4 Unique Ways to Get Your 10,000 Steps Into Your Day

Part of reaching your health and fitness goals is literally putting one foot in front of the other… again and again and again.

Perhaps you are one of those people who are active outside of the office? Be aware that sitting for extended periods of time isn’t great even for people who exercise on the regular. That’s partially because long bouts of inactivity inhibit the flow of blood and nutrients to your muscles between exercise sessions, explains Jason Raynor, C.S.C.S., a Nike Master Trainer with the Spa at JW Marriott Chicago. Performing regular activity like walking throughout the day, however, can help your muscles recover and reduce exercise-induced inflammation, Raynor says..

Why Take 10,000 Steps a Day?

“There’s nothing magical about the 10,000 number,” Dr. Campbell says. “The number came from pedometers sold in Japan in the 1960s. They were marketed under the name ‘manpo-kei,’ which translates to ‘10,000 steps meter.’ The 10,000 step count then just kind of caught on since then.” Now there are daily challenges with fitbit, ifit, Stepbet, and Map-my-Walk, and new ones every week to participate in. What do you do if your daily routine has gone off course and you need more steps but are short on time?

I'm going to highlight 4 of the dance routines from YOUv2, a program within Beachbody's Fitness Program Selection that are basic enough for beginners and can come in handy when the weather outside is frightful -

Show of hands — who loves awesome party songs from the ’80s and ’90s? Another show of hands — who loves to dance and groove instead of going to the gym? Or even thinking about the gym? There are 4 cardio-dance routines and 2 body-sculpting workouts, each one set to a different hit song you’ll totally know. Leandro takes you step-by-step, move-by-move, until you’ve learned the whole routine. Then, everyone lets loose and has some booty-shakin’ fun.  

Music that makes you wanna move!

Oh, yeah. In each 30-minute workout, you’ll get your groove on to timeless party tunes. Here are the workouts, with incredible songs you know and love.

There's also a kids option!

The step count for the 4 cardio dance routines are as follows:

#1. MOVE YOUR BODY – 3,247 steps. Get ready to shimmy, shake, and strike a pose to “Let’s Get Loud,” originally recorded by Jennifer Lopez.

#2. WORK IT. SHAKE IT! – 3, 517 steps. Put your hardworking attitude into every move of this disco-themed routine as you groove to “She Works Hard For The Money,” originally recorded by Donna Summer.

#3. ROCK IT OUT! –  3,091 steps. Grab your air guitar, let out that inner rockstar, and dance it out to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” originally recorded by Pat Benatar.

#4. SWEAT SENSATION – 3,048 steps. It’s time for you to shine and party like it’s 1991 to “Good Vibrations,” originally recorded by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

YOUv2 is available to stream on Beachbody On Demand, our streaming platform that you can access anywhere you have an internet connection. Or you can download the Beachbody On Demand app for your Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV. There’s also an app for smartphones and tablets, and it’s available on DVD too: !

With all the technology and machinery available to move us around with the least amount of effort, it’s easy to get in the “why walk?” mindset. We’re not saying you need to pull a Forrest Gump and traverse the U.S. on foot, but you’ll be surprised at how fast you’ll hit your daily goal (whatever it is) when you use your feet for what they were meant to do!