Al Roker, the TODAY weatherman, recently tried a Japanese walking workout trend and found that it helped him get more distance. The trend, also known as interval walking, involves alternating between periods of faster, more vigorous walking and easier, steady walking.
How Japanese Walking Works
Japanese walking starts with 5 minutes of walking at an easy pace to warm up. Then, you walk at a faster, harder pace for 3 minutes, followed by 3 minutes of walking at a steady pace. You repeat those alternating 3-minute intervals for a total of 35 minutes of walking, which can be done either outside or on a treadmill.
According to Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein, an orthopedic surgeon, this type of walking has two major health benefits. It can help improve your VO2 max, a measure of your body’s oxygen use and general fitness level, and it can help maintain or build bone density, especially if you’re starting an exercise program and have low bone density.
Other experts agree that interval walking can also help improve blood pressure and ramp up your metabolism. It’s a low-impact exercise, making it great for people who want the cardiovascular benefits but can’t or prefer not to do higher-impact exercises.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
