Japanese walking on a treadmill
The method is timed, not measured in distance, so it works exactly the same on a treadmill or a walking pad: three minutes brisk, three minutes easy, five times. Indoors you get one bonus and one problem. The bonus: two fixed belt speeds make the intervals perfectly consistent. The problem: most consoles can't run a 3/3 interval with a cue, so you need something that tells you when to switch.
Starting speeds
These are starting points for an average adult, not targets. The real gauge is effort — brisk should make full sentences a little hard (an RPE of 6–7 out of 10, about 70 % of your peak effort in the original Shinshu University protocol, Nemoto et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2007); easy should let you chat (RPE 3–4). Set your two speeds once, then just switch between them on the cue.
| Interval | km/h | mph | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisk · 3 min | 6.0–6.5 | 3.7–4.0 | Purposeful, arms swinging, breathing up, talking in short phrases |
| Easy · 3 min | 4.0–4.5 | 2.5–2.8 | Relaxed, could hold a conversation, recovering for the next push |
Shorter or newer walkers: brisk 5.5 km/h (3.4 mph), easy 3.5 km/h (2.2 mph). Fit walkers: brisk 7 km/h (4.3 mph) is still walking for most people; above that, add incline instead of speed.
Incline
Optional. 1–2 % roughly matches the effort of walking outdoors. If the brisk block feels too easy but a faster belt turns into a jog, raise the incline to 3–5 % for the brisk minutes and drop it back for the easy ones — most treadmills change incline slowly, so start the change a few seconds before the switch. Keep the easy blocks flat while you're learning the rhythm.
Handling the switches
- Warm up a minute or two at the easy speed.
- On the brisk cue, press the speed up (or use a preset if your console has speed buttons). Belts take 3–5 seconds to get there; that's fine.
- On the easy cue, press the speed down. Don't hold the rails — let your arms swing, it's part of the brisk effort.
- Five rounds, then cool down at the easy speed.
For the cues: the free browser timer works with the phone propped on the console (screen on), with a chime and coach voice at every switch. If you'd rather listen to a podcast with the phone in your pocket, the Japanese Walking app speaks the switches over your audio and keeps the current interval on the lock screen — no Apple Watch needed.
Walking pads
Same method, same speeds, if the pad reaches ~6 km/h; many under-desk pads top out at 4–6 km/h, so use the top end for brisk and about two-thirds of it for easy. Pads almost never have interval programs, which is exactly the gap a timer with cues fills. Under a standing desk, the easy blocks are a good moment to type; the brisk blocks are not.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do Japanese walking on a treadmill?
Yes — it's timed, not distance-based, so it's identical indoors: 3 minutes brisk, 3 minutes easy, five times, switching belt speed on each cue.
What speed should the brisk and easy intervals be?
Start around 6.0–6.5 km/h (3.7–4.0 mph) brisk and 4.0–4.5 km/h (2.5–2.8 mph) easy, then adjust to the talk test.
Should I add incline?
Optional. 1–2 % mimics outdoors; more incline raises brisk intensity without turning the walk into a jog. Keep easy blocks flat at first.
Does it work on a walking pad?
Yes, if the pad reaches a brisk speed (~6 km/h). Use a timer with cues — pads rarely have interval programs.