How to Read While Walking

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 25, 2022

We usually read sitting down, at a table or in a comfortable and cozy recliner. Reading while walking is an option that most people ignore. But reading while walking has some benefits in that you can exercise while learning or entertaining yourself, and save yourself a lot of time. Remember, though, wherever you read while walking, be careful, it’s potentially dangerous if you’re not paying attention and are unsafe.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Formulating Your Plan

1
Choose a general location that suits your needs and preferences. There are a number of alternatives. Think about which one is best for you. This way, you'll enjoy read-walking and have a productive time.
- Outside on a sidewalk. This might be a good option if you want to take a relatively slow and short read-walk around your neighborhood.
- Outside on a path or trail in the forest. If you enjoy nature, and have access to a nice path or trail, this will be a good option. Just make sure the path is fairly smooth.
- Inside a mall at a non-busy time of the day. This will work great if it is too cold or rainy outside.
- Inside on a treadmill.^{[1]
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2
Avoid unsafe locations. Unsafe locations are essentially everywhere. These are places with a lot of other people or traffic, or places with obstacles and other potential hazards. The goal here is to have fun or be productive while exercising instead of getting injured, so pick the best location to do that in.
- High traffic places with a lot of cars or bicyclists.
- A place with many other pedestrians. You don’t want to be walking into other people.
- Paths and sidewalks that are dangerous because of obstructions and uneven paving.
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3
Take a dry run. Before jumping on the treadmill or going outside with your book, try practicing at home. This way, you’ll be able to practice reading and walking in a place that you are very familiar with. This will decrease the risk of accidents which could hurt you, because you’ll already know where those walls are and where the furniture is placed.
- Try to figure out a safe pace.
- Experiment with different ways to hold your book.
- Figure out your reaction time in case you come into contact with furniture or people.
4
Know your route like the back of your hand. After you’ve practiced at home, decide on where you’re going to read. If you’re going to read outside, pick a place and walk it without reading a couple times. This’ll help you familiarize yourself with the route and with any obstacles and potential dangers that might be in your way.
5
Decide on an interesting and appropriate book. Try to go with a light paperback. That way, you’ll be able to hold your book with one hand, and you’ll be able to put it in your pocket or hold onto it with much less effort if you’ve got to stop reading.
- Consider lightweight books and paperbacks.
- Try to get a book with large print.
- Don’t use library books, in case it rains or something unexpected happens.
6
Plan to not take notes. Avoid picking a book that you'll want to underline or write in. This will make your read-walking much more dangerous. It will also interrupt your walking, and you'll have to stop often and unexpectedly, creating more danger. Instead of an opportunity to study and take the best notes, view your read-walking as an opportunity to either enjoy a book or familiarize yourself with information that you’ll revisit later.
7
Pick a good time and day. Make sure you choose to go read-walking on a day when the weather is nice. Avoid rainy or windy days, as they will make reading and walking more difficult. In addition, you won’t have to worry about ruining your book or tablet if it rains.
8
Install a reading rack on your home treadmill if you plan to use it. While some treadmills come with reading racks, others don't. A reading rack will hold your book down, and make turning pages much easier. You can purchase a rack at most major online retailers.^{[2]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Reading

1
Walk slowly and safely. Don’t walk too fast. Start out even slower than you would normally walk. There are a number of reasons for this, they include:
- This allows you to both relish and extend the experience.
- It is safer to walk slower while reading.
- Starting out really slow will help you get the hang of reading while walking.^{[3]
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2
Use a smart approach to holding your book. A smart approach will save you from falling down, hurting yourself, or bumping into other people.
- Hold your document with one hands and start walking while reading. Try to always have a hand free in case you fall or something of that sort.
- Hold the book relatively low, and do not cover your face with the reading material.
- Keep good form, and try to minimize a ton of bouncing. You want to be light on your feet of course, but if your torso is bopping all over the place, it’s going to be much harder to read. If anything, try for a couple of minutes, take a break to walk or do some strength, and try again.^{[4]
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3
Stay alert and be careful. Make sure you can still focus on walking. This is the most important element of staying safe while you read-walk.
- Make sure to look up as often as you can or use your peripheral vision to avoid potential dangers.
- Try to see the shadow of objects instead of looking up completely from what you are reading.
- Don’t get too involved in your book that you are completely unaware of your surroundings.
- Try to look up in front of you and at the trail or sidewalk every couple of sentences or every paragraph. This way, you’ll know if there are any obstacles ahead of you and you’ll be able to adjust accordingly.

Community Q&A

Question

Would reading from a tablet while walking be easier than carrying a book?

Community Answer

It is advisable not to read while walking as you could bump on someone or hurt yourself.

Warnings

Do not concentrate on reading if you are crossing the street. You have to be careful, especially in the street. No matter what, put the book down and look up when you are crossing the street.

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Do not try to read-walk down stairs. You might fall.

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Be very careful when you are reading and walking. This is by nature a somewhat dangerous activity. You need to follow the steps above, use your best judgement, and stay alert.

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