Japanese Walking: A Fitness Trend Gaining Popularity

A new fitness craze called Japanese walking is making waves online, claiming to offer significant health advantages with minimal equipment and time commitment.

Developed by Professor Hiroshi Nose and Associate Professor Shizue Masuki at Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Japan, this method focuses on alternating bursts of fast and slow walking.

It involves three-minute intervals of higher intensity walking followed by three minutes of a lower intensity, repeated for at least 30 minutes four times a week.

The higher intensity should feel “somewhat hard”—which means you can talk, but it would be tough to maintain a full conversation.

On the other hand, the lower intensity walking should feel “light” enough to allow for comfortable, though slightly more laborious, chatting.

While Japanese walking is similar to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), it’s generally easier and less exhausting, requiring just a stopwatch and some space. It’s also less cumbersome compared to daily step goals, like hitting 10,000 steps, making it accessible for most people.

Health Benefits Supported by Evidence

Research indicates that Japanese walking can lead to substantial health improvements. A 2007 study conducted in Japan compared this method to a lower-intensity continuous walking routine aiming for 8,000 steps daily.

Participants practicing Japanese walking recorded significant drops in body weight, with blood pressure reductions even more pronounced than those in the lower-intensity group.

The study also found that leg strength and overall fitness improved notably for those following the Japanese walking regimen compared to those engaging in moderate-intensity continuous walking.

Another long-term study pointed out that Japanese walking might help counteract the loss of strength and fitness associated with aging.

While these findings suggest potential longevity benefits, direct studies on that specific aspect are still pending.

However, a few caveats are worth noting. In the 2007 study, nearly 22% of the participants could not complete the Japanese walking program, while about 17% did not complete the 8,000-step daily goal.

This implies that Japanese walking might not be the right fit for everyone, and it may not necessarily be more enticing than straightforward step targets.

Achieving a certain daily step count has consistently been associated with longer life expectancy. For those over 60, aiming for about 6,000 to 8,000 steps daily is recommended, while those younger than 60 should target around 8,000 to 10,000 steps. Similar research specifically supporting Japanese walking doesn’t seem to exist… yet.

So, does this trend really represent the ultimate solution in fitness? Or is the focus more on consistency and effort rather than on the specific exercise? The consensus seems to lean towards the latter.

Research suggests that those who regularly engage in moderate to vigorous physical activities tend to live longer, regardless of the duration of those activities.

In short, we should prioritize making moderate to vigorous physical activity a regular part of our lives. If that activity is Japanese walking, then it definitely has its merits.