Latest news with #HiroshiNose
Pink Villa
16 hours ago
- Health
- Pink Villa
Can 30 minutes of Japanese walking replace expensive gym membership? All about unique workout trend
The world seems to be currently abuzz with the latest fitness trend: Japanese walking. While people are familiar with the benefits of regular walking for their overall health, studies have proven that Japanese walking is actually a game changer, in addition to traditional methods. What is Japanese walking? Japanese walking was introduced following a joint research and study by Professor Hiroshi Nose and Associate Professor Shizue Masuki from Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Japan. Unlike the regular walking technique, this one introduces a simple interval format between the steps. The individual must walk briskly for the first 3 minutes and then slow their pace for the next 3 minutes. How often should Japanese walking be repeated? Under moderate circumstances, an individual can repeat the Japanese walking technique as a cycle for about 30 minutes four days a week. It is said to reduce the need for regular gym workouts and cut down on expensive fitness memberships, as Japanese walking is both time-efficient and relatively effortless, especially for those with very little time to spare. Are there any considerable health benefits of Japanese walking? Based on the first successful clinical trial of Japanese walking, it was observed that incorporating intervals into the walking technique helped boost oxygen supply throughout the body, reduce blood pressure, improve overall metabolic function, and enhance fitness levels. Additionally, Japanese walking is said to have benefited individuals with Type 2 diabetes, reducing lower-limb strength decline and age-related muscle loss. Following this method, their walking speed strategically increased, which helped improve overall physical quality of life. Can Japanese walking replace expensive gym memberships? One of the key questions surrounding the validity and benefits of Japanese walking circles is whether it can actually replace the expensive gym memberships that most people typically purchase. While working out at the gym may require more time for an individual, Japanese walking is in many ways less time-consuming, as people only need to spare 30 minutes of their time. Moreover, for those who aren't exactly sure about using gym equipment and muscle training, Japanese walking can be the best choice, since it is mostly focused on utilising the power of the limbs. How to try Japanese walking? For those curious about trying out Japanese walking in the first place, there are a few things to take note of. This begins with a mandatory 5-10 minute warm-up process. Thereafter, begin your brisk and slow walk intervals. Time yourself and ensure that both paces of walking are met in equal time, with equal gaps. Once you're done, let yourself cool down with stretching exercises, which will help bring your heart rate back to normal.
News18
3 days ago
- Health
- News18
What Is Japanese Walking? The Effortless Fitness Trend Beating The 10,000-Step Workout
Last Updated: A 30-minute walk with bursts of speed may do more for your heart and strength than 10,000 steps a day. Tired of chasing that 10,000-step goal every day? There's a smarter, science-backed way to stay fit without spending hours walking. It is called Japanese Walking, or Interval Walking Training (IWT), and it is making waves on social media for good reason. Developed by researchers at Japan's Shinshu University, this easy-to-follow routine blends short bursts of brisk walking with slower recovery walks. And the results? Surprisingly powerful. Research shows that Japanese Walking may offer equal or even better benefits than the age-old 10,000-step rule, especially for heart health, strength, and metabolic function. What Is Japanese Walking? No gym. No equipment. Just a walk with purpose. This workout method was designed by Professor Hiroshi Nose and Associate Professor Shizue Masuki from Shinshu University. The format is simple: alternate 3 minutes of fast-paced walking (at about 70–85% of your max heart rate) with 3 minutes of slow, relaxed walking (at around 40–50% of your max heart rate). Repeat this cycle for 30 minutes, four to five times a week. Unlike intense workouts, this is gentle enough for almost anyone to do but still effective. During the brisk walk phase, you should be breathing harder but still able to speak in short phrases. During the slower part, conversation should feel easy. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and a timer. The 10,000-step goal didn't come from a medical journal—it came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer. While walking is great for your health, newer studies suggest that after about 8,000 steps a day, the benefits may level off. So how does Japanese Walking compare? Let's look at what the research says: 1. Good for Your Heart In a 2007 study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 246 adults (average age: 63) followed this walking method. The results? Those who did Japanese Walking saw a drop in their systolic blood pressure by about 10 mmHg. That's roughly the same improvement many people get from blood pressure medications—far more than what the continuous walkers saw. 2. Boosts Strength and Endurance The same study also reported increases of 13–17% in leg strength and a 10% jump in aerobic capacity (VO2 max) after just five months. A 2018 follow-up in The FASEB Journal found that people who kept up with the routine maintained those gains long-term. 3. Helps Manage Blood Sugar In a 2023 study published in Diabetes Care, Japanese Walking helped participants with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar better than those who walked at a constant pace. Why? Researchers believe the intervals trigger better glucose metabolism—though factors like diet and genes also play a role. 4. Mental Health and Motivation Boosts While studies on mental health impact are still limited, the rhythm of intervals could provide mood-lifting effects similar to other types of rhythmic exercise. It's also highly doable. Studies show up to 95% of participants stick with it, likely because it's simple, time-efficient, and not too physically demanding. How To Try Japanese Walking Want to get started? Here's a basic plan backed by research: Then alternate: If you're new, start with shorter intervals (1–2 minutes each) and build up gradually. Use heart rate or how you feel to guide your pace. And if you have any medical conditions, check with your doctor first. Tips to Keep In Mind Focus on consistency—regular walking matters more than perfection Don't stress about exact heart rate zones—use your breath as a guide Japanese Walking is great, but it's one of many good fitness options Japanese Walking is an easy, effective way to improve your health, without dedicating hours to the gym. It might not be 'better" for everyone, but it's a fantastic option to try, especially if you're tired of chasing steps and looking for real results. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
4 days ago
- Health
- News18
Japan's 30-Minute Walking Trick That Helps You Lose Weight Quicker
That's exactly what a group of Japanese researchers started exploring nearly two decades ago. And the technique they developed, now known as Interval Walking Training (IWT), may quietly be one of the most effective and accessible fitness routines you can adopt today. The Method: Simple but Powerful Developed by researchers at the Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine in Matsumoto, Japan, this walking style isn't about slow strolls or punishing treks. It alternates between three minutes of fast walking and three minutes of slow walking, repeated for a total of 30 minutes. 'Fast" here means walking at a pace where talking becomes difficult. 'Slow" means walking at a comfortable, relaxed pace. Do this four days a week, and within a few months, you may notice changes far beyond what 10,000 steps ever did for you. Backed by Years of Research This isn't just a trending idea on social media. According to The Washington Post, the technique was first tested in a 2007 study led by researchers Hiroshi Nose and Shizue Masuki. The trial ran for five months and compared two groups one that did interval walking, and one that just walked at a steady, moderate pace. The results? The IWT group showed significantly lower blood pressure, stronger thigh muscles, and improved aerobic capacity. The control group saw no such changes. Later studies, especially between 2020 and 2024, strengthened these findings. In trials with older adults and people with Type 2 diabetes, the interval walkers also improved their cholesterol levels, body mass index (BMI), and flexibility, according to The Washington Post. And it didn't stop there. Researchers also found that participants slept better, had improved cognitive performance, and experienced fewer depressive symptoms. This makes IWT one of the few routines that offer both physical and mental health benefits something even regular gym-goers don't always get. Why It Works Better Than Regular Walking Traditional walking routines often focus on distance or total time like the infamous 10,000 steps. But those benchmarks don't account for intensity. IWT, in contrast, plays with intensity in a way that pushes the heart, muscles, and lungs just enough, then gives them time to recover. That 'push and pause" approach is what makes interval training so effective — and why athletes, runners, and now even walking researchers use it. As the article in The Washington Post puts it: 'Participants who tried to walk briskly for 30 minutes straight found it too hard, but when they broke it into three-minute bursts, they were able to sustain it." That's a big win for real-world sustainability. Getting Started: No Fancy Gear Needed You don't need a smartwatch, treadmill, or gym membership. Just a pair of comfortable shoes and 30 minutes. Here's how to begin: Walk briskly for 3 minutes. You should be breathing hard enough that full conversation is difficult. Then slow down for 3 minutes. This is your recovery. Repeat the cycle five times for a total of 30 minutes. If that feels like too much in the beginning, start with just two or three cycles and work your way up. You can use landmarks to guide your pace. Walk fast between two street lamps, then slow down until the next one. You can also listen to music that switches tempo, or set a simple timer on your phone. The ability to recover faster between the fast intervals is a sign your cardiovascular fitness is improving. Who Is This Good For? This walking style is especially helpful for: Middle-aged or older adults trying to stay active without overdoing it People with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or early heart issues Anyone looking for a low-cost, low-impact fitness routine that fits real life Even younger people who've grown tired of the gym or intense fitness trends are finding value in this method. The structure keeps you engaged without being overwhelming and the benefits stack up over time. advetisement More Effective Than 10,000 Steps? In many cases, yes. While 10,000 steps is a decent rule of thumb for general movement, IWT delivers measurable cardiovascular and muscular benefits in less time. The Japanese team behind the method observed health gains in as little as five months, without requiring participants to overhaul their entire lifestyle. So if you're someone who's been walking endlessly on a treadmill with no change in your blood pressure, stamina, or weight this is your sign to try walking smarter, not longer. The Japanese method of Interval Walking Training is not a fad. It's a low-effort, high-benefit approach to health that's backed by science, requires no special equipment, and fits into even the busiest schedules.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The Japanese Walking Method Boosts Fat Loss and Heart Health—Here's How to Get Started
The Japanese Walking Method Boosts Fat Loss and Heart Health—Here's How to Get Started originally appeared on Men's Fitness. As much as you might love lifting heavy at the gym, walking is one of the most underrated formsof exercise out there. This activity punches above its weight when it comes to boosting heart health, strengthening muscles and bones, and reducing your risk of conditions like stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. But admittedly, walking can get a little boring. That's where the Japanese Walking Method (sometimes called interval walking training) comes in, a fitness trend that's recently gained traction on social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok. But is this workout method simply a passing fad—or does it actually have legs? (Pun intended.) To find out, we looked at the research behind it and chatted with Ian Groves, a certified personal trainer and managing director of Training Station. What Is the Japanese Walking Method? Created by Japanese professor Hiroshi Nose, the Japanese Walking Method is a 30-minute high-intensity walking workout where you do three minutes of fast walking (about 70 percent of your peak aerobic capacity), then switch to three minutes of slow walking (about 40 percent of your peak aerobic capacity). You keep repeating these intervals for the full 30 minutes. While this walking method has recently gone viral on social media, Nose's original research was published in 2007 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. In this study, he and co-authors recommend doing this type of interval walking five days a week. What Are Its Benefits? Compared to regular walking, the Japanese Walking Method can offer a few extra benefits, according to Groves, like better cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, improved muscle strength, better functional fitness, and even changes in body composition. Science backs this up: In the Mayo Clinic Proceedings study, the participants who adhered to the Japanese Walking Method (as opposed to lower-intensity continuous walking) saw reductions in blood pressure and body weight and improvements in leg strength and aerobic capacity (where your body is using as much oxygen as it can, as efficiently as it can, during exercise). Newer research, like a 2018 study in The FASEB Journaland a 2024 review in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolismsupport the above findings and also show that the Japanese Walking Method can also improve blood sugar levels and protect against age-related declines in physical fitness in older adults. 'If you're not doing much exercise at all, even traditional walking will give you some of these benefits to start with,' Groves says. 'But if you've been walking regularly for a while, you might hit a bit of a plateau. That's where the Japanese Walking Method can help.' Switching up your pacing keeps your body guessing, improves your heart health, and ultimately gives you more bang for your buck, he adds. Plus, it's low-impact and doesn't require any equipment, so almost anyone can give it a try. Who Is It Best For? The Japanese Walking Method is perfect for beginners, older adults, or anyone getting back into exercise after a break, according to Groves. 'From my experience as a personal trainer, I've also seen that some people just don't enjoy being in a gym environment, and this method is ideal for them. It gets you moving, builds fitness, and can be done anywhere,' he says. On the flip side, if you're recovering from an injury or dealing with serious joint pain, the Japanese Walking Method might be a bit too intense for you, and steady walking could be a better fit, Groves explains. Additionally, if you're already lifting heavy or training hard in the gym five or six days a week, this workout probably won't challenge you much. 'It's just not intense enough to make a big difference at that level,' Groves says. Tips for Getting Started You don't have to jump straight into 30 minutes of walking if you're not ready, and there's no need to start with strict intervals like three minutes fast, three minutes slow, according to Groves. 'Take it at your own pace—even alternating one minute of slow walking with one minute of faster walking is a great place to start,' he says. Another pacing pointer Groves recommends: Don't go too hard on the fast intervals and burn yourself out early. If you do that, you'll likely struggle to finish the full 30 minutes, he says. Groves also recommends keeping an exercise diary or using an app to track your progress. 'It's a great way to stay motivated and see how far you've come,' he says. Finally, if you feel like you can't continue during a session, stop, rest, and try again next time. 'It's all about building consistency, not perfection,' Groves says. The Bottom Line The Japanese Walking Method is simple, effective, and doable for most people. You don't need a gym membership, any fancy equipment, or hours of free time to get a solid workout in. 'You head out for 30 minutes, do five rounds of walking, and by the end, you feel like you've achieved something,' Groves says. 'And once people start seeing results from the Japanese Walking Method—which they will if they stick with it—they tend to keep coming back to it.'The Japanese Walking Method Boosts Fat Loss and Heart Health—Here's How to Get Started first appeared on Men's Fitness on Jul 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Men's Fitness on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Just 30 minutes a day of ‘Japanese walking' may help you get in shape
Walking can be a go-to solution for many of life's challenges. Whether you're stressed, depressed or simply need a low-impact way to get in shape, walking can help. As one of the most accessible exercise options out there, it's suitable for a variety of people. One particular technique, known as interval walking training (IWT) or 'Japanese walking,' is getting renewed attention after going viral on TikTok. Nearly 20 years ago a team led by Hiroshi Nose and other researchers from Japan published a study that found that middle-aged and older people who did high-intensity interval walking had lower blood pressure, stronger thigh muscles, and better aerobic capacity than walkers the same age who kept a more moderate, continuous pace. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. In the study, the volunteers did three minutes of fast walking followed by three minutes at a slower pace, for 30 minutes per day at least four days per week. 'One of the most surprising findings was that IWT markedly increased physical fitness and decreased blood pressure after the 5-month intervention whereas these improvements were not observed in the moderate-intensity continuous walking group,' said Shizue Masuki, a researcher on the team and professor at Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine in Matsumoto. (The people in the control group aimed to take at least 8,000 steps a day, although a specific step goal, like the often-cited 10,000 per day, is no longer considered to be the holy grail of healthy walking.) IWT got its nickname because the study was conducted in Japan, but the walking technique isn't necessarily more popular in Japan than anywhere else, Masuki said. - - - The benefits of interval walking training Since that report, which came out in 2007, more recent studies have been published, including one in 2023 of people with Type 2 diabetes and another in 2024 of people 65 and older. Those found that walkers who did IWT had improved cholesterol, flexibility, BMI and cardiorespiratory endurance compared to control groups. 'When you increase your intensity of walking or other exercise that raises your heart rate, it's helpful to cardiovascular health and increases aerobic capacity. It puts healthy stress on the heart, which increases its capacity to function better and decreases resting blood pressure,' said Mir Ali, general and bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif. 'Once you're settled down from that increase, over time, your blood pressure improves.' Masuki said that additional studies by her team have also shown that the walking technique has benefits for sleep, cognitive function and depression. 'Mindful walking, especially in green space, has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce cortisol, improve focus and sleep, and help regulate mood,' said Barbara Walker, an integrative health and performance psychologist at University of Cincinnati Health. 'When paired with an interval walking approach, it becomes even more psychologically impactful: blending the benefits of nature exposure with the motivational structure of achievable physical goals.' - - - How hard is interval walking training? Of course, the best workout is the one you'll actually do. And you might wonder, if fast walking is so great, why not just do that for 30 minutes? IWT seems to be more doable than walking at an intense pace the entire time, said Masuki. Her research team instructed one group of their middle-aged and older subjects to walk continuously at the high intensity level for 30 minutes a day. 'However, no one completed the program, and they complained that the program was too boring and too difficult,' she said. Most studies have found about 60 to 90 percent of people can achieve the goals of IWT. One factor might be the amount of time it takes. For some, walking goals that require hours of accumulating steps throughout the day might even be discouraging because it takes too long. 'While doing 10,000 steps can improve blood pressure, sugar control and even lipid levels, doing interval walking for a shorter time can do the same benefits and more,' said Patrick Fratellone, a preventative cardiologist in New York City and Fairfield, Connecticut. - - - How to try interval walking - Start slowly and carefully All of our experts shared a common piece of advice - start slow. You don't have to jump into 30-minute interval sessions right away. Ali said even 15 minutes twice per day is still beneficial, and you can still try those intervals within that. Work up to the recommended amount of exercise for adults in the U.S. - 150 minutes of physical activity each week, for example, by doing 30 minutes at a time, 5 days per week. Adding in two days of muscle-strengthening activity would help meet the federal guidelines for exercise. As always, talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. 'We shouldn't take a previously sedentary person and put them in a high-intensity interval training program,' said Sarah Crawford, a physical therapist in Cincinnati. 'That's why practices like mine stay in business.' - Use unofficial metrics In the 2007 study, the volunteers aimed to do three minutes of walking at 70% of their peak aerobic capacity or VO2 max, which is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen the body can process, followed by three minutes at 40% of their peak aerobic capacity. While some fitness trackers will give you this number, a good rule of thumb is that you shouldn't really be able to talk for the whole three 'fast' minutes in IWT, Crawford said. For the slower interval, she said you should be able to maintain a conversation, but also keep a sweat going. She sometimes recommends patients choose a landmark, like mailboxes, and walk past the first 10 quickly, then the next 10 more slowly. - Watch for improvements Your heart rate and breathing recovery may improve over time, Crawford said. Pay attention to when you recover enough to do another quick interval, she said. 'How long do we stay there [at 70 percent], and how long does it take at the 40 percent threshold to recover enough to go back up into that 70 percent again?' Regardless of the type of walking you try, you're bound to see benefits, said Crawford: 'Walking is safe, low impact, easily accessible, getting somebody out in Earth and off a computer, in feedback with trees and plants and animals,' she said. 'It has sun exposure, light exposure, and sensory overdrive of being outside. It is, hands down 100 percent the best form of exercise for all human beings.' Related Content He may have stopped Trump's would-be assassin. Now he's telling his story. He seeded clouds over Texas. Then came the conspiracy theories. How conservatives beat back a Republican sell-off of public lands
