Guide
Japanese walking: how to do the 3 minute interval walk
Three minutes brisk, three minutes easy, five times over. That's Japanese walking, the interval walk that's been all over social media. Here's how to actually do it, and how to know your fast part is fast enough.
What is Japanese walking?
Japanese walking is the friendly name for Interval Walking Training (IWT), a method developed by researchers at Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Japan. Instead of walking at one steady speed, you switch between two:
- Fast: a brisk walk that makes you breathe harder. You can talk, but you couldn't sing.
- Easy: a relaxed stroll where your breathing settles.
Each phase lasts three minutes. Five rounds makes a 30 minute walk, and the original programme suggests walking like this on at least four days a week. The researchers' studies, mostly with middle-aged and older adults, reported bigger gains in fitness and leg strength from interval walking than from walking at one steady, moderate pace.
How to do it, step by step
- Warm up for 2 to 3 minutes at an easy pace. Loose shoulders, relaxed arms.
- Pick it up for 3 minutes. Longer strides, arms bent and swinging, eyes forward. Aim for breathing hard but in control.
- Ease off for 3 minutes. Slow right down and let your breath come back. Don't stop completely.
- Repeat fast and easy until you've done five of each.
- Cool down with a few minutes of gentle walking.
The hard part is the timing: checking your watch every three minutes gets old fast. That's what an interval walking timer is for. Pace Pulse calls out each switch by voice, sound and vibration, so you can keep your eyes on the path.
How fast should the fast part be?
The fast phase should feel like hard, but sustainable effort. Two easy checks:
- The talk test: you can speak in short sentences, but singing is out of the question.
- Your step rate: for most adults, about 100 steps a minute or more is a brisk, moderate intensity walk, and around 130 is vigorous. Count your steps for 15 seconds and multiply by four.
If your fast part feels like a normal stroll, it isn't doing its job. Pace Pulse can count your steps during each fast phase and give you a gentle nudge if you drift below your target. More on that in how fast is brisk walking.
A 4 week starter plan
New to walking, or coming back after a break? Build up to the full 30 minutes instead of starting there.
| Week | Walk | How often |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast 1 min, easy 2 min, 5 rounds | 3 days |
| 2 | Fast 2 min, easy 2 min, 5 rounds | 3 to 4 days |
| 3 | Fast 3 min, easy 3 min, 4 rounds | 4 days |
| 4 | Fast 3 min, easy 3 min, 5 rounds (the full Japanese walk) | 4 or more days |
Pace Pulse has this kind of build up as a guided programme, Japanese Walking in 8 weeks, that moves you on as you go.
Common mistakes
- Fast isn't fast. The benefit comes from the contrast. If both phases feel the same, speed the fast one up.
- Stopping in the easy phase. Keep moving, just slower.
- Losing count. Five rounds is easy to lose track of. Let a timer count for you.
- Doing too much too soon. Start with shorter fast phases and fewer rounds, then build.
Let Pace Pulse time it for you
A free interval walking timer for iPhone, Apple Watch, Android and Wear OS. Ready made plans, gentle walks with rest stops, treadmill plans with speed and incline, voice and haptic cues for every switch, and a custom builder. No ads, no account.
Get Pace PulseQuestions
How long is a Japanese walking workout?
About 30 minutes: five rounds of 3 minutes fast and 3 minutes easy, plus a short warm up and cool down if you like.
How many days a week should I do Japanese walking?
The original Interval Walking Training programme suggests at least four days a week. If you're starting out, three days is a fine place to begin.
Can beginners do Japanese walking?
Yes. Start with shorter fast phases, such as 1 minute fast and 2 minutes easy, and build up over a few weeks. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor first.
Is there an app for Japanese walking?
Yes. Pace Pulse is a free interval walking timer for iPhone, Apple Watch, Android and Wear OS with a ready made Japanese walking plan, voice cues for every switch and an optional step counter to check your pace.
Pace Pulse is a walking timer, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are recovering from an illness or injury, or haven't been active for a while, check with your doctor first.