In recent years, social media has been flooded with various exercise trends through walkand at all accidental!
Walking, such a simple activity, offers a wealth of benefits for our health. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, enhance our joints and hearts, improve our mood, and even help us live longer.
The latest trend that makes the tour of Tiktok and Instagram is known as “Japanese walking”. There are a few who argue that in just 30 minutes, one can reap 10 times more than 10,000 steps daily.
But what’s behind this striking claim? Let’s look at the scientific approach.
The root of this method is located in a study conducted in Japan in 2007. In this study, 246 participants were divided into three groups:
First control group: No walking.
Moderate Walking Team: Participants walked through moderate efforts, taking at least 8,000 steps a day, four or more days a week.
High-Intensity Interval Team: This group received specific instructions. Walking slowly for three minutes, and then walk quickly with great effort for three minutes. This cycle was to be repeated five or more times, for four or more days per week.
The researchers found something impressive: the third group, the one who applied high -intensity intermittent intervals, showed a significant improvement in strength, endurance and lowering blood pressure, to a greater extent than the group of continuous walking medium intensity. This particular workout is now known as “Japanese walking”.
@coacheugeneteo Walking 10,000 steps… But better I know I can’t be the only one who looks at my step count at the end of the day and feel like a failure. Some days, I get around 2,000 steps. I still aim for at least 8,000 a day – but sometimes, life just gets in the way. But even if it’s only an extra ~3000 steps, this simple 30 minute protocol on my walking pad can make a huge difference.
The significant health benefits
Another study, conducted in 2018, attended participants who followed exactly this walking method for a decade. The findings were noteworthy: Those who maintained this training throughout the study showed 20% improvement in their feet strength and 40% improvement in the peak exercise capacity.
The researchers concluded that these participants had been protected from the reductions in their physical condition. Even those who failed to maintain tension in this training for 10 years have partially maintained these improvements.
The reason is simple: as your heart rate increases during faster walking intervals, your body benefits from more intense to dynamic intensity. Disease Control and Prevention Centers (CDC) constitute 150 minutes of moderate activity each week for most adults, or 75 minutes of intense intensity. Walking rhythm to walking can help you achieve this goal.
In addition, research shows that moderate to dynamic intensity is associated with a lower risk of premature mortality and improved cardiopulmonary capacity.
How to start
For higher intensity intervals: Your heart rate should be up to the point that you are just starting to sprout, but not to the maximum of your effort. Researchers consider this to be 70% of your maximum dynamic effort.
For lower intensity walking: This should be an easy effort where the conversation is still comfortable.
Alternate walking in each intensity for three minutes, until you complete a total of 30 minutes. Integrate this workout into your routine four times a week.
“Japanese walking” is not just a trend of Tiktok, but a scientifically documented method that can bring significant benefits to your health in an accessible and effective way. Is it time to try it?