How this viral walking trend from Japan actually changes key fitness markers

A walking technique developed in Japan is gaining attention on social media as users attempt a routine built on fixed three-minute intervals. Known as interval walking training, the method alternates three minutes of brisk walking with three minutes of slower walking for about 30 minutes. The method was created by researchers at Shinshu University who found that adults who followed the program for five months recorded measurable changes in several fitness indicators.

Backed by actual science: The method is effective because the fast segments raise the workload to a level that prompts cardiovascular and muscular adaptation while the slow segments prevent early fatigue. In a controlled study involving 679 middle aged and older adults, participants walked at about 70% of their peak aerobic capacity during the fast segments and about 40% during the slow periods. Researchers reported increases in leg muscle strength measured through isokinetic testing along with reductions in systolic blood pressure among those who completed at least four sessions each week.

Benefits to bone density: Studies have also identified a mechanical explanation for changes in bone health. In separate research involving postmenopausal women with low baseline bone mineral density, the repeated higher intensity intervals produced enough loading force to stimulate bone tissue. Participants in that trial recorded measurable gains in bone density after following the same three-minute fast and three-minute slow structure used in earlier work.

Intensity threshold vs duration: Scientific reviews note that the program’s design allows participants to spend more total time at a higher intensity than they could sustain through continuous fast walking. Researchers observed that improvements in fitness markers leveled off once the weekly fast walking total reached about 50 minutes, indicating that the benefits arise from a specific intensity threshold rather than overall walking duration. The program’s fixed pacing requirements have also allowed researchers to document results consistently across multiple studies.