Japanese Walking Over 60: How to Start Safely Later in Life
Many fitness trends are built around people in their twenties and thirties. Japanese walking is unusual: the people in its best-known studies were mostly in their sixties. If you are over 60, you are not adapting a young person's workout. You are doing the one that was tested on people like you.
Who the studies were about
Interval walking training was developed at Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Japan, for middle-aged and older adults who wanted to get fitter without a gym. In the randomized study most often cited, 246 people with an average age of 63 walked 3 minutes fast and 3 minutes slow, at least four days a week, for five months. Their peak aerobic capacity rose by about 9%, and their thigh strength by 13% (straightening the knee) and 17% (bending it). A group that walked at a steady moderate pace improved much less (Nemoto et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2007, PMID 17605959).
A later report followed 679 people through the same five-month programme and found fitness up by about 14%. That study had no comparison group, so it shows what happened to people who did it, not proof that the walking alone caused it (Masuki et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019, PMID 31477320).
Those are averages, not promises. But they say something useful: the method was designed with your age group in mind, and people in their sixties and seventies stuck with it long enough to measure.
For a closer look at the research, see Japanese walking benefits: what the research shows.
Why leg strength matters more after 60
Cardio fitness gets most of the attention, but the strength numbers are the ones many older walkers care about. Strong thighs are what get you up from a low chair, up a flight of stairs and back onto your feet after you stumble. Walking fast, with longer strides, works those muscles more than an easy stroll does. You are not lifting weights, but every fast phase asks a little more of your legs.
Talk to your doctor first if…
Walking is one of the safest ways to exercise, but faster walking is still exercise. It is worth a quick conversation with your doctor before you start if:
- you have a heart condition, high blood pressure that is not well controlled, or have had chest pain;
- you take medicine that changes your heart rate, such as beta blockers;
- you have had a fall in the past year, or problems with balance or dizziness;
- you have had a hip or knee replaced recently, or joint pain that gets worse when you walk;
- you have diabetes and use insulin or tablets that can lower your blood sugar.
None of these rule out Japanese walking. They are reasons to agree on a pace and a plan with someone who knows your health.
A gentler first month
The full routine is five rounds of 3 minutes fast and 3 minutes slow. You do not have to start there. If you have not exercised regularly for a while, build up over four weeks:
| Week | Each session | Days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 minutes fast, 2 minutes slow, 4 rounds (16 minutes) | 3 |
| 2 | 2 minutes fast, 3 minutes slow, 5 rounds (25 minutes) | 3 |
| 3 | 3 minutes fast, 3 minutes slow, 4 rounds (24 minutes) | 3–4 |
| 4 | 3 minutes fast, 3 minutes slow, 5 rounds (30 minutes) | 4 |
If a week feels too much, repeat it. There is no prize for reaching week four early. If you already walk briskly most days, you can probably start with the full session; the first-week plan for beginners is a good fit.
What "fast" means for you
"Fast" in Japanese walking is not a speed, it is an effort. In the original studies it was set at about 70% of each person's own capacity, so a 68-year-old's fast phase and a 40-year-old's look different, and that is exactly how it should be. Aim for "somewhat hard": you can speak in short sentences, but you would not want to chat. More on this in finding your fast and slow pace.
A few things help older walkers in particular:
- Start with the slow phase. The protocol begins fast, but a few easy minutes first give stiff joints time to loosen.
- Speed up with quicker steps, not only longer ones. Overstriding puts more load on knees and hips and can upset your balance.
- Choose flat, even ground at first. Save hills and uneven paths for when the routine feels familiar.
- Ease off at the end. Walk slowly for a minute or two after the last round instead of stopping dead.
Signs to slow down or stop
Feeling warm, breathing harder and having tired legs during the fast minutes is normal. These are not:
- chest pain, pressure or tightness;
- feeling dizzy, faint or unusually confused;
- breathlessness that does not settle during the slow phase;
- a racing or irregular heartbeat;
- sharp joint pain, or pain that makes you limp.
If any of these happen, stop, rest and contact a doctor. Chest pain that does not go away with rest is an emergency.
Ayumi has a "Short" plan (2 minutes fast, 2 minutes slow, 4 rounds) and lets you set the fast phase, slow phase and number of rounds yourself, so you can follow a build-up like the one above. You can also choose to start with the slow phase. Every switch is announced with a vibration and a voice, so you can keep your eyes on the path instead of the screen.
Make it part of your week
Many people over 60 find interval walking easier to keep than other exercise because it fits around ordinary life: a walk to the shops, a loop of the park after breakfast, a corridor on a rainy day. Pick fixed days, walk with someone if you can (see walking with friends), and judge your progress over months rather than days. The studies ran for five months for a reason.
General information, not medical advice. Studies: Nemoto et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2007 (PMID 17605959); Masuki et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019 (PMID 31477320). Results vary from person to person. If you have a medical condition, ask your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.