Want to take your walking regimen to the next level? Interval walking training (IWT), a science-backed exercise protocol, is a simple way to safely ramp up intensity and reap significant health benefits.
Also known as “Japanese walking,” IWT was developed by Japanese researchers to improve the cardiometabolic health of older adults.
Unlike high intensity interval training (HIIT), IWT is a form of interval training that’s accessible for people of all ages and fitness levels.
“Studies specifically looking at the benefits of interval walking training have found improved physical fitness, muscle strength, and glycemic control,” Sarah F. Eby, MD, PhD, a sports medicine specialist at Mass General Brigham Sports Medicine and assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, told Healthline.
“Additionally, interval walking training is a great way to meet the recommended
HIIT exercise involves alternating between periods of lower-intensity exercise (or rest) and higher-intensity exercise for a predetermined number of sets.
Intensity is typically gauged through heart rate or subjective measures like rate of perceived exertion (RPE).
By pushing the intensity, you can get the same health benefits with less time at the gym. While it is considered generally safe, some research has shown that HIIT exercise may lead to training-related injuries.
IWT, or Japanese walking, on the other hand, dials down the intensity and is generally considered safe.
According to original research on Japanese walking published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2009, the standard IWT protocol consists of alternating intervals of:
The minimum recommended five sets of intervals amount to 30 minutes of walking five days per week.
For this study, Japanese researchers recruited more than 200 adults with an average age of 63 to test how IWT fared against traditional “continuous intensity” walking.
They found that IWT was superior to traditional walking for improving various health markers, including:
Just as important as those health benefits, the protocol was something the participants could stick with long term.
A subsequent analysis found that 783 out of 826 subjects were able to follow the IWT protocol for the study duration, a 95% adherence rate.
A 2024 review of IWT concluded that its health benefits were “well established both in middle- and older-aged but otherwise healthy individuals and in individuals with metabolic diseases.”
“Compared to energy-expenditure and time-duration matched continuous walking training, IWT is superior for improving physical fitness, body composition, and glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes,” Kristian Karstoft, MD, PhD, DMSc, the first author of the review and consultant and clinical associate professor at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospitals at the University of Copenhagen, told Healthline.
No matter your fitness level or goals, Japanese walking can be a great way to start a new fitness regimen or step up your game with an existing one.
It’s also important to practice interval walking training correctly, and it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before you do so.
“I always tell my patients, make sure that you’re comfortable when you’re doing your exercises,” Denice Ichinoe, DO, an assistant professor in the department of family and community medicine at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Healthline.
“What you don’t want to do is start working out too hard and intensely,” she said.
Ichinoe recommended the following tips to get started with IWT:
Eby advised a brief trial run first. “We want to build success on success,” she said.
“If you want to embark on an interval walking training program, start low and build slowly. Try walking at your regular pace for a few minutes, then walk briskly for 20–30 seconds, and repeat for the duration of your walk. As your body adapts to this new exercise stimulus, you can gradually increase the duration of the faster walking bouts,” Eby concluded.
