Printable 4-week walking plan

One page. Stick it on the fridge and tick off each walk.

Download the PDF or print this page (Ctrl+P, or Share › Print on a phone)

Japanese interval walking

My 4-week walking plan

Start date:

3 min slow You can talk in full sentences.
3 min fast Short phrases only, slightly out of breath.
Repeat. Always start slow; finish on a fast block. Add an easy minute before and after.
WeekEach walkTick each walk you do
1 18 min
3 slow + 3 fast blocks
3 walks this week
2 24 min
4 slow + 4 fast blocks
3 walks this week
3 24 min
4 slow + 4 fast blocks
4 walks this week
4 30 min
5 slow + 5 fast blocks
4 walks this week

Rest a day between walks in the first two weeks.

Missed a walk? Carry on where you left off. Don’t double up.

After week 4: keep to 30 minutes, four days a week.

Check with a doctor first if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes or joint problems, or have been inactive for a long time.

Ritmo Free timer with voice cues: ritmodigital.uk/japanese-walking-timer

How to use the plan

Each walk is made of three-minute blocks: slow, then fast, then slow again, and so on. Week one is 18 minutes, three times. By week four you are walking 30 minutes, four times a week, which is the routine used in the research. The 30-day plan explains each week and why it is built this way.

To keep track of the switches without watching a clock, use the free Japanese walking timer. It says “walk fast” and “walk slow” out loud at every change.