"Weird Walks" Are The New Hot Girl Walk

There’s no shortage of fun ways to spice up your daily walk. If you’re feeling yourself, you can do a model strut at the gym or go on a hot girl walk around town while blasting Drake. If you want to perk up your mood, you can zone out on a silly little walk, which is all about wandering aimlessly until you feel happier. You could even take your partner along for a hot couple walk when you want a little company. At this point, there’s a walking trend for every mood — so don’t be surprised that weird walks are now a thing.

Weird walks are the latest addition to the walking Rolodex, and they’re all about turning your stroll into a strange little scavenger hunt. TikTok user @leuvenzoekt’s Jan. 11 video about weird walks has already racked up over 582,000 views, so it’s clearly struck a chord with the walkers of the world. Her mission with these strolls? “Welcome to weird walks where I go for a walk until I find something weird,” she writes in her post. One person commented “new workout goal for the year” and another wrote, “wait, I wanna do this.” The allure is strong.

For anyone interested, the concept is simple: To go on a weird walk, set off down the street and keep your eyes peeled for weird sights as you roam around your neighborhood. It could be interesting graffiti, a bizarre lawn ornament, a funny sign, or, in the case of @leuvenzoekt, a tiny painting of a snarling chihuahua on the side of a building. Anything strange and unusual counts.

Weird walks are the perfect choice when you want to go outside and get a few steps in, but maybe aren’t quite sure what to do or where to go. Instead of wandering aimlessly, the weird walk gives you an objective: Go on a mission to find something slightly kooky, and then maybe take a picture or two.

TikToker @emilieleyes.hypnosis, who specializes in hypnosis and brain training, stitched the video to highlight all the benefits of this type of walk. Her take? Seeking new experiences, as one does when out looking for chihuahua paintings, is a great way to rewire the brain for resilience and creativity. That’s because weird walks encourage you to remain present as you observe your surroundings, and they also help you lean into your curiosity — all things that ultimately make it easier to think outside the box. Feeling brain foggy at work? A little blah on a Saturday afternoon? Go on a weird walk ASAP.

Hunting for funky sights — whether it’s a painting, a building, or a glittery piece of litter — can also reduce your stress levels. By actively looking around, you’re forced to stay present and aware of your surroundings, just like more traditional grounding exercises. Add in the fact you’re outside and moving your body, and it’s hard not to fall in love with the idea of a weird walk.

Studies:

Edwards, MK. (2018). Experimental effects of brief, single bouts of walking and meditation on mood profile in young adults. Health Promot Perspect. doi: 10.15171/hpp.2018.23.

Ma, J. (2022). Effectiveness of mindful walking intervention in nature on sleep quality and mood among university student: A randomised control study. Explore (NY). doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.004.