Walking 10,000 steps every day has been linked to several health benefits, including a reduced risk of developing dementia, cancer and heart and circulatory diseases, as well as having mental health benefits.
However, what if we told you that there is another walking technique with more benefits and requires much less time?
In an Instagram post shared on September 7, Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist trained at the AIIMS, Harvard and Stanford Universities, talked about this walking technique. According to him, it was discovered by the Japanese. Let’s find out how to do it and how it is more beneficial than 10,000 steps.
Japanese walking technique better than 10,000 steps?
According to the gastroenterologist, the Japanese-discovered walking technique has more benefits than the traditional 10,000 steps, and it is called interval walking. It involves alternating 3 minutes of slow walking with 3 minutes of brisk walking, as if you are rushing to an important meeting.
How to do it?
The gastroenterologist suggested doing the interval walking for 30 minutes daily. “To start, walk at a comfortable pace for 3-5 minutes, then alternate between slow and brisk walking. Finish with a 3-5 minute cool down,” he explained.
The benefits
According to him, if you do this, the results will be impressive, including:
- better blood pressure
- reduced stroke risk
- improved mood
- boosted immunity
- better sleep quality
“It is joint-friendly, time-efficient, and very effective. Share this widely and follow for more,” he added.
Study supports the benefits of interval walking
According to Dr Sethi, studies also show that this method can significantly improve cardiovascular health and fitness. A July 2007 study published in the PubMed journal examined whether high-intensity interval walking training increased thigh muscle strength and peak aerobic capacity and reduced blood pressure more than moderate-intensity continuous walking training.
The study found that high-intensity interval walking may protect against age-associated increases in blood pressure and decreases in thigh muscle strength and peak aerobic capacity.