“Japanese Walking” Is Really Interval Walking, and the Research Behind It Holds Up

Every few months a fitness idea goes viral with a catchy name. “Japanese walking” is one that has stuck around, and unlike many social media trends, it is based on actual research. The routine is simple: walk briskly for three minutes, then slowly for three minutes, and repeat for about half an hour.

Here is where it comes from, what the study really showed, and how to try it without overdoing it.

Where the idea comes from

The method is better known in research circles as interval walking training. It was developed by researchers in the Department of Sports Medical Sciences at Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine in Matsumoto, Japan, including Dr. Hiroshi Nose and Dr. Shizue Masuki. TIME reported in 2025 that the routine had “gained legs on TikTok”, with people crediting it for making walks more interesting.

The name on social media is new. The research is not. The best-known study was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2007.

What the 2007 study did

Researchers followed 246 adults (60 men and 186 women) with an average age of 63 for five months, from May to October 2004. Participants were split into three groups:

• No walking training.
• Moderate continuous walking, at about 50% of their peak aerobic capacity, aiming for at least 8,000 steps a day on four or more days a week.
• High-intensity interval walking, with at least five sets of three minutes of slow walking (around 40% of peak aerobic capacity) followed by three minutes of fast walking (above 70%), on four or more days a week.

What it found

The interval group came out ahead on every major measure the researchers tracked:

• Knee extension strength rose 13% and knee flexion strength rose 17%.
• Peak aerobic capacity for cycling rose 8%, and for walking, 9%.
• All of these gains were significantly greater than in the moderate continuous group.
• The drop in resting systolic blood pressure was also larger in the interval group.

The authors concluded that interval walking may help protect against the age-related rise in blood pressure and the loss of thigh strength and aerobic fitness. TIME also reports that later research from the same group, involving more than 700 people, linked interval walking to improvements in several lifestyle-related health markers.

One detail often skipped in social posts: these results came from five months of training on at least four days a week. Consistency is the hard part, which is worth remembering before expecting dramatic results.

How fast is “fast”?

The study used lab measurements of aerobic capacity, which most people do not have. Laura Richardson, an exercise physiologist at the University of Michigan, told TIME she prefers the talk test. At roughly 70% effort, breathing becomes heavy and the heart rate is clearly up, but a conversation is still possible. If speaking becomes impossible, the pace is too hard.

The slow intervals should feel genuinely easy, like a relaxed stroll. They are recovery, not a break to check the phone.

How to start

A few practical tips from the experts interviewed by TIME, plus some common sense:

Build up gradually

Three minutes of fast walking can feel long at first. Rashelle Hoffman, a gait and walking expert at Creighton University, suggests starting with one minute fast and three minutes of recovery, then adding time as fitness improves.

Use a simple timer

Many fitness watches and phone apps allow interval timers. Another option suggested in TIME is to switch pace with each song, since many songs run about three minutes.

Mind posture

Standing tall, keeping the chest up and swinging the arms helps power the fast intervals.

Choose the route carefully

A flat, safe path makes the first few weeks easier. Hills, sand or uneven trails change the effort a lot. For anyone with balance concerns, walking poles can add stability.

Pick the right time of day

Early mornings or evenings are usually more comfortable in hot weather. On days with poor air quality, an indoor option such as a treadmill or a mall walk may be the better call.

Who should check with a doctor first

Interval walking is low-impact, but higher intensity still puts more demand on the heart. Anyone with heart conditions, uncontrolled blood pressure, joint problems or balance issues, and anyone returning to exercise after a long break, should speak to a doctor before starting.

The bottom line

Japanese walking is not a miracle. It is a smart, well-studied way to add intensity to something most people already do. The strongest message from the research is that changing pace, not just adding steps, can make a meaningful difference over a few months. All it needs is a pair of comfortable shoes, about 30 minutes, and the patience to keep showing up.

Sources

• Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2007): Effects of high-intensity interval walking training on physical fitness and blood pressure
• TIME: What experts think about the Japanese walking trend

Photo: Valentin Ilas on Pexels