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

Nbcwashington · · 611 words · By Sarah Jacoby; TODAY
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What to know about Al Roker says this viral walking routine helped him go even farther. Here's how to try it

Al Roker may be an experienced walker, but he’s always up for trying something new.

Claims checked 9
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center83%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Al Roker may be an experienced walker, but he’s always up for trying something new.

Why it matters

This weekend, the TODAY weatherman gave the Japanese walking workout trend a try — and found that it helped him get more distance.

Common ground

“Just tried something new for my walk,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a video from his walk.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/al-roker-viral-walking-routine-helped-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6
verified Verified 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “Interval walking can also help improve blood pressure and ramp up your metabolism”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the benefits to blood pressure, blood sugar/metabolism, and weight management.
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web search NEUTRAL — Better blood sugar control: Interval walking improved blood glucose regulation, which is especially important for people with metabolic concerns. Weight management: Interval walkers lost more weight a…
https://www.palomahealth.com/learn/japanese-walking-interval…
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web search NEUTRAL — First, she says it’s a form of interval training, which can help improve your VO2 max, a measure of your body’s oxygen use and general fitness level.Interval walking can also help improve blood pressu…
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/health/al-roker-viral-walking-…
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web search NEUTRAL — 3. Helps manage weight and metabolism: Interval walking can support healthier blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It can also help stabilize your energy and contribute to your overall metabolic health…
https://www.calm.com/blog/japanese-walking
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Claim 2: “This effect means your body needs more oxygen to refuel after your exercise, so you will continue to burn more calories even when you’re done with your walk”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results to specifically explain the physiological mechanism of the 'after-burn effect' as described in the claim.
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Claim 3: “Specifically, Japanese walking starts with 5 minutes of walking at an easy pace to warm up. Then you’ll walk at a faster, harder pace for 3 minutes, followed by 3 minutes of walking at a steady pace. You’ll repeat those alternating 3-minute intervals for a total of 35 minutes of walking”
CORROBORATED
The specific routine (5-minute warm-up, alternating 3-minute fast/steady intervals) is reported by NBC Connecticut and corroborated in principle by Calm Blog and Paloma Health, although the total duration varies slightly between 30 and 35 minutes across sources.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — National Route 35 (国道35号, Kokudō sanjūgo-gō) is a national highway connecting Takeo and Sasebo in Japan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_National_Route_35
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ro-35 was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū type submarine, the lead unit of the K6 sub-class. Completed and commissioned in March 1943, she served in World War II and was sunk during her first war pat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_submarine_Ro-35
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for air superiority and strike missi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 4: “Al Roker gave the Japanese walking workout trend a try”
VERIFIED
An NBC Connecticut article explicitly states that Al Roker tried the viral walking routine to go farther.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The nickname Al is often short for Alfred, Albert, Alphonse, Alphons, Allen, Allan, Alan, Alyson, Alysson, Allyson, Alistair, Alister, Alex, Alexander, Alexandra, Alexandrina, Alexis, Alexa, Alphonso,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_(given_name)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is an American animated sitcom created by Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar that premiered on Disney+ on February 23, 2022. It is a revival of the original series,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Proud_Family:_Louder_and_P…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Waitress is a musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson. It is based on the 2007 film, written and directed by Adrienne Shelly. It tells the story of Jenna Hunterson,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waitress_(musical)
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 5: “It challenges the cardiovascular system... which helps to improve heart health, lung capacity and caloric burn”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including a sports medicine physician from UPMC and Ahram Online, confirm that the method improves heart health, lung capacity, and caloric burn.
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web search NEUTRAL — It’s like hitting the gas and then backing off, which helps to improve heart health, lung capacity and caloric burn,” Dr. Jeanne Doperak, a sports medicine physician at University of Pittsburg Medical…
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/health/al-roker-viral-walking-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Unlike steady-paced walking, the Japanese walking method can significantly improve heart health, stamina, and lung capacity. The alternating speeds encourage the body to adapt, becoming more efficient…
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/557912.aspx
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web search NEUTRAL — Nordic Walking burns 20-46% more calories than regular walking on flat terrain.The benefits of Japanese Interval Walking include: Enhanced cardiovascular health: The varied intensity can improve heart…
https://www.ndtv.com/health/fitness/nordic-walking-vs-japane…
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Claim 6: “it’s a form of interval training, which can help improve your VO2 max, a measure of your body’s oxygen use and general fitness level.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources link interval walking training to improvements in VO2 max, including a reference to research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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web search NEUTRAL — Learn the science-backed benefits of interval walking training (aka Japanese walking) and how to try interval walking for yourself outside or on a treadmill.
https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/interval-walking-training
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web search NEUTRAL — Improving VO2 Max with Intervals. Research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings among older adults found that improvements from interval walking training were primarily driven by time spent walking at…
https://rmflex.com/walking-for-fat-loss/
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web search NEUTRAL — Targeted training can raise VO2 max 15 to 30 percent within months in people in their 60s and 70s. Mixing moderate activity, brief high-intensity workouts and strength training supports mobility and h…
https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/how-older-adults-…
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Claim 7: “this type of walking “increases the force with which your foot strikes the ground, and this can help maintain or build bone density,””
CORROBORATED
Two separate sources quote 'Wittstein' stating that this walking style increases foot strike force to help maintain or build bone density.
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web search NEUTRAL — Second, this type of walking “increases the force with which your foot strikes the ground, and this can help maintain or build bone density,” Wittstein says, “especially if you’re starting an exercise…
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/health/al-roker-viral-walking-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Japanese interval walking can also help with bone density, which is a measure of how porous the bones are. “(This walking style) increases the force with which your foot strikes the ground, and this c…
https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/interval-walking-b…
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web search NEUTRAL — Enter the Japanese walking method . Also known as interval walking training (IWT), this simple but highly effective routine alternates between brisk and slow walking.
https://www.bodyspec.com/blog/post/the_japanese_walking_meth…
verified
Claim 8: “Like other high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, Japanese walking leaves you with a sort of “after-burn effect,””
VERIFIED
An exercise physiologist from the Hospital for Special Surgery is quoted in NBC Connecticut explicitly linking Japanese walking to the 'after-burn effect' seen in HIIT.
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web search NEUTRAL — Like other high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, Japanese walking leaves you with a sort of “after-burn effect,” Ben Yamuder, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, …
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/health/al-roker-viral-wa…
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web search NEUTRAL — New cardio HIIT challenge to help you with your weight loss journey. This is a 10 mins abs workout, that will give your core a good burn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOTbljh89GQ
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web search NEUTRAL — 8 Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training (or HIIT) Workouts.
https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/science-behind-afterburn-…
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Claim 9: “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.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (AOL, Paloma Health, and a general web search result) confirm that 'Japanese walking' is interval walking training (IWT) developed by researchers in Japan.
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web search NEUTRAL — Step-by-Step Japanese Interval Walking Tutorial. Common Pitfalls in Japanese Interval Walking and How to Avoid Them.At its core, the Japanese walk is a type of interval walking training (IWT), develop…
https://www.reemhospital.com/health-hub/japanese-interval-wa…
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web search NEUTRAL — Japanese researchers developed this exercise regimen — hence the moniker Japanese walking — more than 20 years ago.“But Japanese walking is intriguing to many because it offers an entry to exercise fr…
https://www.aol.com/articles/japanese-interval-walking-easy-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Interval walking training (IWT) is a form of walking exercise developed by Japanese researchers to improve cardiometabolic health. Also known as “Japanese walking,” IWT is an accessible form of interv…
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/japanese-walking-fitn…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.