Posted on 06/12/2025 6:05:06 AM PDT by Red Badger
In a nutshell
* Japanese walking alternates between 3 minutes of “somewhat hard” walking and 3 minutes of “light” walking for 30+ minutes, four times per week – requiring only a stopwatch and walking space.
* Studies show it delivers greater improvements in weight loss, blood pressure, leg strength, and fitness compared to continuous moderate-intensity walking.
* The key to longevity is regular moderate-to-vigorous activity – whether that’s Japanese walking, step counting, or any other consistent exercise routine you’ll actually stick with.
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A fitness trend known as Japanese walking is capturing attention online, promising major health benefits with minimal equipment and time.
Based on interval-style bursts of fast and slow walking, Japanese walking was developed by Professor Hiroshi Nose and Associate Professor Shizue Masuki at Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Japan. It involves alternating between three minutes of walking at a higher intensity and three minutes at a lower intensity, repeated for at least 30 minutes, four times per week.
The higher-intensity walking should be done at a level that is “somewhat hard.” At this level, it is still possible to talk, but holding a full conversation would be more difficult.
The lower-intensity walking should be done at a level that is “light.” At this level, talking should be comfortable, though a little more labored than an effortless conversation.
Japanese walking has been likened to high-intensity interval training or Hiit, and has been referred to as “high-intensity walking,” although it is less taxing than true Hiit and is performed at lower intensities.
It is also easy to perform and requires only a stopwatch and space for walking. It requires little planning and is less time-consuming than other walking targets, such as achieving 10,000 steps a day. This makes it suitable for most people.
What Does The Evidence Show?
Japanese walking offers significant health benefits. A 2007 study from Japan compared this method to lower-intensity continuous walking, with a goal of achieving 8,000 steps per day. Participants who followed the Japanese walking approach experienced notable reductions in body weight. Blood pressure also dropped – more so than in those following the lower-intensity continuous walking routine.
Leg strength and physical fitness were also measured in this study. Both improved to a greater extent in those following the Japanese walking program, compared to those completing moderate-intensity continuous walking.
A longer-term study also found that Japanese walking protects against the reductions in strength and fitness that happen with aging.
These improvements in health would also suggest that Japanese walking can help people live longer, though this has not yet been directly studied.
There are a few things to consider with this new walking trend. In the 2007 study, around 22% of people did not complete the Japanese walking program. For the lower intensity program, with a target of 8,000 steps per day, around 17% did not complete it. This means that Japanese walking may not be suitable for everyone, and it might not be any easier or more attractive than simple step-based targets.
Achieving a certain number of steps per day has also been shown to help people live longer. For those aged 60 and older, the target should be around 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day and 8,000 to 10,000 for those aged under 60. Similar evidence does not appear to exist for Japanese walking… yet.
So is this walking trend really the be-all and end-all? Or does it matter less about what exercise you do and more about how often and how hard you do it? The answer is likely to be the latter.
Research tells us that people who regularly perform more bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity live longer, regardless of how long each bout is.
This means that we should focus on ensuring we perform regular moderate to vigorous physical activity and make it habitual. If that activity happens to be Japanese walking, then it’s a worthwhile choice.
Sean Pymer, Academic Clinical Exercise Physiologist, University of Hull. He receives funding from The National Institute for Health and Care Research.
8 mph is a 7:30/mile pace. That’s running.
I do a lot of walking and a fair bit of running. Where I live, in hilly terrain, anything under a 20 min mile is a fast walk. That’s 3 mph. When walking fast, I generally get under 19 min/mile. So 30 minutes would be around 1.5 miles, and that is maybe 3,000 steps.
Bears, cougars, packs of coyotes, wolves, and coydogs regularly visit my front lawn. I have been known to do a 40 yard dash in 4 seconds flat carrying a rifle.
The country would be a lot better if everyone spent three minutes kicking the ass of a leftist and strolling 30 minutes to the next one.
We have bears, cougars (we call them panthers here) and coyotes, but no wolves or coydogs as far as I know..............
Yep! Agree.
About my average/half hour, as well.
LOL....that’s a good work out plan.
Not quite right. The researchers were comparing two different walking programs, one program being the Japanese method of 3 min fast/3 min slow for 30 minutes and the other being a program of 8,000 steps over the course of a day but at a lower intensity throughout.
In any case, the important thing is to be doing some form of exercise regularly.
I do mental exercises..................
I wish I had hills where I live. Luckily our neighborhood has a gym with a treadmill, so in the middle of my walk, I can go in there, and do 15-30 minutes, at the highest incline setting, and then after I carry on with the rest of the walk.
IMHO, running and jogging is the biggest waste of time. All it does is raise your cortisol levels and destroys your joints.
Actually, I am hoping to get back into doing sprints. About 20 reps of 5-second full-out sprints, twice a week, is like going to a gym and lifting weights.
I always point out, that all you have to do is compare the bodies of sprinters versus those of long-distance runners.
>>> And, how are they working in 8,000 steps in 30 minutes?^^
Probably talking about Napoleonic infantry
Walking is good for you-
Who knew?
Fascinating.
Walk up the long slooe, walk down the long slope.
Amazing Japanese.
And does only Japan have sloping ground?
Can I push my TV?
I have a treadmill at home and only do a mile at 3mph so 20 minutes. When I go to the park on a weekend and walk around on the uneven grass which includes small hills I feel the difference for the first 1/2 mile then I get used to it. The course I walk is about a mile and I will go around 2-3 times. My pedometer app on the phone and a pedometer device I wear shows average 2.2mph.
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What does 8000 steps equal to in miles?
8,000 steps make about 3.5 miles.
The exact number depends on the individual’s height and stride length. For a woman with an average stride length (2.2 ft), 8,000 steps are 3.3305 mi, and for a man with an average step (2.5 ft), it’s 3.788 mi.
https://www.omnicalculator.com/sports/steps-to-miles
Yep ... a 5K, basically.
I usually do mine in just over 45 mins.
I try to get this many miles in at least 2 - 3 times/week .... two miles on the the other days.
Oh, I thought it was walking while squinting...😁
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