{"id":82710,"date":"2025-07-22T08:27:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/82710\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T08:27:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:27:14","slug":"japanese-walking-is-a-fast-efficient-workout-how-to-get-started","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/82710\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Japanese Walking\u2019 Is a Fast, Efficient Workout \u2014 How to Get Started"},"content":{"rendered":"

The many health benefits of walking<\/a> are well-established: enhanced heart health, stronger muscles and bones, and improved mood and memory, just to name a few.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/p>\n

But there are many ways to get your steps in, and one method, known as high-intensity interval walking or \u201cJapanese walking,\u201d is going viral on TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One content creator, @coacheugeneteo<\/a>, says the walking technique offers \u201c10 times the benefits in just 30 minutes\u201d compared with a target of 10,000 steps a day<\/a>. In another video, the medical doctor @dramyshah<\/a> calls it a \u201cgame-changer\u201d and says it can decrease disease and boost mood.<\/p>\n

Japanese walking \u201cis an effective, time-efficient method of increasing cardiovascular fitness,\u201d says Scott Capozza, PT<\/a>, a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association who\u2019s based in New Haven, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn essence, increasing the intensity of your walking speed gives you more bang for your buck, which can improve your cardiovascular system,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

What Is Japanese Walking?<\/p>\n

Japanese walking involves alternating three minutes of fast walking and three minutes of slower walking for 30 minutes, four days a week.<\/p>\n

A Japanese study of this technique, published in 2007, gave the method the \u201cJapanese walking\u201d moniker. It found that this workout lowered blood pressure<\/a>, strengthened leg muscles, and boosted aerobic health for middle-aged and older people \u2014 compared with those who walked at steady, moderate paces.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/p>\n

\u201cFast walking\u201d means moving at about 70 percent of your maximum effort, whereas slow walking is 40 percent effort, says Lindsy Jackson, DPT, PT<\/a>, a physical therapist and owner of Movement Managed in Littleton, New Hampshire.<\/p>\n

You can measure this using a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor, says Ross Arena, PhD, PT<\/a>, a professor and head of the physical therapy department at the University of Illinois in Chicago. But if you don\u2019t have a fitness tracker, there are other ways to ensure you\u2019re walking briskly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you walk fast, you should be breathing harder,\u201d Dr. Arena says. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t be able to comfortably have a conversation with somebody during the fast pace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Potential Benefits of Japanese Walking<\/p>\n

The Interval walking method \u201cboosts cardiovascular fitness and burns more calories than steady-paced walking,\u201d says Sergiu Darabant, MD<\/a>, a cardiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida. \u201cIt can improve endurance and fitness capacity in a shorter amount of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several recent studies back this up. A small study published in 2025 examining the impact of interval walking training in people over 70 found that after five months, subjects had increased leg strength and improved blood pressure.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/p>\n

Research published in 2023 found that interval walking improved cholesterol and physical fitness for people with type 2 diabetes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/p>\n

In a study published in 2024, individuals over 65 were randomly assigned to do interval walking or a moderate-intensity continuous walking regimen. After eight weeks, the interval walking group showed stronger endurance and flexibility, but both groups had improved body composition, emotional health, sleep quality, cognitive function, and quality of life.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/p>\n

Incorporating faster-walking intervals enables you to \u201cstretch your system,\u201d Arena says, so your body has to work harder, which can increase your fitness levels, boost your metabolic health, and decrease your risk for disease.<\/p>\n

Alternating your walking pace also \u201ckeeps workouts dynamic,\u201d Dr. Jackson says, adding that it reduces the monotony of steady walking.<\/p>\n

Arena notes that you\u2019d likely get heightened benefits from other interval workouts<\/a>, such as those incorporating running or cycling, for example.<\/p>\n

How to Try Japanese Walking<\/p>\n

Interval walking is an accessible form of cardio, Dr. Darabant says. \u201cIt requires no equipment, can be done anywhere, and suits a wide range of fitness levels,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Experts offer these tips for trying Japanese walking:<\/p>\n