Walk Your Way to Longevity: Science-Backed Routine to Boost Your Lifespan

Walking is more than just a simple form of exercise; it’s a gateway to numerous health benefits, ranging from enhanced cognitive function to reduced risk of heart disease. However, how fast and how much one needs to walk to truly harness these benefits has been a topic of debate. Recent findings on “Japanese walking” shed light on this, offering a workout routine that promises to lower blood pressure, aid in weight loss, and boost muscle strength.

Japanese walking, also known as interval walking or 3×3 walking, combines elements of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with traditional walking. This innovative approach was pioneered in Japan and is gaining attention for its health benefits.

In a popular Instagram post, Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a board-certified gastroenterologist, described the method: “It is joint-friendly, time-efficient, and very effective.”

The technique involves alternating between three minutes of slow walking and three minutes of brisk walking, akin to “rushing to an important meeting,” for a total of 30 minutes.

This workout was initially developed by Dr. Hiroshi Nose, an exercise physiologist at Shinshu University. Dr. Nose and his team recommend performing this exercise four times a week, with the fast-walking intervals reaching a “6 or 7 on a scale of exertion from 1 to 10,” as reported by The New York Times.

Dr. Nose’s research, published in 2007 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, compared adults aged 44 to 78 who engaged in Japanese walking to those who walked continuously at a moderate intensity. The interval-walking group showed significant improvements in muscle strength and aerobic capacity compared to their counterparts.

Specifically, the interval group experienced a 13% increase in isometric knee extension and a 17% increase in knee flexion, both indicators of thigh muscle strength. Additionally, there was a 9% increase in peak aerobic capacity for walking and an 8% increase for cycling, both predictors of cardiovascular health.

Further studies by Dr. Nose and his team, including one published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2015, highlighted the long-term benefits of interval walking. Over 22 months, participants who adhered to the regimen saw a 13% reduction in the risk of lifestyle-related diseases.

In a decade-long study published in 2018, older adults who consistently practiced interval walking showed protection against age-related declines in physical fitness. The researchers concluded that participating in Japanese walking “protected against age-associated declines in physical fitness in older people and the effect was partially preserved even if they dropped out on the way.”

The secret to the effectiveness of Japanese walking may lie in its energy demands. An unrelated study published in 2024 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B found that shorter, intense walking bouts required participants to use significantly more oxygen than longer, steady walks.

Dr. Francesco Luciano, the lead author of the study, explained to The Guardian, “We found that when starting from rest, a significant amount of oxygen is consumed just to start walking. We incur this cost regardless of whether we then walk for 10 or 30 seconds, so it proportionally weighs more for shorter rather than longer bouts.”

This principle applies to Japanese walking as well. The frequent shifts from moderate to brisk walking result in higher energy expenditure, leading to greater calorie burn, weight loss, and improved cardiovascular health—all crucial for longevity.

Incorporating Japanese walking into your routine could be the key to extending your life while enhancing your overall well-being.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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