Many malls open their doors to walkers before the shops open. That is the plain answer to where you walk when it is pouring or the sidewalks are icy.
An indoor walk keeps the habit going when the weather says stay home.
How mall walking works
Most indoor malls are warm, dry, flat buildings with seating and restrooms. That is why it suits many walkers.
A 2015 review appeared in Preventing Chronic Disease, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the US federal public health agency). Researchers found 254 articles on mall walking and studied the 32 that fit their criteria.
Their finding: malls offered safe, accessible and affordable places to exercise for middle-aged and older adults.
Some programs start before the shops open.
The review reports that some walking programs ran before mall business hours, as early as 7:00 AM, two to five days a week. Some malls opened for walkers for one to four hours a day.
Programs often add a little structure:
- A program leader
- Blood pressure checks
- Warm-up exercises
- Marked routes with distance markers
Leaders, blood pressure checks and warm-ups helped people take part, according to the review. Getting to the mall was one barrier; some walkers had no ride.
How to find a mall walking program near you
Programs are run mall by mall, so ask locally. Details differ from one mall to the next.
Try these three steps:
- Call the mall’s guest services desk and ask whether walkers can come in early, and on which days.
- Ask your local senior center, or your Area Agency on Aging (a county or regional office that connects older adults with local services), whether it runs or knows of a group.
- Ask your doctor’s office or a nearby hospital. The review notes that hospitals and senior centers have been named as possible partners.
Even with no formal program, you can often walk the mall once it opens. Ask first, then go at a quiet hour.
What the research says, and what it does not
The 2015 review calls the research on mall walking limited, with weak study designs. It reports benefits for physical, social and emotional well-being, but cannot say how large they are.
A 2024 study from Chiba University in Japan followed 217,344 users of a shopping mall app.
The results ran in JAMA Network Open. On days when people joined the app’s mall walking program, they took 1,219 more steps than on other days.
Two cautions apply. The program paid out coupons as rewards, and the study shows an association, not proof of cause. Even so, a mall program with a reward may help people walk more.
Other indoor places to walk
Not every town has a walking mall. These options need little or nothing:
- Community centers and senior centers. Many have a gym, a hallway loop or a walking group.
- Indoor tracks. Some recreation centers and schools allow walkers at set times. Call and ask.
- Large stores. A big store has wide aisles and a smooth floor. Go at a quiet hour and keep clear of carts.
- Hallways at home or in your building. A hallway lap is dull but always open.
- A home route. Walk a loop through the rooms you can pass through safely.
If you would rather walk at home on a machine, look for a walking pad with handrails you can hold.
Pick the place you will actually reach in bad weather.
How to make an indoor walk count
This is information, not medical advice. If you have a heart, balance or joint condition, ask your doctor what pace and distance suit you.
You might know the feeling. You pace the hallway, look at the clock and wonder if this even counts.
It does.
The federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans say adults need 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week. Brisk walking is one of their examples.
The guidelines come from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services. For older adults, its page adds that activity lowers the risk of falls and injuries from falls.
A common rule of thumb: at a moderate pace you can talk but not sing. Indoors, keep that pace and add some structure:
- Walk a set number of laps, or a set number of minutes, not “until bored.”
- Wear cushioned shoes. The review notes that mall floors are hard.
- Rest on a bench whenever you want.
- Write each walk down. The printable 4-week walking tracker has a row for each walk.
If you have arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation, a US nonprofit for people with arthritis, offers a self-guided program called Walk With Ease.
Its page describes a self-guided plan with tools to build a walking plan, stay motivated, manage pain and exercise safely. It comes in print and as an audiobook.
A week of indoor walks
This sample week uses five walks. Change the days to fit your life.
| Day | Walk | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 20 minutes | Mall, early opening |
| Tuesday | Rest | None |
| Wednesday | 20 minutes | Community center |
| Thursday | 20 minutes | Hallway or home loop |
| Friday | 20 minutes | Mall or large store |
| Saturday | 20 minutes | Any of the above |
| Sunday | Rest | None |
That is 100 minutes in a week, a fair start. Do not rush to add more. Lengthen each walk by a few minutes every week or two, and only if the last week felt easy.
What an indoor walk cannot give you
Indoor floors are flat and even. They do not practice your balance on a gravel path or a gentle hill, and you do not get daylight or fresh air.
Treat indoor walking as the winter and wet-weather plan, not a full replacement.
When the weather clears, take one walk a week outside if you can. On a dry, cold day, dressing in three layers makes an outdoor walk easier.
You do not need special clothes to begin, and many programs are free or low-cost. Build the week up to five walks of 30 minutes, which makes 150 minutes, the low end of the federal range.