If you’ve been scrolling on social media anytime in the past few months, you’ve probably come across the trending Japanese Walking method.
The brainchild of researchers in Japan, the technique — which is also referred to as the ‘Japanese 3x3’, or ‘Japanese Interval Walking’ — has been proven to supercharge your fitness by switching between brisk intervals of walking, followed by moderately paced intervals of walking.
One fitness trainer who champions this walking method is Deborah, the personal trainer behind the YouTube channel, Get Fit With Deborah. “What I love about it is that it’s low impact, it’s great on your joints, it’s beginner-friendly, and it’s also excellent for my older walkers as well,” she says.
And it’s no wonder why. Research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings proved that interval walking results in greater aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and reductions in resting systolic blood pressure, compared to moderate intensity continuous walking or no walking at all.
So, how do you do this walking method? To help, Deborah has designed a 21-minute interval walking program to follow. So grab a comfy pair of sneakers and one of the best fitness trackers and prepare to walk this way.
How to do the Japanese Walking method
Just like silent walking and the viral 12-3-30 workout, the Japanese walking method keeps things simple.
To complete this style of interval training, the idea is that you:
- Complete a brisk walking pace for 3 minutes — this should be a 7/10 effort.
- Then complete a moderately paced interval of walking for 3 minutes — this should be a 4/10 effort, so you should be able to hold a conversation.
- Switch between each pace 5 times for a total of 30 minutes.
Watch how to do the Japanese walking workout
The only thing to note with Deborah’s walking workout is that she suggests completing this method for a total of 21 minutes, instead of 30.
“You do three minutes of a normal, slower pace walk, followed by three minutes of a more brisk walk, and you continue to alternate between those two until you have done your prescribed number of minutes that you want to walk,” she says. “It’s just that simple.”
Is Japanese walking better than 10k steps?
For decades, 10,000 steps has been hailed as the golden number to hit every day. But is a bout of Japanese walking more effective?
“I wouldn’t say it’s ‘better’ but it’s just different,” personal trainer and health and mindset coach Chloe Thomas says. The PT explains that 10K steps a day can be a brilliant motivator for some, especially for those who otherwise have very sedentary lives. In contrast, Japanese Walking puts the ‘quality of movement’ above the quantity, which others may find more appealing.
“In an ideal world, I would say the best thing is to combine the two — focus on good posture and mindful breathing while also keeping your daily step count high,” she says. “It’s not about one being better than the other, but more about having an intention on top of being consistent for the best results.”
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