30 Min Japanese walking Vs 10,000 Steps Daily : 5 Powerful Health Benefits

By Deepa Sarkar

Walking is one of the easiest forms of physical activity that provides health benefits to everyone. Traditionally, walking 10,000 steps per day has been promoted by health experts to maintain cardiovascular health, a healthy weight, and boost mental well-being. Recently, health and wellness experts in Japan have focused on the posture, alignment, and awareness of movement in walking instead of step counts. This method of walking is known as Namba Aruki (Japanese walking).

Many physical therapists and health and wellness experts in Japan believe that walking for just 30 minutes a day with correct posture and body awareness will yield the same (if not greater) benefits than walking 10,000 steps a day. The focus of Namba Aruki is on keeping the chest elevated, shoulders relaxed, engaging the core, and moving in a heel-to-toe manner. This can lead to improved burning of calories while protecting joints and improving the overall efficiency of your body.

Now, let’s take a look at the 5 major health benefits of these two approaches and compare both styles of walking:

1. Improved Cardiovascular Health

10,000 steps daily: Walking 10,000 steps daily (approximately 4 to 5 miles) encourages your body to improve its cardiovascular system through the circulation of blood throughout the body. Walking with that number of footsteps daily or on a regular basis strengthens your heart and will help you maintain your ideal cholesterol level.

Japanese walking for 30 minutes daily: 30 minutes of Japanese walking daily greatly contributes to the overall health of your heart. This type of walking allows you to maintain good posture and engage your entire core while walking. Proper posture helps reduce strain on your joints, elevate your heart rate, and increase the efficiency of the circulation system. Japanese walking is a great way to maintain steady rhythmic movement (steady breathing) while allowing the heart to remain healthy.

2. Weight Management and Fat Loss

10,000 steps daily: Walking with this high footstep count increases the total number of calories burned daily. The more calories you burn through walking, the greater increase in calories burned through fat loss, especially around the mid-section region, while promoting a healthy weight.

Japanese walking for 30 minutes daily: 30 minutes of Japanese walking each day can be a very effective way to help you burn calories with your body correctly aligned, and also activate all of your muscles due to the use of longer strides. Multiple studies show that walking mindfully increases metabolic rates and activates more muscles than uncontrolled walking.

3. Joint and Muscle Health

10,000 steps daily: For long distances, it is the best way to keep your knees, hips, and ankle joints mobile! However, an excess of walking that is not aligned with your physical abilities can create additional stress and wear and tear on the joints, particularly in those who have weakened joints due to previous injury.

Japanese walking for 30 minutes daily: Employing the “Japanese steps” technique, where the foot makes contact with the heel first, keeps the spine and shoulders in a neutral position while walking. Using the “Japanese steps” technique can help keep you from developing joint pain and improve your posture. It is also essential to develop your muscular strength in the postural area (e.g, glutes, core, lower back), which we tend to neglect when using traditional walking patterns.

4. Mental Well-Being & Mindfulness

10,000 steps daily: Walking long distances outdoors can help increase your mood, decrease anxiety, and increase your energy level through exposure to fresh air, sunlight, and nature.

Japanese walking for 30 minutes daily: Walking mindfully or with a focus on how your body is moving and how you are breathing is often referred to as “meditative” walking. The meditative aspect of the walking process allows for awareness of your body during the entire movement component and the articulation of your breath during the slow and steady walking pace, which allows for stress reduction and enhanced mental clarity.

5. Convenience and Sustainability

10,000 steps daily: Walking an average of 10,000 steps per day can be difficult for busy professionals or those who have limited mobility, as this often requires many formalized activities or walking long distances, which may be difficult for some individuals to maintain on a consistent basis.

Japanese walking for 30 minutes daily: In contrast to the traditional walking methods above, the implementation of the “Japanese steps” technique allows individuals to fit their 30-minute daily walking routine into a lunch break, early mornings, or the evening. The Japanese Steps Technique is very practical, user-friendly, and highly adaptable to people of all ages.

Final Insights

For people wanting better health, lower stress levels, and greater longevity, walking still tops the list of easiest ways. The 10,000-step target is based on the idea that walking long distances builds up your endurance over time, but Japanese-style walking takes things a step further by focusing on the quality of movements as well as quantity. Mindful walking, emphasising the quality of movement rather than quantity, will give you just as many benefits in half the amount of time.

Through engaging the core, maintaining good posture, and using a heel-to-toe motion while walking, you also protect your joints and muscles while at the same time improving mental focus, increasing metabolism, and developing a sustainable fitness routine.

Whether you are a busy professional, an older person looking for gentle exercise, or simply looking for high-quality movement rather than max steps, Japanese-style walking is a simple and effective option. Ultimately, the most effective method to achieve both physical and mental health is through consistent enjoyment of walking and being able to sustain this enjoyment.

FAQs

Q. Will doing 30 minutes of Japanese walking replace walking 10,000 steps daily?
Yes, if performed with awareness and proper posture and core activation, Japanese walking can yield similar or greater health benefits in a fraction of the time.

Q. How many calories will I burn by Japanese walking?
Depending on your speed, posture, and weight, you burn approximately 150-200 calories in 30 minutes.

Q. Is Japanese walking safe for seniors?
Yes, Japanese walking is a safe and effective low-impact exercise that provides seniors with protection from injury and increases balance and muscle strength.

Q. Do I need special shoes for Japanese walking?
Comfortable, supportive footwear is recommended, but there are no special shoe requirements. Focus on the heel-toe motion during your steps, and you will improve your posture.

Q. Can I do both methods of walking?
Yes, you can combine both methods of walking and walk 5,000 -7,000 steps per day and continue to do 30 minutes of Japanese walking for the best outcome.

Q. Will the practice of Japanese walking improve my lower back discomfort/ pain?
Yes. Practicing Japanese walking allows you to strengthen your core and postural muscles, and this strengthening over time may improve mild lower back discomfort.

Q. When should I expect to see results if I do Japanese walking daily?
You may see improvements in your posture, energy level, and endurance from practicing Japanese walking daily within 2-4 weeks.

Q. Can I practice Japanese walking indoors?
Yes. You can use a treadmill, corridor, or any large enough area to safely perform walking while focusing on good form (i.e., having the heel touch ground first, or walking heel-to-toe).