Just 30 minutes a day of ‘Japanese walking’ may help you get in shape

The University of Cincinnati's Barbara Walker, PhD, was featured in a Washington Post article discussing interval walking training, or "Japanese walking," after the the technique has recently gone viral on TikTok.

Nearly 20 years ago, researchers from Japan conducted a study where volunteers did three minutes of fast walking followed by three minutes at a slower pace for 30 minutes a day at least four days per week. The study found middle-aged and older people who did this high-intensity interval walking had lower blood pressure, stronger thigh muscles and better aerobic capacity than walkers of the same age who kept a moderate, continuous pace.

Walker, associate professor in UC's College of Medicine and a UC Health integrative health and performance psychologist, said further studies have shown psychological benefits to certain types of walking that can be combined with the cardiovascular benefits of interval walking training.

“Mindful walking, especially in green space, has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce cortisol, improve focus and sleep, and help regulate mood," Walker told the Washington Post. “When paired with an interval walking approach, it becomes even more psychologically impactful: blending the benefits of nature exposure with the motivational structure of achievable physical goals.”

Read the Washington Post article.

Featured photo at top courtesy of iStock.