Walking is the Sangral of exercise that is making many a Walk Guru on YouTube and Instagram. Shubhangi Srivastava, 29, a visa consultant in Delhi, knows its power. Her sedentary lifestyle imposed on her by office routine chained her to her desk. Determined to get revved up, she tried home workouts, gym workouts, and trendy fitness routines. “I’d put myself through a round of push-ups, and feel sore for days,” she says with a wry smile. “I could never keep up.” Until the day Srivastava stumbled on the 3x3 Japanese walking method on Instagram. “It felt too easy,” she says. Within weeks of walking the Insta talk, she noticed a shift in her routine. “I wasn’t slumping in my chair by mid-afternoon. I felt sharper, more alert, and actually wanted to move.” For the rejuvenated visa consultant, the appeal of the Japanese walk wasn’t just the science—it was the accessibility. “It fits into my life without taking over it.”
Sixty-year-old Rakesh Jha seconds Srivastava’s belief. “I had no idea this technique came from Japan. My grandchild suggested I try it during my daily walks, so I gave it a shot. At first, I didn’t notice much, but within two months, my diabetes was far better controlled. I think I’m simply burning more calories this way.”
One of the oldest and most accessible forms of physical activity, it is being reimagined in Japan—and across the world among fitness followers who are bombarded with a fad a day. Popularly referred to as Interval Walking Training (IWT), the 3x3 Japanese walking method— a structured yet minimalist approach to fitness— is gaining traction for clinical approval, accessibility, and potential to transform sedentary lifestyles into active with just a few minutes a day.
Decoding the Buzz
The 3x3 walking method workout, rooted in Japanese health research, alternates between periods of brisk and leisurely walking. “The trending tactic—the Interval Walking Training (IWT), or 3x3 ‘Japanese walking’ workout—that alternates between moderate and fast-paced walking intervals is a simple and efficient fitness routine inspired by Japanese wellness practices that focus on short, high-intensity walks to boost metabolism, cardiovascular health, and fat burning,” explains Asad Hussain, founder and CEO of OddsFitness.
There are two main ways this workout is practiced. The traditional approach recommends a 30-minute session, where participants walk briskly at about 70–85 per cent of their maximum heart rate for 3 minutes, followed by a 3-minute slow walk. This routine is repeated five times. According to Dr Sachin Sethi, principal lead of the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre at Artemis Hospitals, this cycle four to five times a week, “can lead to improvements in cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, increased leg strength, and enhanced aerobic capacity. It’s a method that people of all ages and fitness levels can adopt.”
An alternative method, popularised for its convenience, involves three-minute walking sessions spaced throughout the day—morning, afternoon, and evening. “Each session should last just three minutes and follow an interval format: alternate between 30 seconds of moderate-paced walking and 30 seconds of brisk, high-effort walking, repeating the cycle three times,” Hussain says.
How it Works
The effectiveness of IWT lies in the way it is structured. Short bursts of high-effort walking followed by recovery spur improvements in aerobic capacity, insulin sensitivity, fat metabolism, and cardiovascular strength. “These quick, repeated spikes in activity burn calories, improve cardiovascular fitness, and enhance insulin sensitivity,” says Hussain. “Research, especially from Japan, demonstrates that IWT boosts aerobic capacity, lowers blood pressure, and helps reduce body fat.”
According to Dr Prateek Chaudhary, Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Asian Hospital, Faridabad, the bursts of brisk walking push the heart and lungs to work harder, which enhances oxygen efficiency. Furthermore, this form of walking helps reduce resting heart rate and improves arterial elasticity, both of which are important markers of cardiovascular health.
Dr Sethi concurs, noting that the success of the workout comes not from intensity alone but from consistency. “Aim to do this 4 to 5 times a week, and you’ll boost your cardiovascular fitness and stamina.”
Comparison to Traditional Cardio
According to Prateek Raheja, a Delhi-based fitness coach, the 3x3 walking routine is “particularly effective for metabolic health, blood sugar control, and maintaining a healthy body weight, especially in sedentary individuals or those new to exercise.” In contrast, traditional cardio may burn more calories in a single session and build aerobic capacity more efficiently, making it ideal for more advanced fitness goals. The Japanese walk offers flexibility, accessibility, and measurable health benefits. Whether you’re a busy professional, a sedentary office worker, or an older adult looking to stay active, this walking style can be a manageable entry point into a healthier lifestyle.