Lace up those sneakers! There’s another walking trend that you may want to consider before your next workout.
Developed in Japan, the interval walking method is a form of High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, training.
It’s all about bursts of brisk energy, and interval training has long been known to offer benefits — perhaps more than the traditional target of 10,000 daily steps.
So, how does it work?
Prepare to set aside 30 minutes or more
According to Tom’s Guide, the method suggests you start your walk at a low intensity – one which you could easily hold a conversation – for three minutes.
After that, you should walk at a high intensity for three minutes, during which you are working hard.
You then alternate between those intensities for a period of 30 minutes or even more.
What are the health benefits?
The benefits of interval and HIIT training are widely established.
HIIT work, which consists of alternating between bursts of intense work and recovery times, can help to burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. People continue to burn calories for hours after their workouts.
“These workouts typically cause you to burn more fat and build muscle. Studies have also showed that high-intensity workouts may help lower blood pressure and heart rate,” according to UC Davis Health.
Interval training offers cardiovascular benefits and can improve age-related muscle loss. Researchers have previously found that people between the ages of 65 to 80 who did such training reversed age-related deterioration of muscle cells and improved muscle power.
“The key is to walk at a brisk pace that gets the heart rate up and makes you work harder,” Dr. Lauren Elson, medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Walking for Health, said in a statement.
Any walking is good walking
Any cardio can improve the health of your heart, strengthen the immune system, and help to manage your weight.
Recent research has found that taking just 9,000 steps a day can help to lower your risk of developing 13 different cancers.
Federal health authorities say that adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, in addition to two days of muscle-strengthening activity.
“Walking also is a great way to get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, as you can do it indoors or outdoors, and workouts can be adjusted to fit any fitness level,” said Elson.
