Latest news with #JapaneseIntervalWalkingTraining
Tom's Guide
01-08-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I followed the Japanese walking method for 30 days — here's what happened to my back pain and energy levels
As a fitness editor, I'm not one for health fads and trends, but when I tried the Japanese Interval Walking Training (IWT) method a month ago, I was immediately hooked. The interval walking method originated in Japan, and is a form of HIIT training which promises to burn more fat than steady-paced walks and lower your blood pressure at the same time. A month later, I'm still doing it, and it's transformed my postnatal back pain and energy levels — read on to find out more. As a refresher, here's what the walking workout entails: Keep switching between paces for 30 minutes. Studies have found IWT has several health benefits. After three months of doing a 30-minute interval walk three times a week, participants had a lower blood pressure and cholesterol, increased leg strength, and more aerobic capacity than those who walked continuously at a moderate pace for the same time. You'll also burn more calories following the Japanese interval walking method than heading out for a steady 30-minute walk, as you'll increase your heart rate during those faster intervals. If you are walking to lose weight, it's a good idea to wear one of the best fitness trackers to see how many calories you're burning, as weight loss is the result of consuming less than you burn (often referred to as being in a calorie deficit). I'm 18 months postpartum, and while I'm physically able to do pretty much everything I could before having a baby, my lower back is still suffering. I had sciatica before my pregnancy, and the added weight of carting a toddler around on my hip means I'm experiencing a lot of stiffness in my lower back postpartum. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Walking is great for back pain, as it can reduce inflammation in the lower back and improve blood flow to the area. It can also increase the range of motion in the hips, which can help alleviate pain. If you are suffering from sciatica, always check with your doctor beforehand, and don't walk at a pace that feels uncomfortable on your back. Walking workouts can also work on your core strength, which can, in turn, help support and stabilize your spine, reducing pain. Think about engaging your core when you walk, keeping your back straight, and sucking your belly button into your spine. I've found that doing the Japanese interval walking method a few times a week has helped me break up long periods of sitting behind my desk with a walk, and as a result, I've not been anywhere near as stiff. Granted, some days the walk involves pushing my toddler in the running stroller and powering along, or keeping an eye on my unruly cocker spaniel, but it's become part of my routine, and one I enjoy. There's being tired, then there's being a mom. While I'm (thankfully) out of the days of newborn exhaustion, my baby still wakes at least once a night, so I'm still pretty far from the recommended nine hours of sleep. I've found that on days when I've averaged five hours of sleep, the Japanese interval method is much kinder on my body than heading out for a run, and I've even managed to complete the workout with a coffee in one hand (file that under mom multitasking). There's science behind these mood-altering feelings — walking can increase blood flow around the body, combating fatigue. You'll also work hard for 30 minutes and receive a flood of endorphins, the body's natural mood-boosting chemicals, when you get back through the door. What are you waiting for? Grab some sneakers and get walking. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
16-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
10,000 steps or Japanese walking? We ask the experts if you should be walking further or faster
Walking workouts are all the rage right now, with the Japanese walking workout making headlines for it's promise to burn fat and lower blood pressure. (You can read what happened when I tried Japanese walking for a week here.) But should you be focusing on walking further, or walking faster if you want to get fitter and stronger? To find out more, we asked an expert. As always, when it comes to taking on a new workout routine, remember to always seek guidance from a qualified professional if you're returning from an injury, or pregnancy. The Novablast 5 are our favorite running shoes overall. They come in a variety of colors, are great for runners or walkers of all levels, and deliver an impressive mix of comfort, responsiveness, and versatility. The answer to this question depends on your goals and how much time you have to play with, explains Alex Kirkup-Lee, a personal trainer from Gymshark. If you're looking to boost your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, heading out for a longer walk might be the best option. 'Steady-state walks are great for building a consistent routine and fat-burning, especially if you have an hour or so available to spend.' In order to get the most out of your workout, you'll need to ensure you're walking at a decent pace. This will vary depending on your age and fitness level, but as a general rule, you should be walking at an effort of around four or five out of ten. (One of the best fitness trackers can help you maintain a steady pace.) You should be able to sustain the effort for the entire walk and keep your heart rate raised. You shouldn't be out of breath — as a maker, you should be able to hold a conversation with someone walking next to you, but this isn't a relaxed stroll. The Japanese Interval Walking Training (IWT) method is nothing new — you're simply mixing intervals of faster-paced walking with low-intensity walks. Studies have found IWT has several health benefits. After three months of doing a 30-minute interval walk three times a week, participants had lower blood pressure and cholesterol, increased leg strength, and more aerobic capacity than those who walked continuously at a moderate pace for the same time. 'If you're short on time, picking up the pace during shorter sessions, like intervals, can be more effective in less time, as it raises your heart rate quicker and helps you burn more calories. This makes the walk feel more like a workout,' Kirkup-Lee says. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 'If you're looking to build muscle through walking, adding inclines and wearing a light backpack or weighted vest can help to engage your glutes and legs, strengthening and toning the lower body over time,' says Kirkup-Lee. Rucking is all the rage at the moment, but you don't need expensive equipment to give it a go — simply grab one of the best adjustable dumbbells and put it in a comfortable backpack to increase the intensity of your walks. Or head to the gym and try the 12-3-30 treadmill workout. 'While walking alone won't build muscle mass in the same way as weight training, it can still contribute to muscle definition, especially when paired with varied terrain and additional load.' The truth is, walking further and walking faster is ideal. 'I've found that mixing longer walks with shorter, faster-paced ones around your weekly routine can give you the best of both worlds,' Kirkup-Lee explains. Slower, longer walks, where your heart rate stays in zone 2 (a level of heart rate training categorised as 60 to 70 percent of your heart rate max), can help you build fitness and strengthen your heart. At the same time, shorter, faster walks will boost your metabolism and burn more calories. In order to use walking for weight loss, you'll want to ensure you're in a calorie deficit, burning more calories than you consume. One of the best ways to track this is to wear one of the best fitness trackers. Ultimately, walking is a fantastic way to boost your physical and mental health, so the best walking workout will be the one you enjoy the most. Consistency is key, so whether that's longer hikes with a friend or a shorter fartlek walking workout around the park, find what works for you and your body, and get walking!
Tom's Guide
05-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I tried this '5-2-4 fartlek' walking workout for a week — and it's a game-changer
Walking workouts are all the rage at the moment — from silent walking for your mental health, to the military-inspired rucking technique to build muscle. But one form of walking workout making headlines is the Japanese Interval Walking Training (IWT), which promises to burn more fat and lower your blood pressure by alternating your pace. Unlike walking 10,000 steps, this science-based method raises your heart rate and boosts your cardiovascular fitness in less time. This isn't an entirely new phenomenon, however. "Fartlek" walking has been around for a while, and translates to 'speed play' from the native Swedish. It's all about varying the pace and difficulty throughout your walk, mixing intervals of faster-paced walks with slower rambles, allowing you to catch your breath. A study found that alternating periods of brisk and slow walking speeds can improve cardiovascular fitness, boost your overall fitness, and help control blood sugar spikes. Keen to give a new workout a try, I built my own fartlek walking session, and repeated it every morning for seven days. Read on to find out more. Ready to get walking? Here's the workout: Even with the warm-up, this workout took me around 30 minutes every morning. I programmed the workout onto my Apple Watch 10 to avoid having to look at my wrist every few minutes — my watch would buzz when it was time to switch pace. While this workout is suitable for all levels, as you're walking speed will be based on your exertion levels, if you're new to fitness, or you're returning to exercise following an injury or pregnancy, it's always a good idea to speak to your doctor before taking on a new routine. Here's my verdict after a week of walking: Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. For those who haven't tried it, the Japanese Interval Walking Training method involves three minutes at a low intensity, then three minutes walking at a high intensity for 30 minutes. This was a slight step up, as the high-intensity part of the workout was longer, and the recovery blocks were shorter. I found that I didn't have long to catch my breath before I was picking up the pace again. I personally loved the extra challenge of walking at a brisk pace for five minutes. I thought about my walking technique — engaging my core so my abs were working, keeping my chest open and shoulders down, and swinging my arms as I moved. If you're new to fartlek walking, or you're getting back into fitness, it might be a good idea to try the three-minute intervals first and build up to five minutes. Like all working parents will appreciate, I have a lot to juggle, and despite writing about fitness for a living, sometimes it's my workouts that suffer. Despite only being 30 minutes long, I felt like I'd worked hard with this interval walk. I'd raised my heart rate higher than I would typically do on a dog walk, and I've found interval walking is a great option for those who want to reap the benefits of walking, without the time to take a longer stroll. Walking can help improve your overall fitness, build muscle, strengthen your bones and joints, and help boost your mood and lower stress. You'll also burn more calories doing a fartlek walk than you typically would walking at the same pace for the same time. If you are walking for weight loss, remember the key is to be in a calorie deficit, burning more calories than you consume. One of the easiest ways to keep an eye on your pace, heart rate, and calorie burn is to strap one of the best fitness trackers to your wrist. I was instantly hooked after a week of the Japanese walking method, and I equally enjoyed this fartlek workout. As a runner, I use my walks as a form of active recovery, but this was a great way to work on my cardiovascular endurance, without the impact of running. It also helped me de-stress and boost my mood, plus, it gave me the excuse to take a break from my laptop and spend 30 minutes outdoors in nature — something we should all do more of. If fitting long workouts into your routine feels overwhelming, this can be done with no equipment, on your lunch break, in your local park or even on the treadmill at the gym. Plus, the joy of fartlek is the freedom to play with your pace — if structured intervals feel too much, just walk faster for two blocks, then slower for a block, or use street lights as your markers. However fast or slow you walk, you're getting fitter and healthier with every step.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Japanese Walking vs Running: Which is better for burning calories and losing weight?
Japanese interval walking alternating slow and brisk paces — offers a low-impact, beginner-friendly fitness method. Compared to running, it supports heart health and weight loss with less joint strain, making it ideal for a wide range of users. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Understanding Japanese Interval Walking Cardiovascular Benefits: Similar Aims, Different Paths Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Calorie Burn: Which Is More Efficient? Choosing What Works for You FAQs What is Japanese interval walking? Who created this fitness method? As fitness trends evolve, a method gaining traction globally is the Japanese style of interval walking — a practice rooted in structured alternation between gentle and brisk walking. Often compared to running, this technique, developed through clinical research in Japan, has prompted many health enthusiasts to question: Which is more beneficial — Japanese walking or running?The Japanese Interval Walking Training (IWT) method, formulated by researchers including Dr Hiroshi Nose and documented in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, recommends a simple yet effective format: walk at a low intensity for three minutes, then switch to a faster pace for the next three, repeating this cycle five times. This 30-minute session alternates effort to build cardiovascular endurance without high-impact traditional walking, IWT introduces intervals that elevate heart rate, mimicking the exertion pattern of more intense workouts while maintaining accessibility for beginners, seniors, or individuals recovering from injury, as mentioned in a report by Tom's running and interval walking are recognised as strong cardio activities, known to improve heart health, boost metabolism, and strengthen muscles and joints. From mood enhancement to stress reduction, the psychological gains are substantial with both also contributes to weight management, though results will depend on the combination of physical activity and diet, particularly maintaining a caloric distinction lies in intensity and accessibility. Running demands greater cardiovascular and muscular engagement and may not suit everyone due to its higher impact on joints. Japanese interval walking, by contrast, offers a lower-impact, beginner-friendly option that still challenges the body through its built-in variation of those aiming to shed weight, calorie expenditure is often a key metric. According to available estimates, a 155-pound adult running a 5K at a slight incline can burn approximately 375 calories, as per a report by Tom's comparison, the same individual performing a 30-minute Japanese interval walk is expected to burn between 100 and 200 calories, depending on effort, speed, and running clearly provides a higher caloric output in a shorter span, interval walking offers a viable, sustainable path for those unable or unwilling to engage in high-impact exercises. Devices such as fitness trackers can aid individuals in monitoring their personal metrics, providing a clearer picture of what works best for question of which is 'better' — Japanese walking vs running — ultimately rests on personal needs and preferences. If injury risk or low stamina is a concern, interval walking may be a gentler entry point into regular exercise. Running, however, remains the go-to for those seeking faster results in terms of calorie burn and cardiovascular needs also vary. While running may require specialised footwear and activewear, walking can be done with minimal gear, although supportive shoes are still a walking method alternating 3 minutes of gentle walking with 3 minutes of brisk walking, repeated for 30 minutes. Developed in Japan, it builds endurance while being easy on the researchers, including Dr. Hiroshi Nose, developed the method, and it's been documented in medical journals like Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Tom's Guide
01-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Japanese walking vs running — which is best for you?
So you're looking to increase your cardiovascular endurance, and you don't know whether to prioritize running or the Japanese Interval Walking Training (IWT) method that's growing in popularity right now. Below, we put the two head-to-head to help you decide which is best for your routine. In case you hadn't heard of it, the Japanese IWT method involves alternating your pace as you walk. You'll walk for three minutes at a low intensity, followed by three minutes at a higher intensity, repeated five times. It was developed in Japan by researchers, and is supported by the research of Dr Hiroshi Nose published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. You can read what happened when our fitness editor tried Japanese walking for a week. Both interval walking and running are great forms of cardio. They'll both raise your heart rate and metabolism, and strengthen your muscles and joints over time. You can also expect both walking and running to help boost your mood and reduce your stress levels. They can also be used to lose weight, if paired with a good diet. If weight loss is your goal, you'll want to focus on being in a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume. If weight loss is your goal, you might be keen to know which form of cardio is likely to burn more calories. While the exact number of calories you burn depends on a number of factors, including intensity, workout length and biological factors like age, weight, sex, hormones and more. The best way to keep track of how many calories you're burning is to wear one of the best fitness trackers, which will do this for you. We have our concerns about Google's long-term plans for the brand, but right now, the Fitbit Charge 6 is the best fitness tracker on the market today thanks to its lightweight and diminutive size, support for an enormous range of workout types, and a smattering of useful smart features like Google Wallet and Google Maps. That said, as a rough guide, according to the Omni calculator, a 155-pound adult will burn around 375 calories running a 5K at a gradient of 1%. On the other hand, a 155-pound adult doing a 30-minute interval workout is more likely to burn between 100-200 calories, although this number will vary based on how hard you push yourself and any incline you cover. If you're looking to burn calories, you'll get there faster with running. Of course, burning calories isn't the only reason to work out. If you're a complete beginner or you're recovering from an injury, walking is much lower impact, so it might be a better place to start. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. What's more, if you're heading out for a run, you'll need a pair of supportive sneakers (check out the best running shoes to buy right now here), and probably a sports bra. As walking is lower impact, you won't need fancy equipment, although we'd recommend comfy shoes here too. The Saucony Ride 18 is our favorite running shoe for beginners. It's a no-fuss shoe that's comfortable, reliable, and responsive. And, you can get it for less than $100. The real answer to this question is which form of cardio to you enjoy the most. If you hate running, or running for 30 minutes is unachievable right now, it might be that interval walking is great way to burn more calories than you would if you walked at a steady pace. If you're a marathon runner, you might find walking intervals leave you wanting to move faster. There's no right or wrong, and both are fantastic ways to add more movement to your day and look after your physical and mental health.
