A 6-Week Progressive Program Based on Japanese IWT Research
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After seeing how successful some folks have been with the program 100 push-ups, I wondered if that approach could be applied to this novel walking technique. If you like this, go support them.
See more about the how and the science in the appendices to this document.
As always, consult a doctor before beginning any exercise plan or change to diet. I am not a doctor or kinesiologist; just a gal who wants to be more mobile. You should read this whole document and no warranty or outcome is implied.
The calendar layout and documentation were gathered by Anthropic's LLM Claude. I described the algorithm and deliverables. Yes, I still did a mountain of markdown cleanup.
The calendar will list a number of walking "sets" to accomplish on a given day. Just follow the instructions below.
One set = 3 minutes of slow walking + 3 minutes of fast walking (6 minutes).
○ SLOW pace: ~40% of your peak effort. You can hold a full conversation easily. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): 3-4 out of 10.
○ FAST pace: ~70% of your peak effort. Talking becomes difficult. RPE: 7-8 out of 10. Swing your arms and lengthen your stride.
Add a 2-3 minute warmup stroll before your first set and a 2-3 minute cooldown stroll afterward, every session.
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Mon 2 sets (12 min + warmup/cooldown)
Tue rest
Wed rest
Thu 2 sets (12 min + warmup/cooldown)
Fri rest
Sat rest
Sun rest
Focus: Get familiar with the slow/fast rhythm. Find a pace where "fast" feels like effort but you could maintain it for the full 3 minutes. Don't worry about speed -- just learn the on/off pattern.
Mon 2 sets (12 min + warmup/cooldown)
Tue rest
Wed 2 sets (12 min + warmup/cooldown)
Thu rest
Fri 2 sets (12 min + warmup/cooldown)
Sat rest
Sun rest
Focus: Begin to notice the difference between your slow and fast paces. Your fast pace should feel clearly harder but sustainable. If you're gasping, dial it back slightly.
Mon 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Tue rest
Wed 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Thu rest
Fri 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Sat rest
Sun rest
Focus: Your sessions are now 18 minutes of interval work. This is where the cardiovascular challenge starts to build. You may notice that the third set feels harder -- that's normal and expected.
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║ MID-PROGRAM CHECK-IN ║
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║ How are you feeling after Week 3? ║
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║ ○ If sessions feel manageable → continue to Week 4 ║
║ ○ If sessions feel hard but doable → continue to Week 4 ║
║ ○ If you're struggling or sore → repeat Week 3 ║
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Mon 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Tue rest
Wed 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Thu rest
Fri 4 sets (24 min + warmup/cooldown)
Sat rest
Sun 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Focus: You're adding a fourth day this week. The Friday session has 4 sets, bringing you close to a full 30-minute workout. Pay attention to your legs during the fourth set -- are you maintaining stride length and pace?
Mon 4 sets (24 min + warmup/cooldown)
Tue 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Wed 4 sets (24 min + warmup/cooldown)
Thu 3 sets (18 min + warmup/cooldown)
Fri 4 sets (24 min + warmup/cooldown)
Sat rest
Sun rest
Focus: You're now walking 5 days a week. The alternating 4/3 pattern gives slightly lighter days between heavier ones. You should be noticing that your "fast" pace has gotten faster or feels easier than it did in Week 1.
Mon 5 sets (30 min + warmup/cooldown)
Tue 5 sets (30 min + warmup/cooldown)
Wed 5 sets (30 min + warmup/cooldown)
Thu 5 sets (30 min + warmup/cooldown)
Fri 5 sets (30 min + warmup/cooldown)
Sat rest
Sun rest
Focus: Full protocol. Five sets of 3-minute slow / 3-minute fast, five days per week. This matches the original Japanese IWT research protocol. You did it. Maintain this for ongoing health benefits.
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Sets / Walk Max / Total Walk
Week Week Days Day Time
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1 4 2 2 24 min
2 6 3 2 36 min
3 9 3 3 54 min
4 13 4 4 78 min
5 18 5 4 108 min
6 25 5 5 150 min
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Just pick up where you left off. If you miss a single session, do not try to double up the next day. The body adapts during rest, not during the exercise itself. Missing one day in a week does not meaningfully affect your progression.
Repeat the last week you completed successfully. The 100 Push-Ups program explicitly recommends this approach: "repeat the week you struggled with until you're strong enough to move on." There is no penalty for taking extra time. A 7-week or 8-week path to the full protocol is just as valid as a 6-week path.
You have two options:
a) REPEAT the current week. Most people find the second attempt noticeably easier because of adaptations that occurred during the first attempt.
b) DROP BACK one week, then progress forward again. This gives your body a consolidation period at a lower volume before re-attempting the harder week.
○ STOP the session immediately if you feel sharp, sudden, or unusual pain (as opposed to normal exertion).
○ RICE protocol for minor muscle or joint soreness: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
○ CONSULT a healthcare provider before resuming if: - Pain persists for more than 48 hours after rest - You experience chest pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath that doesn't resolve during the slow interval - Joint swelling occurs - You have a pre-existing cardiovascular condition
○ RESUME conservatively: When cleared to walk again, drop back two weeks from where you were and rebuild. If you were on Week 5 when you paused, restart at Week 3.
○ Add incline: walk routes with hills, or set a treadmill to 1-2%. ○ Increase fast-interval intensity toward 80-85% max HR. ○ Extend the program: after completing Week 6, you can increase to 6 or 7 days per week, or extend fast intervals to 4 minutes while keeping slow intervals at 3 minutes. ○ Per the original researchers: if you are already highly fit, you may benefit more from alternating jogging with running intervals at the same 40%/70% intensity split.
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This calendar adapts the progression curve from the ("100 Push-Ups" program)[hundredpushups.com] to the Japanese Interval Walking Training (IWT) method. Here is how the scaling was calculated.
Using the middle column of the 100 Push-Ups program (the most common starting tier), the total push-up reps per week are:
Week 1 ... 100 reps
Week 2 ... 160 reps
Week 3 ... 240 reps
Week 4 ... 340 reps
Week 5 ... 480 reps
Week 6 ... 650 reps
Week 1 ... 15%
Week 2 ... 25%
Week 3 ... 37%
Week 4 ... 52%
Week 5 ... 74%
Week 6 ... 100%
The full IWT protocol is 5 sets of (3 min slow + 3 min fast) = 30 minutes, performed 5 days per week. That equals 25 total sets per week.
Week 1 ... 15% of 25 = 4 sets/week
Week 2 ... 25% of 25 = 6 sets/week
Week 3 ... 37% of 25 = 9 sets/week
Week 4 ... 52% of 25 = 13 sets/week
Week 5 ... 74% of 25 = 18 sets/week
Week 6 ... 100% of 25 = 25 sets/week
Sets are spread across the week with gradual day-count increases, capped at 5 sets per day. Rest days appear between walking days in early weeks to mirror the push-up program's recovery structure.
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The following objectives are grounded in the original IWT research by Dr. Hiroshi Nose and Dr. Shizue Masuki at Shinshu University, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2007, 2009), and confirmed by subsequent studies including a 2024 review by Karstoft et al. and a 2025 replication study on older adults.
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CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS IWT performed for 30+ minutes at least 4 days/week for 5 months significantly improved VO2 max (peak aerobic capacity) compared to steady-pace walking at equivalent total energy expenditure. The fast intervals drive heart rate into Zone 3 (~70-80% max HR), producing cardiovascular adaptations that moderate-pace walking alone does not.
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BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION The original 2007 study found significant reductions in resting systolic blood pressure in the IWT group versus the continuous walking group. A 2025 replication confirmed these findings in older adults after 5 months of training.
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LOWER-LIMB MUSCLE STRENGTH Fast walking intervals at 70% peak capacity with longer strides and arm swing increase thigh and hamstring strength. The 2007 study measured significant improvements in leg strength versus continuous walkers.
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METABOLIC HEALTH A 2024 review concluded IWT benefits are "well established" for improving glycemic control, reducing abdominal visceral fat, improving HDL cholesterol, and improving triglyceride levels. IWT was found superior to duration-matched continuous walking for glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes.
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COGNITIVE AND MOOD BENEFITS Research with 700+ participants found IWT improves symptoms of age-related cognitive decline, depression, and sleep quality. Outdoor walking in particular combines the benefits of interval training with environmental engagement.
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BONE AND JOINT HEALTH Walking is lower-impact than running while still supporting bone density. Research indicates IWT may protect against osteoarthritis. The slow intervals provide active recovery that reduces joint stress compared to continuous high-intensity exercise.
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SUSTAINABLE HABIT FORMATION The progressive structure of this calendar (modeled on the 100 Push-Ups program) builds the habit gradually. Starting with just 12 minutes twice a week makes the initial barrier to entry very low, while the 6-week timeline provides a concrete endpoint that supports motivation. By Week 6, the routine is automatic.
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○ Nose, H., Masuki, S., et al. (2007). "Interval Walking Training Can Improve Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Blood Pressure in Community-Dwelling Older Adults." Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
○ Masuki, S. & Nose, H. (2009). "Review: High-Intensity Walking Training and Lifestyle-Related Disease Prevention." Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
○ Karstoft, K., et al. (2024). Review of IWT concluding health benefits are "well established" for healthy and metabolically compromised individuals.
○ 2025 replication study confirming improvements in resting blood pressure, lower-limb muscle strength, and VO2 max in older adults after 5 months of IWT.
○ Speirs, S. "Hundred Pushups" training program (hundredpushups.com). 6-week progressive overload structure used as the scaling model.