Dan Go (@FitFounder) is one of my go-to resources for health and fitness news. He just posted on his Instagram about Interval Walking Training, a method of walking developed by Japanese researchers that appears to be incredibly simple and incredibly effective.
Here’s how it works.
Instead of just strolling at the same pace, IWT alternates between three minutes of slow walking and three minutes of fast walking.
You do it for a total of 30 minutes.
That’s it. Super simple, but check out how effective it is, from the post by Dan:
People who do IWT see a 4x improvement in blood pressure compared to those who hit just 10K steps a day.
It’s been shown to reduce depression and cut stroke risk by 40%.
It has also been shown to strengthen muscles, boost the immune system, and improve sleep efficiency by 12%.
Here’s a Basic IWT Workout (30 min):
Warm-up: 3-5 minutes of easy walking
Intervals: Repeat the following for 30 minutes
3 minutes of slow walking (comfortable pace)
3 minutes of fast walking (brisk pace, like you’re late for a meeting)
Cool-down: 3-5 minutes of easy walking.
How Intense Should the Fast Walk Be?
Use the “Talk Test”
The IWT is harder than walking. To gauge intensity, you should still be able to have a conversation while walking. Think of it as having a Zone 2 intensity when you’re doing the fast walk.
Advanced IWT Options
◆ Hill Intervals: Do a fast walk uphill for extra resistance.
◆ Weighted: Wear a weighted vest (10-15% of your body weight).
◆ Go Longer: Extend to 40-45 minutes for added endurance benefits.
Use the “Talk Test” as a way to maintain the right intensity.
There you have it. Give it a try next time you go for a walk, start adding in some faster intervals and gradually build up to the 3 minute intervals the study found to be so effective.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHqWn3vzHcJ/?img_index=1
