I Swapped 10,000 Steps A Day For 30 Minutes Of 'Japanese Walking' – I've Never Been More Active

Walking in Epping ForestEven though I love running and regularly go to the gym, facts are facts; I work from home and don’t love a long evening ramble. As a result, I regularly fail to get 10,000 steps a day, even though that’s been my goal for years. All my “Jeffing,” VO2 max training, and treadmill interval sessions were not enough. I average around 6,500 steps daily, and my ongoing attempts to hit the 10k target have proven unsuccessful and inconvenient.I tried walking after work (a non-starter), taking a lunch-break stroll (sometimes useful, but mostly impossible due to the Endless Kitchen Tasks working from home seems to highlight). So, you can imagine how happy I was to read about “Japanese walking,” the strolling style said to be as good for us as 10,000 steps, while taking a fraction of the time.Ironically, despite spending less time walking, my average steps are up to 8,100 a day. What is “Japanese walking”?Japanese walking, also known ‘the 3-3 walking workout’, is essentially the interval training of the walking world. Developed by Professor Hiroshi Nose and Associate Professor Shizue Masuki at Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Japan, the method is an interval-style workout. Like “Jeffing,” which sees runners intersperse periods of high-intensity running with walking, Japanese walking packs bursts of intense strolling into a stroll. Specifically, it asks you to walk for three minutes at a fast pace and slowly for another three minutes. Repeat this five times for a 30-minute workout.The 2007 paper that the method’s inventors wrote found that, among middle-aged participants, those who tried “Japanese walking” left with lower blood pressure, stronger thigh muscles, and better aerobic ability than those who either did not walk or walked 8,000 steps a day at a moderate pace. “High-intensity interval walking may protect against age-associated increases in blood pressure and decreases in thigh muscle strength and peak aerobic capacity,” the paper reads. Dr Suzanne Wylie, a GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, told HuffPost UK: “Even a modest 30-minute walk delivers remarkable cardiovascular benefits, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke whilst improving blood pressure control.“Regular movement helps maintain a healthy weight and strengthens muscles and bones – a crucial factor as we age, to help prevent osteoporosis and preserve mobility.” A recent early walk (I usually hate them, but Japanese walking made it more bearable)I’ve never found walking easier or more funHaving tried the method myself, it’s safe to say I’m never going back. Somehow, knowing the walk is going to take a maximum of half an hour means I’m much more open to the idea. I walk more often, enjoy the time more (I think that the three-minute-on, three-minute-off approach makes the exercise go by much faster), and have even upped my step average by a couple of thousand per day.“From a clinical perspective, any form of consistent, moderate-intensity walking, especially if it incorporates posture, breathing, or mindfulness as Japanese walking sometimes does, can further enhance cardiovascular and mental health,” Dr Wylie shared.As a recent convert, I couldn’t agree more.Related...I Tried 'Jeffing' And My Running Pace Skyrocketed'King Charles Walking' May Be The Secret To Better Posture, Experts Say'Fart Walks' May Be The Secret To Healthy Ageing, Doctor Says

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