What is Japanese walking, and how do you do it with an app?
Japanese walking is interval walking: you alternate about 3 minutes of brisk walking with about 3 minutes of easy walking, and repeat. The hard part is not the walking, it is watching the clock. A Japanese walking app handles the timing so you can pay attention to the walk instead.
In Walkbook the Japanese walking programme is 5 rounds of 3 minutes brisk plus 3 minutes easy, 30 minutes in total. Choose it in the Programme sheet, press start, and the app calls out every change by voice, so you do not need to look at the screen. The Japanese walking programme is part of Walkbook Premium, and your first programme session is free so you can try it before deciding.
Interval walking timer: 3 minutes fast, 3 minutes slow with spoken cues
During a programme the recording screen shows the current phase, for example Brisk, round 2 of 5, with a countdown and the next phase (Next: Easy) underneath, above the usual distance, moving time and pace. The voice coach speaks the changes, and a quiet chime mode keeps it out of the way if you are listening to a podcast.
The same Programme sheet also lists other plans, such as Brisk 20 and a Weight loss walk for walking, and Walk/Run, First run and Run 3:1 for running. The store listing states that Japanese walking and the walk-run interval programmes are Premium, and you can always pick No programme and simply record for free.
- Japanese walking: 5 rounds of 3 min brisk and 3 min easy, 30 min total
- Spoken change cues, so the screen can stay off
- Quiet chime mode for podcasts
- Live phase, round count and countdown on screen
- Premium; first programme session free
How to track my walk on iPhone with GPS
Open Walkbook, choose Walk, Run or Hike, and press the start button. Put the phone in your pocket: Walkbook keeps recording with the screen locked and draws your route on the map with GPS. Distance is filtered for slow and stop-and-go walking, and there are big live numbers for distance, time, pace, steps, cadence, calories and elevation, plus splits for every kilometre or mile.
Recording is built so a saved walk is never lost. The walk is saved every few seconds, so if the app closes mid-walk you can resume, save or delete it next time. Auto-pause is included, the app notices when you get on a bus or into a car, and you hold to finish with a 10-second undo. A Live Activity appears on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, and you can start from Siri, Shortcuts or the Action Button.
Walking route planner: set flags and see distance and time first
Touch and hold the map to drop a flag and Walkbook draws a walking route to it. Add more flags for a longer walk and the planner shows the total distance and time before you start; the first screenshot shows a two-flag route of 1.19 km and 16 minutes. You can also set a time or distance target for any walk.
When you finish, the walk becomes a page in your journal with its route map, an automatic title such as Evening walk · Riverside, and its stats. Browse by All, Walk, Run or Hike, see monthly totals, pace and elevation charts, splits and personal records, and set a weekly goal in distance or time with your streak on the start screen.
Is the Japanese walking app free, and what does Premium add?
Walkbook is free to download and free to use for tracking: unlimited GPS recording including in the background, maps, every live metric, splits, the voice coach, your whole history with no time limit, and Apple Health, GPX and ZIP export. There is no account and no ads.
Japanese walking is the exception. Walkbook Premium adds the Japanese walking and walk-run interval programmes, pace insights, year and all-time progress with up to three goals, and more share-card themes. Your first programme session is free. Premium is available weekly, yearly or as a one-time lifetime purchase that does not renew.
- Free: unlimited recording, full history, maps, splits, voice coach
- Free: Apple Health saving, GPX and ZIP export, one weekly goal and streak
- Premium: Japanese walking and walk-run interval programmes
- Premium: pace insights, year and all-time progress, extra share themes
- First programme session is free; weekly, yearly or lifetime options
