A new exercise trend is taking social media by storm, and it’s not about pumping iron or holding a plank. Instead, it’s about Japanese interval walking – a low-impact fitness method that involves alternating between fast and slow walking for 30 minutes at a time.
The idea is simple: walk at a fast pace for three minutes, followed by three minutes of slow walking. This approach has been studied extensively in Japan over the past two decades, with significant benefits reported for middle-aged and older adults. Dr. Kristian Karstoft, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, says that people who are prone to running injuries or don’t do much regular training can reap the rewards of Japanese interval walking.
The regime is similar to high-intensity interval training (Hiit), which has been shown to improve fitness and physical health in a shorter time frame. However, Karstoft notes that people who are less active or fit should start with normal walking to get into the swing of it, and then try interval walking.
A Japanese study involving 139 healthy participants found that those who did high-intensity interval walking on four or more days a week over a five-month period increased their peak aerobic capacity, indicating an improvement in physical fitness. The study also suggested that this approach may reduce blood pressure and increase the strength of the knee joint.
The benefits of Japanese interval walking extend beyond just physical health. A small randomised control trial found that the approach could also benefit people with type 2 diabetes, improving their glycaemic control. With four months of high-intensity interval walking associated with greater benefits than continuous walking, despite similar energy expenditure and training intensity, Karstoft says that people can expect to see a significant gain in fitness level – around 15% to 20%.
While not everyone will enjoy the fast-paced nature of Japanese interval walking, Dr. Shaun Phillips, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise physiology at the University of Edinburgh, acknowledges that it’s about providing workable options for different types of people. “We’re never going to come up with an ideal exercise protocol that everybody loves,” he says. But by offering alternative approaches like Japanese interval walking, fitness enthusiasts can find a method that suits their lifestyle and preferences.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/aug/09/japanese-interval-walking-the-viral-exercise-trend-that-could-put-a-spring-in-your-step