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Interval Walking (Japanese)
Alternate 3 minutes fast and 3 minutes easy walking.
How to start
Alternate 3 minutes of fast walking (hard enough that talking is difficult) with 3 minutes easy, for 30 minutes.
How to progress
Aim for about 4 days a week; build up from 15 minutes if needed.
What the evidence says
Evidence: moderate
Nemoto, Gen-no, Masuki, Okazaki and Nose, Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2007: 246 adults (mean age 63), 5 months, randomised to no training, moderate continuous walking or interval walking (3-minute sets at about 40% then 70% of peak walking capacity). Interval walkers gained more leg strength (13-17%) and peak aerobic capacity (8-9%), and had a larger fall in resting systolic blood pressure.
What 5 months of interval walking did
Average increase in the interval-walking group (246 adults in the trial, average age 63). They did 5 or more sets a day of 3 minutes easy then 3 minutes fast, on 4 or more days a week.
All four gains were significantly larger than in the group doing moderate continuous walking (8,000 or more steps a day), and resting systolic blood pressure fell more too. Only 42 of the 87 people in the interval group met the training target, so results depend on sticking with it. Individual results vary.
Take care: Keep fast intervals to what you can sustain; stop for chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness.
Sources
12-week starter plan
Each set is 3 minutes easy then 3 minutes fast. Fast means working hard enough that talking is difficult. The study protocol was 5 or more sets on 4 or more days a week.
Tick each week as you finish it; your ticks are saved on this device only. Repeat a week if it felt hard. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 hold steady so you can settle. This is a general plan, not medical advice.
Add reminders to your calendar
Pick your days and time. You will download a calendar file that adds 12 weeks of reminders to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar.
Calories and weekly minutes
Enter your details for a rough estimate. Based on about 4.8 METs (Alternating easy and fast walking). Real figures vary by 20% or more between people.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Walk fast on a flat, safe route so you can focus on effort, not on your footing.
- Use a watch or phone timer to switch every 3 minutes.
- Judge fast by effort, not by speed. Your fast pace may be quicker or slower than someone else's.
Common mistakes
- Making the easy intervals too fast, so there is no real contrast.
- Skipping the warm-up and starting with a fast interval.
- Going all-out: this is hard but not a sprint.
Kit and cost
Free Approximate UK prices.
- Supportive walking shoes
- A watch or phone with an interval timer
- Optional: a heart-rate monitor
Frequently asked questions
What is Japanese walking?
It is interval walking: 3 minutes of easy walking followed by 3 minutes of fast walking, repeated for about 30 minutes. It comes from research in Japan.
Is Japanese walking better than normal walking?
In a 2007 trial of adults averaging 63 years old, interval walking improved leg strength, fitness and blood pressure more than continuous moderate walking. It is one study, so treat it as promising rather than final.
How hard should the fast intervals feel?
Hard enough that talking is difficult, but not so hard that you cannot finish the 3 minutes. Many people find it feels like a 6 or 7 out of 10.
How many days a week should I do it?
The trial used 4 or more days a week. Start with 2 days and build up as it feels manageable.
Good for: Heart & fitness Weight loss Bone health
Compare with similar options
| Interval Walking (Japanese) | Brisk Walking | Nordic Walking | Incline Treadmill Walking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical session | 30 min × 4/wk | 30 min × 5/wk | 45 min × 3/wk | 30 min × 4/wk |
| Effort | ●●○○○ | ●●○○○ | ●●○○○ | ●●○○○ |
| Cost | Free | Free | Low cost | Moderate cost |
| Equipment | No equipment | No equipment | Basic kit | Some equipment |
| Impact | Low impact | Low impact | Low impact | Low impact |
| Fitness needed | Some fitness | Some fitness | Some fitness | Moderate fitness |
| Evidence | moderate | strong | moderate | limited |