Walking is one of the most recommended physical activities for any age and, combined with strength exercise, achieves the perfect tandem for good physical health. We often talk about counting steps, however, there are other alternatives to take advantage of the benefits of walking without having to dedicate an hour or two a day to it. and the japanese walk is a perfect example of this.

Also known as Interval Walking Training (IWT)it is a training method originally from Japan that has gained popularity in recent years and, although it was initially designed for older people, it is equally useful for all types of adults who lead a sedentary life and need to add steps in their daily lives.

What is the Japanese walk like?

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The essence of this type of training consists of combine periods of fast walking with others at a slow pacemaintaining a simple, but constant structure. The fact of alternating bursts of intense activity with lighter periods and involves a more affordable type of interval training for all types of people than the high intensity one. All this, with additional benefits to those of a simple walk.

Therefore, experts from the Harvard University, Stanford University and the Mayo Clinic What they guarantee is that it is becoming a very popular method to counteract the effects of modern sedentary life at all ages.

How to practice the Japanese walk?

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It involves walking for at least 30 minutes alternating speed intervals. In the slow periods you should walk gently, while in the fast periods you should walk in such a way that you difficult to maintain a conversation and using longer strides to make the activity more intense. In both slow and fast periods, the arms must be part of the movementflexing and swinging them vigorously to the rhythm of each step.

Interval Walking Training step by step

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Studies recommend doing this walk at intervals of at least 5 times a week.

1. Starts with ua gentle warm-up walk for 3-5 minutes.
2. After warming up, start alternating three minutes of slow walking with three minutes of fast walking and keep intervals for 30 minutes.
3. Catch your breath and return to calm with a gentle walk to finish, 3-5 minutes.

The benefits of Japanese walking

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The Japanese walk is a very complete exercise due to its global benefits:

• Improves cardiovascular health: As with other forms of walking, it helps regulate blood pressure and improves heart health.
• Improves aerobic capacity: This type of walk trains endurance and improves oxygen consumption.
• Activate the metabolism: reducing the risk of factors such as cholesterol, glucose and obesity.
• Improves mental health: Existing studies point to a reduction in states of depression and an improvement in mood.
• Strengthens muscles: unlike the traditional way of walking, this type of interval walking allows gain leg strengthsolving one of the shortcomings of the classic walk. And with changes in speed, the fast fibers in the legs are activated.

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