TikTok's "Alphabet Walk" Will Gamify Your Daily Steps

It always feels good to add more steps to your day. Walking is an ideal way to move, relax, shake off stress, and get some fresh air, but it can also be kind of, well, boring. It’s why there are so many TikTok trends centered around spicing up your daily stroll, like color walks, where you search for a certain hue, or weird little walks, where you hunt for oddities along the way.

The latest trend to add to the mix? Alphabet walks. The idea is simple. Once you set out for your trek, you start looking around for things that match each letter of the alphabet in order. On TikTok, user @meganrayner25 took an alphabet walk with a friend and spotted a bench for B, ducks in a pond for D, flowers for F, a jogger for J — you get the idea.

In her comments, someone said, “I’m loving themed walks.” Another wrote, “This is a brilliant idea for those with anxiety, too. It’s something to focus on while you’re out.” An alphabet walk is grounding, but it also gamifies your routine by giving you an objective, which is perfect if you typically want to quit at the 2,000-step mark. It’s fun if you’re walking solo, and just as great if you’re strolling with a friend or partner and want something to do.

If you get through the whole alphabet — good luck finding Q and Z, by the way — you can start back at A. After that, you can try another viral version of the alphabet walk, which is 100 times funnier, but also a little bit embarrassing.

Other Versions Of The Alphabet Walk

If you want to be even more entertained — and also introduce a hint of rejection therapy — there’s another version of the alphabet walk trend that’s currently going viral on TikTok. To see it in action, look no further than creator @saraasirnaa’s video, where she and a friend greeted the people they passed with a phrase that started with a letter of the alphabet.

“Aloha!” started off their stroll. “Beautiful day for a bike ride!” was next, followed by “cute dog!” and “dashing day you’re going to have!” While some letters automatically work well for a greeting — “hello!” for H, for example — the real challenge is coming up with things to say that feel natural for other letters.

For F, they commented on the fog. For G, they did their best by saying, “Go go go!” to encourage a group of runners passing by. For J, they said, “Joyful morning, isn’t it?” It’s cringe, but that’s what makes it so funny.

It’s also surprisingly tough to come up with something to say on the spot, and that adds another element to the challenge. Creator @forty..four hiked with her friends and said things like, “Dangerous steps, they are,” as another group descended slippery rocks and later, “Snotty with this hay fever.” Imagine saying that to a stranger on a walk.

In case you’re wondering about the less common letters, they did “Unreal weather, isn’t it?” for U and “Excellent idea” for X, as they pointed to a group having a picnic in the sun. For Y, they said, “You’re speed on that bike!” And for Z, they simply said, “Zooweemama,” an exclamation that felt fitting while they traversed some rocks.

Does it make sense? No. But that’s why this version of the alphabet walk is an exercise in getting over yourself — and having a good time.