WHY I MADE THIS
Hi, I’m Lynnell, and I love walking.
Walking has always been one of the simplest ways for me to get moving.
No complicated setup. No special skill. You can just walk.
Then I discovered what many people now call Japanese interval walking: alternating a few minutes of normal walking with a few minutes of faster walking.
What caught my attention was how simple it was.
Three minutes normal. Three minutes fast. Repeat.
I looked into the research behind it and learned that this kind of interval walking has been studied for years, especially among middle-aged and older adults. The classic studies used five or more rounds of 3 minutes of slower walking followed by 3 minutes of faster walking.
So I tried adding the idea to my own walks.
The problem was not the walking. It was watching the clock.
When I’m outside, I don’t want to keep pulling out my phone. And when I’m using my treadmill, I also need to know when to change the speed and, on my treadmill, the incline.
That is why I made Lakaw Lang.
It keeps track of the intervals and gives me simple voice cues so I can focus on walking instead of watching a timer.
I originally made it for myself, but walking should not require expensive equipment or a complicated fitness plan.
No treadmill? Walk outside. No incline? You don’t need it. Need fewer rounds? Change them.
My hope is simple: if Lakaw Lang can remove even one small excuse and help someone get moving, then sharing it is worth it.
And that is also where the name comes from. “Lakaw lang” is Bisaya. In the spirit of this project, it means something close to: Just walk.
THE SIMPLE IDEA
3 minutes normal. 3 minutes fast. Repeat 5 times.
That is the basic interval pattern behind the default workout. Lakaw Lang adds a warm-up and cooldown, then handles the timing for you.
1Warm upStart easy and get moving.
2Normal + FastAlternate the two paces for 5 rounds.
3Cool downSlow down gradually and finish easy.
You can do it outdoors, on a basic treadmill, or on a treadmill with incline like mine. You can also change the timing, rounds, speed, incline, and audio guidance in Settings.
WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
There is research behind the simple pattern.
In a 5-month randomized study of middle-aged and older adults, participants in the interval-walking group did at least five sets of 3 minutes at a lower walking intensity followed by 3 minutes at a higher walking intensity, four or more days per week. Compared with moderate continuous walking, the interval group had greater improvements in thigh strength and peak aerobic capacity, along with a larger reduction in resting systolic blood pressure.
A later study of 679 middle-aged and older adults using the same basic interval-walking approach reported improvements in estimated aerobic capacity and a composite lifestyle-related disease score after 5 months. A systematic review also found interval training to be a useful approach for improving cardiorespiratory fitness in middle-aged and older adults.
This does not mean one walking routine is best for everyone or that everyone will get the same results. Most of this research involved middle-aged or older adults who trained regularly for several months. Choose a pace and routine that are appropriate for you.
THE REAL GOAL
Just get moving.
You do not need a treadmill. You do not need incline. You do not need the perfect setup.
I know how easy it is to find a reason not to start. Been there too.
If Lakaw Lang makes it a little easier for you to take that walk, then this project is already doing what I hoped it would do.
