JAP WALKING 3-3-30 SC

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The scientific research supporting Japanese interval walking (also known as Interval Walking Training or IWT) comes primarily from Japanese researchers who have conducted extensive studies on this method. Here are the key scientific findings:

Major Research Studies

The foundational research comes from Japanese scientists, particularly from Shinshu University, who developed and studied this walking method extensively. Interval walking training (IWT) is efficacious in improving physical fitness and muscle strength, and reducing factors associated with lifestyle-related diseases.

Key Study Findings

Cardiovascular Benefits: Research consistently shows significant cardiovascular improvements. The study found middle-aged and older people who did this high-intensity interval walking had lower blood pressure, stronger thigh muscles and better aerobic capacity than walkers of the same age who kept a moderate, continuous pace.

Comprehensive Health Improvements: After three months of doing a 30-minute interval walk three times a week, participants had a lower blood pressure and cholesterol, increased leg strength, and more aerobic capacity than those who walked continuously at a moderate pace for the same time.

Superior to Continuous Walking: People who followed the interval walking program for five months experienced greater increases in leg strength and overall physical fitness, as well as a greater reduction in blood pressure, compared to those who only walked at a moderate pace.

Specific Health Metrics

Lifestyle Disease Score: Ninety-five percent of the enrolled participants completed the IWT program (60 min/day, 4 days/week), and the LSD score decreased on average by 20%. The lifestyle-related disease (LSD) score encompasses multiple health markers including blood pressure, glucose control, and fitness levels.

Physical Fitness: High-intensity walking time during IWT is a key factor to increase eV˙O2peak and decrease LSD score in middle-aged and older people.

Expert Validation

Sports medicine specialists have validated these findings. Studies specifically looking at the benefits of interval walking training have found improved physical fitness, muscle strength, and glycemic control.

The research demonstrates that Japanese interval walking provides measurably better health outcomes than traditional continuous moderate-pace walking, with improvements in cardiovascular health, muscle strength, blood pressure, and overall fitness markers.

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Yes, exactly! The authentic Japanese interval walking protocol is indeed:

3 minutes fast walking + 3 minutes slow walking repeated for 30 minutes total.

The Official Protocol

According to original research on Japanese walking published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2009, the standard IWT protocol consists of alternating intervals of: 3 minutes of fast walking (roughly 70% of peak aerobic capacity) 3 minutes of slow walking (40% of peak aerobic capacity)

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.

Intensity Guidelines

Fast Phase (3 minutes): Walk at a brisk pace for 3 minutes: About 70-85% of your maximum heart rate. You should be able to speak, but you may find continuous talking a challenge.

Slow Phase (3 minutes): Walk at a more leisurely pace for 3 minutes and let your heart rate come down to 40-50% of your maximum heart rate.

Session Structure

This 3X3 walking workout is simple: you do 3 minutes of low-intensity walking (40% of peak aerobic capacity for walking — a little faster than a stroll), followed by 3 minutes of high-intensity walking (70%+ of peak aerobic capacity for walking). You repeat these interval sets at least 5 times to reach the 30-minute duration.

So yes, it's precisely 3 minutes fast, 3 minutes slow, repeated for 30 minutes total - giving you 5 complete cycles of the 3+3 minute intervals.