending with your hands underneath your shoulders.
- Walk your hands back to your feet and return to an upright position.
Alternative Exercises to Walkout
1. Hip Hinge
13.7 mSCORESWAPPED 472 TIMESHip Hinge is a fundamental movement pattern that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. This is a compound exercise that emphasizes proper form and mechanics which are critical for many other strength training exercises like Deadlifts and Good Mornings. This movement helps improve hip mobility and stability, and is a vital component for building a strong and resilient posterior chain.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 371 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on Romanian Deadlifts. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. The use of dumbbells can help with some limitations in mobility, and is a great starting point for anyone working towards performing Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts with a barbell.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
3. Dumbbell Good Morning
63.8 mSCORESWAPPED 291 TIMESThe Dumbbell Good Morning is a strength exercise that focuses on the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Holding a dumbbell at chest level or placing two dumbbells on the shoulders, you hinge at the hips and lean forward with a straight back, then return to the starting position. This movement emphasizes hip mobility and back strength, improving posture and stability. It's a versatile exercise suitable for all fitness levels, offering a low-impact alternative to enhance lower back and hamstring flexibility and strength.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
4. Bear Crawl
6.1 mSCORESWAPPED 270 TIMESBear Crawl is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the core, shoulders, and legs. By moving on all fours, you engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously while also enhancing coordination and stability. This exercise adds an element of cardio, making it a great way to build endurance and functional strength, with practical benefits for overall body control and movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
5. Leg Swing
12.7 mSCORESWAPPED 251 TIMESLeg Swing is an effective dynamic stretch that primarily targets the hip flexors and hamstrings. This compound exercise involves swinging your leg forward and backward, or side to side, maintaining controlled movement as you progress through the range. It’s an excellent warm-up exercise to improve mobility, flexibility, and coordination, making it easier to prepare for more intense lower body workouts.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
6. Single-Leg Cycles
12.5 mSCORESWAPPED 212 TIMESSingle-Leg Cycles is a core-centric, bodyweight exercise that targets the abdominals and hip flexors. By pedaling your legs in a cycling motion, you maintain continuous tension in these muscle groups. Performing the exercise one leg at a time can help improve coordination and balance, as well as ensure balanced muscle development by addressing any potential imbalances between sides.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
7. Walkout to Push Up
15.4 mSCORESWAPPED 167 TIMESCombines a forward walkout with a push-up, targeting the chest, shoulders, core, and arm muscles. This full-body exercise improves flexibility, stability, and strength, making it perfect for a dynamic warm-up or conditioning.
- Beginner
- Chest
8. Seated Leg Curl
98.8 mSCORESWAPPED 166 TIMESSeated Leg Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. Because a vast majority of lower body exercises tend to be compound movements, this exercise is a great way to isolate the hamstrings for building muscle mass, and developing strength. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability, allowing you to focus on exertion more than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
9. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift
89.2 mSCORESWAPPED 162 TIMESDumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Romanian Deadlift. The use of dumbbells allows for a bit less stability than a barbell variation, while also giving you more freedom in your range of motion. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to improve or work towards Romanian Deadlifts.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
10. Lunge to Hamstring Stretch
5.2 mSCORESWAPPED 152 TIMESLunge to Hamstring Stretch is a dynamic movement that combines a standard Lunge with a Hamstring Stretch. This compound exercise primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. By transitioning from a forward lunge into a hamstring stretch, you enhance flexibility while also promoting strength and stability. It's an excellent addition to warm-up routines to improve mobility and prepare your lower body for more intense exercises.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings