Al Roker says this viral walking routine helped him go even farther. Here's how to try it

This weekend, the TODAY weatherman gave the Japanese walking workout trend a try — and found that it helped him get more distance. What’s commonly referred to on social media as “Japanese walking” is a well-established form of interval walking training developed by researchers in Japan. As a form of interval training, it involves alternating between periods of faster, more vigorous walking and easier, steady walking. Specifically, Japanese walking starts with 5 minutes of walking at an easy pace to warm up. And, because walking is generally a low-impact exercise, interval walking is great for people who want the cardiovascular benefits but can’t or prefer not to do higher-impact exercises.