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This Japanese walking technique can make you fit without punishing joints
Developed by Professor Hiroshi Nose and Associate Professor Shizue Masuki at Shinshu University in Matsumoto, the Japanese interval walking technique involves alternating between three minutes of brisk walking and three minutes of slower walking, repeated for at least 30 minutes, four times a week. The brisk intervals should be fast enough to make holding a conversation difficult, while the slower intervals allow the body to recover.
What are its benefits?
The method, also known as Interval Walking Training (IWT), was first promoted in Japan under a health promotion exercise programme named the 'Jukunen Taiikudaigaku Program'. The aim was to help adults over 40 years of age to improve fitness without the strain of high-impact workouts.
Research shows that people who practise IWT four or more times a week can see significant improvements in aerobic capacity, blood pressure, cholesterol, muscle strength, flexibility and BMI.
Dr Kristian Karstoft, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, along with his colleagues, conducted a small controlled trial. They found the approach could also benefit people with type 2 diabetes, by improving their glycaemic control.
'Typically with interval walking, we've seen a gain in fitness level of around 15 per cent to 20 per cent compared to trivial or no improvements in fitness levels when subjects are doing the continuous walking (or no walking),' a report in The Guardian quoted him as saying.
The team saw improvements in body composition with an average weight loss of around three to five kilograms, during the four to six months of training.
Interval training, or alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with periods of lower-intensity rest, has been around for over a century. It can be applied to various workouts, including walking, cycling, running and strength training.
'It's getting your heart rate up and then bringing it back down,' Laura Richardson, exercise physiologist and clinical associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Michigan, told TIME.
During high-intensity phases, blood flow to the muscles increases and the heart works harder.
'That's where we get health benefits,' she said.
Boosting brain health
Beyond physical fitness, interval walking may offer cognitive benefits. A 2018 study published in the FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) found that interval walking improves symptoms of lifestyle-related and age-related diseases, such as changes in cognitive function, depression, and sleep quality.
Experts suggest that it can stimulate brain regions linked to memory, thinking and emotional regulation. Regular aerobic exercise, including IWT, has been linked to better executive function, sharper memory and improved mental wellbeing.
Why it's going viral
The exercise's appeal lies in its simplicity and low-impact nature, making it suitable for a wide range of ages and fitness levels. Social media users particularly have embraced it as an efficient, structured way to get healthier without investing in expensive equipment or gym memberships.
How to get started
Warm up with a few minutes of easy walking.
Alternate between three minutes of brisk walking and three minutes of slow walking, repeating for up to 30 minutes.
Cool down with gentle walking or light stretching.
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