{"id":83658,"date":"2025-08-21T22:52:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T22:52:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/83658\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T22:52:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T22:52:09","slug":"forget-10000-steps-a-day-is-japanese-walking-the-answer-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/83658\/","title":{"rendered":"Forget 10,000 steps a day: Is \u2018Japanese walking\u2019 the answer? | Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many people, walking no longer just means getting from one place to another \u2014 it also means burning calories. Since a 2004 study determined that 10,000 steps a day are ideal for a healthy life (later revealed to be a marketing trick from the 1960s to promote the Manpo-kei pedometer, which means \u201c10,000-step meter\u201d), simply walking is not enough. Steps must be counted<\/a>, goals set \u2014 and met \u2014 and above all, calories burned.<\/p>\n

From this over-optimization of walking emerges what is called \u201cJapanese walking,\u201d an interval walking routine that alternates high-intensity segments with gentler recovery periods. <\/p>\n

Trainer Pedro Jim\u00e9nez explains that this method alternates three-minute fast phases with active rest periods, allowing the heart rate to rise, more muscle groups to be activated, and endurance to improve. During the fast segments, participants work at 40\u201350% of their maximum heart rate, followed by three minutes at 70\u201385% of the maximum. The goal is to repeat both phases at least four times to reach a 30-minute session.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts benefits include efficient fat burning, increased metabolism, and strengthening of the cardiovascular system,\u201d he tells EL PA\u00cdS. \u201cFurthermore, as it\u2019s a low-impact activity, it\u2019s suitable for different ages and fitness levels.\u201d <\/p>\n

Hiroshi Nose, an exercise physiologist at the Faculty of Medicine at Shinshu University in Japan, launched a study<\/a> two decades ago in which he applied interval training techniques commonly used by elite athletes to older adults. He found that their health improved, which in turn reduced costs for Japan, which has one of the oldest populations in the world. <\/p>\n

But the boom<\/a>, of course, came thanks to social media, where countless users praise the benefits of this new way of walking, which fits even the most impossible schedules in a world obsessed with efficiency.<\/p>\n

The undeniable proof that walking is increasingly tied to productivity is that prominent tech figures have incorporated it into both their fitness and work routines. Mark Zuckerberg is known for walking to stay in shape and boost productivity through his energetic strolls.<\/p>\n

Nilofer Merchant, one of Silicon Valley\u2019s most influential women, advocates in her TED Talk <\/a>for the benefits of walking meetings. \u201cSomeone invited me to a meeting, but couldn\u2019t manage to fit me into a regular conference room meeting, and said, \u2018I have to walk my dog tomorrow, could you come then?\u2019\u201d Merchant recalls in the talk.\u201cI\u2019ve taken that idea and made it my own […] It\u2019s changed my life.\u201d <\/p>\n

And Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, also favors this type of fitness-focused meeting.<\/p>\n

However, does walking lose its magic<\/a> when it is tied to productivity or weight loss? Herreros responds: \u201cMaybe I\u2019m not so in favor of commercializing and trying to make a profit [financially] out of everything. It\u2019s about our insecurities, our weaknesses. New activities are always emerging that can be marketed and promise a lot of things. Like the perfect body.\u201d <\/p>\n

He continues: \u201cI don\u2019t know if walking achieves the normative body type that current standards consider, if you manage to lose weight. But I do know that a good walk, as Vivian Gornick says in Fierce Attachments, \u2018brings out the best in us.\u2019 And it provides solace, joy, and comfort. Not bad at all.\u201d <\/p>\n

Fitness coach and content creator Eugene Teo<\/a> is one of the most ardent advocates of Japanese walking, claiming it multiplies the benefits of walking 10,000 steps a day tenfold. \u201cWhile that\u2019s a wonderful goal, it requires one to two hours of intentional movement every day. Meanwhile, Japanese walking only takes half an hour,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Pedro Jim\u00e9nez explains that while this claim might sound exaggerated, it reflects a scientifically grounded idea: the quality of movement is as important as the quantity. \u201cWalking 10,000 steps is healthy, but including peaks of intensity in a short routine can create deeper physiological adaptations, such as greater endurance, strength, and fat burning,\u201d he explains. \u201cAlthough it may not literally equate to 10 times the benefit, it is reasonable to think that 30 well-structured minutes can have a greater impact than a long, monotonous walk-\u201d <\/p>\n

To ensure proper effort during the intense intervals of Japanese walking, it\u2019s necessary to pay attention to both the body and breathing, so as not to confuse it with power walking, which involves walking with exaggerated arm movement, engaging the core, and slightly raising the balls of your feet. \u201cWith Japanese walking, we should be able to speak with difficulty, but without reaching extreme exhaustion. It can also help us control our heart rate and keep it between 70% and 85% of our estimated maximum,\u201d says Jim\u00e9nez, who points out that it\u2019s a more demanding effort than power walking, but not as demanding as running. \u201cThe key is to feel that your body is being challenged without losing control of the rhythm,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

The New York Times<\/a> just published an article pointing out that Japanese walking is the new trend in physical wellness. In the article, Carlin Senter, chief of primary-care sports medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, advises that if Japanese walking is your main form of exercise, it should be complemented with at least two days per week of strength training<\/a>, along with balance and mobility exercises.<\/p>\n

Pedro Jim\u00e9nez agrees: \u201cIncluding strength exercises is key for women\u2019s health, especially after the age of 30, when muscle and bone mass begin to decline. Strength training helps prevent osteoporosis, improve posture, and increase basal metabolic rate, making it easier to control weight,\u201d he explains, emphasizing that pairing cardio with strength is a comprehensive health strategy.<\/p>\n

For those on vacation, Japanese walking is ideal as it requires no equipment or gym visits. For those back at the office, knowing that just half an hour can deliver the benefits of a two-hour walk is perfect for busy schedules.<\/p>\n

Sign up for our weekly newsletter<\/a> to get more English-language news coverage from EL PA\u00cdS USA Edition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For many people, walking no longer just means getting from one place to another \u2014 it also means…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":83659,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,7203,29128,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-83658","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-mark-zuckerberg","11":"tag-tim-cook","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83658"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83658\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}