What is Interval Walking Training?

Exercise comes in at number 12 on Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen checklist — last but certainly not least, with overwhelming evidence for its health benefits.  Daily movement, for example, is shared by all Blue Zones 🌎 peoples having top longevity. 

And here’s the good news: it doesn’t take a gym, getting wiped out, expensive equipment, personal trainers, or endless time. Enter Interval Walking Training (IWT), also called “Japanese Walking.”  IWT’s simple technique is to alternate brisk and relaxed walking; and to scientists’ surprise, it unlocks big fitness and health gains in minutes a day. 👍

How to Do IWT
Interval walking training is powerful, yet incredibly simple to learn & do: 

• Walk at a fast pace for 3 minutes, then “recover” by walking at a regular/relaxed pace for 3 minutes.
• Repeat the cycle of 3 minutes fast, 3 minutes regular, for a total of 5 times, for about 30 minutes total. ✅

Proof: The 5-Month Japanese Study 🇯🇵
Researchers at Shinshu University School of Medicine enrolled 246 healthy adults aged 44–78 in a randomized 5-month trial.* Participants were divided into 3 groups:

1. No training

2. Continuous moderate walking (50% aerobic capacity, 8,000+ steps)

3. High-intensity interval walking (≥70% aerobic capacity, alternating with recovery pace)

Results? The interval walkers crushed it:

• Leg/Thigh strength: Knee extension ↑ 13%, flexion ↑ 17% 🦵

• Cardio fitness: Peak aerobic capacity ↑ 8–9% 💨

• Blood pressure: Resting systolic BP dropped significantly ❤️

• And all those benefits in less time walking than the steady-walking group!

Researchers concluded IWT may protect against the age-related declines in muscle, VO₂ capacity, and blood pressure, that often drive so much chronic illness.

Why It Matters 🌱
As Dr. Greger has highlighted, exercise boosts immunity (kids running just 6 minutes saw 50% more immune cells!), protects against cognitive decline, and improves mood, sleep, and hypertension.

Daily movement combined with whole food plant-based (WFPB) nutrition is the real preventive medicine. 🏆

“Exercising for 20 minutes may add an hour to your life. So, for all those who say they don’t have time to work out, exercising gives us a 3-to-1 return on investment!”**

Try It Today! 🌞
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get up off the couch and let’s do an IWT session today! Here’s your checklist to get started:

• Shoes on: 👟 pick supportive walking shoes you love.

• Hydration counts: 💧 water is another Daily Dozen checkbox, so be sure to bring a bottle of water with you.

• Stay safe: 🚦 During the speed intervals of your IWT session, your heart rate will increase, but you shouldn’t feel out of breath. You should be able to maintain a conversation during the 3-minutes brisk-walking period.

• Track your intervals: ⏱️ Use an app to time your 3-minute fast and 3-minute easy intervals.  The free app called Interval Timer is good.

• Start small: 2–3 cycles is plenty if it’s been awhile since you exercised. Work your way up to 5 cycles (about 30 minutes) for the best results.

Make it fun with music 🎶 or a walking buddy 👯. By Sunday night, you’ll have checked off your Daily Dozen exercise and hydration boxes — while stacking benefits for your heart, brain, and immunity. ✅

Oh, and want to stack on yet more benefits?  If you live near forest 🌳🌲 trails, do your IWT there, for the immune-boosting power of “forest bathing” — another surprising practice that Dr. Greger expounded on.***

References