Most exercise research is done on younger people and then adapted for older ones. Japanese interval walking went the other way: it was developed and tested on people in their sixties. If you are over 60, you are the population the evidence is actually about.
What the research found in older adults
The founding trial, run at Shinshu University in Japan and published in 2007, randomly assigned 246 people with an average age of 63 to no training, steady walking, or interval walking for five months. The interval group’s thigh strength rose by 13–17% and their aerobic capacity by 8–9%, significantly more than the steady walkers, and their blood pressure fell further.
Later work by the same group followed larger numbers. In a five-month programme with 679 people averaging 65, aerobic fitness rose by 14% on average and a combined score of lifestyle-disease risk fell by 17%. That study had no comparison group, so it describes what changed rather than proving the walking caused it, but it fits the earlier trial.
The strength result is the one worth dwelling on. Leg strength tends to decline with age, and it matters for everyday things: climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, recovering from a stumble. In the trial, people who walked at a steady pace gained significantly less strength than the interval walkers. The brisk blocks made the difference.
Why it suits older walkers
- The hard parts are short. Each brisk effort lasts three minutes and is followed by three minutes of genuine recovery. You never have to sustain a hard pace for long.
- It doesn’t take much time. In the 679-person study, improvements rose with weekly brisk-walking time up to about 50 minutes and then levelled off. Four 30-minute sessions a week gives you 60.
- No running, no equipment. It is walking. The only kit is comfortable shoes.
- You set the intensity. “Brisk” is relative to you, judged by how hard you are breathing, not by a speed someone else chose.
How it fits the guidelines for older adults
The NHS advises adults aged 65 and over to be active every day, to do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, and to do activities that build strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days a week. The World Health Organization’s 2020 guidelines go further on balance, recommending varied activity that emphasises balance and strength on three or more days a week for older adults.
Interval walking at four 30-minute sessions a week gives you 120 minutes of walking, much of it brisk, which goes a long way towards the weekly aerobic target. It does not replace strength and balance work. The brisk blocks build some leg strength, but the guidelines are asking for more than that: think of interval walking as one part of the week, not all of it.
Starting safely
Talk to your doctor first if…
…you have a heart condition, blood pressure that isn’t well controlled, diabetes, dizziness or falls, or joint problems that walking makes worse, or if you have been largely inactive for a long time. This isn’t because interval walking is unusually risky. It’s that the brisk blocks are a real effort, and it is worth checking that a real effort is right for you.
Start smaller than the full routine
Begin with three cycles (18 minutes), three days a week, and build up over a month. The 30-day plan sets this out week by week.
Choose a flat, familiar route
Pick somewhere even underfoot, with places to rest. A loop near home means you are never far from the door if you need to stop.
Judge brisk by breathing, not speed
During brisk blocks you should manage short phrases but not full sentences. During easy blocks you should be able to chat comfortably. If you can’t recover during the easy block, slow the brisk one down.
What about knees and hips?
We have looked, and we have not found an interval walking study that tested people with knee pain or arthritis. The strength gains in the research were measured in people without those problems, so we can’t tell you interval walking helps sore knees, and we won’t.
If your knees or hips complain on fast flat walking, ask your doctor or a physiotherapist whether interval walking is suitable. On a treadmill, adding a gentle incline to the brisk blocks raises the effort without needing a faster stride; the complete guide explains how.
A walker’s view
Theresa, who wrote this page, is in her seventies and walks this way outdoors three or four days a week. She came across the method online while looking for a way to counter the effects of ageing, and says it leaves her feeling more energetic. That is one person’s experience, not evidence, but it is a reasonable picture of what the routine looks like in ordinary life.
Keeping it up
Benefits depend on continuing. In a 22-month follow-up of 696 people averaging 65, average adherence was 70%, and groups that kept it up more consistently saw larger improvements. Pick days and a route you can return to without thinking about it.
Related guides
- Japanese interval walking: the complete guide
- 3-3-3 walking: a 30-day plan
- Does interval walking help you lose weight?
- Interval walking vs. 10,000 steps
Sources
- Nemoto K, Gen-no H, Masuki S, Okazaki K, Nose H. “Effects of high-intensity interval walking training on physical fitness and blood pressure in middle-aged and older people.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2007;82(7):803–811. doi:10.4065/82.7.803
- Masuki S, Morikawa M, Nose H. “High-intensity walking time is a key determinant to increase physical fitness and improve health outcomes after interval walking training in middle-aged and older people.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2019;94(12):2415–2426. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.04.039
- Masuki S, Mori M, Tabara Y, et al. “The factors affecting adherence to a long-term interval walking training program in middle-aged and older people.” Journal of Applied Physiology 2015;118(5):595–603. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00819.2014
- NHS. “Physical activity guidelines for older adults.” https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-older-adults/
- World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, 2020. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128