ELLE Fit: This Japanese Walking Trend Is Weirdly Addictive

We’ve seen fitness fads come and go, hot yoga, zumba, spin cycles, and that brief phase when half of Instagram was hula hooping. But now, a new trend from Japan is taking over social media feeds. It’s called the Japanese walking workout, and it's surprisingly effective, ridiculously easy.

Not everyone in India wants to power through a 5K in 40-degree heat or fight for treadmill space at the gym. So when a fitness routine comes along that’s free, fuss-free, scientifically backed, and doesn’t need Lycra or a protein shake, we pay attention.

What Is the Japanese Walking Workout?

Unlike the “just go for a walk” advice we’ve all been given at some point, this trend involves a bit more structure. The Japanese walking method is a high-intensity interval workout, but before you panic, it doesn’t involve sprints or boot camp-style shouting.

Here’s the basic breakdown:

• Walk quickly for three minutes (aiming for about 70% of your peak effort)
• Then slow it down for three minutes (around 40% of your max effort)
• Repeat these intervals for 30 minutes

This method is based on a 20-year-old Japanese study where older adults followed this routine four days a week. The result? Lower blood pressure, improved aerobic capacity, and better endurance, without the high-impact stress of running.

What’s It Really Like?

Curious about the hype, I gave the Japanese walking workout a shot. The structured intervals felt like a gentle way to ease back into fitness, no pressure to “go hard” every time. One thing became clear fast: this isn’t your casual scroll-and-stroll. You’vegot to stay alert and keep time. I set timers on my smartwatch to cue the fast and slow intervals, which made the whole thing feel way more intentional than my usual aimless walks. The fast-paced bursts left me pleasantly out of breath, challenging, but manageable. The three-minute recovery walks gave me just enough time to catch my breath, even if my heart rate took a bit longer to chill. By day three, I had to walk faster to hit the same heart rate zones. My legs felt more energised, my mood lifted, and I didn’t dread doing cardio.

How Does It Compare?

If you’ve ever tried the now-infamous 12-3-30 treadmill workout, where you walk on a 12% incline at 3mph for 30 minutes, you’ll know it can feel a bit monotonous. I tested both methods to see which one felt better and got the job done more efficiently.According to my watch, the heart rate and distance were pretty similar between the two workouts, but the Japanese method won on engagement and enjoyment. The mix of speeds broke up the mental fatigue and made the time fly. It felt more like a workout experience rather than a chore.

The Japanese walking trend isn’t flashy. It won’t give you a six-pack in a week or require fancy gear. But it’s exactly that simplicity that makes it so brilliant. It’s a small, sustainable shift that could easily become a part of your daily routine. So, next time you're tempted to skip a workout or you're just tired of the same old fitness grind, try the Japanese walking method. Set a timer, pop in your headphones, and just walk. It might not break the internet, but it could just break you out of your fitness rut.

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