If walking were a pill, according to the very enthusiastic YouTube man I watched, it would be "the most impactful pill we've ever had".

Which is unfortunate, because if Boots really did sell walking tablets, I'd still be the lad buying three packets, forgetting to take them, and then finding them five years later in the bathroom cabinet beside expired Sudafed.

Like most of us, I've always thought of walking as something you just do.

Need milk? Walk. Children need to burn off energy? Walk. Car breaks down outside Birr? Walk. Nobody in Offaly ever stopped to consider their stride efficiency while trudging three miles to the nearest petrol station.

This new viral trend is the Japanese walking technique; more specifically, interval walking training. Forget the old advice of 10,000 steps -- that's apparently 'outdated'.

The Japanese developed a method to double the benefits in half the time. The formula? Three minutes of strolling, three minutes of walking like you're late for a flight, repeated five times.

That's 30 minutes total. No fancy gear, no gym membership, no neighbours politely ignoring your Lycra.

And the science is impressive. Studies in Japan showed participants who did interval walking had a 40% reduction in stroke risk, four times the improvement in blood pressure compared to normal walkers, stronger immune systems, and even better sleep quality.

2. The arms have it

The first lesson of interval walking is that your arms are not passengers -- they're half the engine.

Swinging them properly balances your stride, engages your core, and makes you more efficient.

The YouTube man said, "Get the hips involved." I immediately looked like a man in the early stages of a Riverdance audition. (I actually have tried to dance with Riverdance and failed spectacularly.)

This is where cultural differences shine. In Japan, there's a long tradition of ritualised, precise movement -- including martial arts, calligraphy, and tea ceremonies.

Even walking gets choreography. Scientists actually back this up. Studies show that proper arm swing can make walking up to 13% more efficient.

So, technically, by letting my arms dangle like half-cooked rashers for most of my life, I've been wasting precious energy.

So the next time you power-walk past a stranger with full arm swing, they will be thinking, 'Fair play, look at that man mastering his biomechanics.'

3. It's low-impact, but it still wallops you

The beauty of interval walking is that it has a low impact. No pounding knees, no shin splints, no flashbacks to the beep test.

But don't mistake it for easy. The first time I tried alternating three minutes of normal pace with three minutes of 'late for a flight' pace, I discovered two things: One, my heart still works; two, so do my hamstrings, and they're very cross about it.

Japanese studies on 700 adults found that interval walking isn't just good for your heart. It boosts mood, strengthens the immune system, and enhances sleep quality.

After a few weeks, participants enjoyed it more than traditional workouts. In other words, they made walking fun again -- which is the biggest miracle since someone decided garlic sauce belonged on chips.

Here's the part that caught me out: The breathing. Interval walking isn't just about the legs; it's about deep, rhythmic breathing matched to your stride. Four steps inhale, six steps exhale. It's practically meditation in motion.

Unfortunately, I'm not a natural multi-tasker. After two minutes of concentrating on both walking and breathing, I was out of it. Culturally, though, it fits.

Japan has Zen breathing, martial arts breath control, and meditation woven in to daily life. Ireland has... holding your breath while your mother tried to light a super-sun with a bit of newspaper.

A 2019 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that paced breathing improves both mood and endurance.

During the brisk intervals, you should be able to speak in full sentences, but not belt out Christy Moore. If you can sing Ride On at full voice, you're not going fast enough.

5. Annoyingly, it actually works

Here's the kicker: Interval walking actually works. I didn't want it to. I wanted to dismiss it as another wellness fad -- like hot yoga or drinking yak's butter tea. However, after a week of doing it, I noticed a difference in my daily walk.

The Japanese studies weren't lying: It's joint-friendly, time-efficient, mood-boosting, and scientifically proven to reduce the risk of serious illness.

Practical advice: Start with the classic version -- walk normally for three minutes, then switch to a brisk pace for three minutes. Repeat this pattern five times, for a total of 30 minutes.

Aim to do this routine three to five times a week, depending on your fitness level and schedule. If the basic version becomes comfortable, you can increase the challenge by walking on hills, carrying a backpack, or using a weighted vest.

Five years ago, in a burst of enthusiasm, I bought a weighted vest. They, like interval walking, have made the rounds online again recently -- the same vest everyone thought would turn us in to superheroes, but mostly turned us in to sweaty furniture movers.

I wore mine once, hated every second, and shoved it to the back of the wardrobe. But after trying this Japanese walking technique, I'm wondering if it's time to revisit it. Maybe the vest deserves a second chance.