What Experts Think About the Japanese Walking Trend

“Japanese Walking” is not new, but training has recently gained legs on Tiktok: people credit it to make their walking routines more exciting and lead to a range of advantages, from weight loss to better heart health.

Although his name comes from the research carried out in Japan, this style of training – known as the interval – is popular worldwide and for a good reason. This implies walking at a high intensity level for three minutes, followed by three minutes at a lower intensity, repeated for at least 30 minutes, four times a week.

“We know that the exercise is important, and we know that intensity is important,” said Laura Richardson, physiologist of the exercise and an associate professor of clinical kinesiology at the University of Michigan. “I think it’s taken care of because it’s so durable – it’s short, it’s doable, you don’t have to be in a gymnasium, and there are a lot of advantages to walk.”

We asked experts to break down exactly why Japanese walking is so effective and how to start.

The science behind the interval works

Intervals training – or alternating between short high intensity exercise gusts, followed by lower rest and recovery – has existed for over 100 years. You can apply it to all kinds of fitness diets, including walking, cycling, running and strength training. “It increases your heart rate, then bring it back,” explains Richardson. When you draw a high intensity, you increase Blood circulates towards your body muscles and make your heart beat faster. “This is where we get health benefits,” she adds. “Adaptations are starting to occur at higher levels of intensity.”

Over time, interval training leads to an increase in the cardiorepiratory form, which means that your body can better consume oxygen because your heart and your lungs are stronger. And you don’t have to spend hours at the gymnasium to achieve it: by adding intensity to your training sessions, you get more blow for your money from the point of view, explains Rashelle Hoffman, an expert on walking and walking in the physiotherapy department of Creighton University in Omaha. Consider the physical activity guidelines of the American college of sports medicine: all healthy adults should obtain a moderate intensity aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes five days a week, or vigorous activity for at least 20 minutes three times a week. “Obviously, you see greater advantages with less time with a vigorous activity,” she says. “We stress our body more, and it responds more easily to that.”

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There is also a psychological appeal. The interval walk allows you to feel in competition against yourself, says Richardson, as you get faster and increase your level of intensity. “I always say people like figures,” she says. They give walkers a tangible goal, which can propel their desire to train.

Emily Mendez, who lives in Indianapolis, took Japanese walking a few years ago because she tends to be bored to walk at the same pace. The intervals give her something on which to concentrate, she says, and she likes the feeling of realization that she obtains short and powerful pushes of activity. “It is like an accomplishment when you make faster walks,” she says. “I do them and I push myself, then the slower walks for recovery are like a reward. It makes it more interesting, less boring and more motivating. ”

The advantages of Japanese walking

In one of the main studies on intervals, Shizue Masuki and her colleagues asked 246 adults of middle ages and older to walk at a high intensity for 30 minutes a day, more than four times a week, for five months. No one finished the program – they complained that it was too boring and difficult, explains Masuki, professor at the Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Shinshu in Japan. This inspired the researchers to test the interval walk instead.

This time, the participants did and the results were impressive. People who have followed an interval walking program for five months experienced a greater increase in the force of the legs, the muscle strength of the thighs and the overall physical form, as well as a greater reduction in blood pressure, than those which only walked a moderate pace. Additional research with more than 700 people has found that interval walking improves symptoms of lifestyle and age -related diseases, such as changes in cognitive function, depression and sleep quality. In addition, the technique leads to an increase in healthy HDL cholesterol levels, an improvement in triglyceride levels and a reduction in abdominal visceral fat.

More generally, research suggests that walking – which is a lower impact than activities such as running – goes to the health of bones and muscles, reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves mental well -being. It is often an ideal choice for older or overweight people, says Hoffman, as well as those who plunge the toes newly in an exercise routine. “The beauty of walking is that most people know how to do it,” she says. “There is no learning curve, and you don’t really need to have equipment.”

What matters as high intensity anyway?

In the Masuki study, participants recorded three minutes of walking to 70% of their maximum aerobic capacity, or VO2 max – which measures the maximum oxygen quantity that your body can use during an intense exercise – followed from three minutes to 40% of their maximum aerobic capacity. Although a smartwatch can provide you with this data, there is an easier way to follow your intensity.

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Richardson calls it the discussion test: when you work at around 70% of your aerobic capacity, you will breathe strongly and capable of feeling your heart beat, but you can always continue a conversation. “It’s a bit uncomfortable, but you can still speak,” she says. If you were closer to working at 100% of your capacity, however – an extreme level against which experts advise, because your body cannot get enough oxygen to feed the muscles and you will quickly feel exhausted – you could not speak.

How to start the walking interval

Ready to run Japanese walking? Experts suggest these tips.

Titrate

If three full minutes of high intensity walking are intimidating, facilitate: you could start by accelerating your rhythm for a minute, followed by a three-minute recovery session, suggests Hoffman. “You will not see the advantages necessarily at these lower levels, but you will train your body,” she said.

You don’t even need to target a 30 -minute drive. Since learning Japanese walking on Tiktok a few months ago, Yvette Hill has done it during downtime, as when she waits in parking lots to recover her children in various activities. Sometimes it accelerates its intensity until it reaches a corner of the lot, then slows down until it reaches the other, refining the program to meet its needs. “If you are busy, it’s a great way to adapt to the exercise,” she says. “It’s so easy and less intimidating than jumping in the gymnasium.”

Adopt the right position

When you increase your pace and go to a high intensity interval, it is important to pay attention to your posture. “Raise your spine, raise your chest and really think of swinging your arms,” explains Richardson. This helps to engage your body more, while adding power to your steps.

Find a timer system that works for you

Many fitness trackers, including Apple Watch, have an integrated feature that allows you to configure your intervals in advance. In this way, your device will alert you when it’s time to change speed, says Hoffman, and you don’t have to play with a stopwatch.

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Another option: time with each interval of a favorite song. “Most songs last about three minutes,” said Richardson. “It’s a good way to timer your exercise.”

Add accessories

If you find it difficult for balance problems and want to make sure you are safe, experiment with walking posts, suggests Richardson. “They can give you a little stability,” she says. “If someone is a little hesitant – perhaps an older or deconditioned person – using a hiking stick or trekking posts can give you an additional set of so -called legs.”