Introduction

Jogging is a type of running that takes place at a slow and steady pace, usually less than six miles per hour. As a result, while jogging is less strenuous than running, it is more difficult than walking. The purpose of jogging is to keep a consistent pace throughout the workout without putting too much pressure on the body. Because jogging is less stressful on the body than running, it can be done for longer periods of time.


One of the reasons that jogging is such a great type of exercise is that it is suitable for people of all fitness levels. Regular jogging provides a function for well-conditioned people, whether it is to maintain cardiovascular fitness or to improve recovery. Jogging is a fantastic place to start for a beginner because the low-intensity nature of the activity makes it highly simple and accessible.

Table of Contents

  1. What Is Jogging?
  2. Health Benefits Of Jogging Everyday Morning
  3. Best Time To Go For Jogging 
  4. How to do Jogging the Correct way
  5. Difference between Jogging and Running 
  6. Interesting Facts About Jogging/Running 
  7. Does jogging reduce weight? 
  8. How to choose best shoes for jogging 
  9. The Bottom Line

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What Is Jogging?

benefits of jogging

Running at a slower pace is referred to as jogging. When you place your feet on the ground, you take smaller steps and cover less land. The benefit of jogging is that you can maintain your tempo for longer, use less energy, and eventually run further! This way, you can prepare for a 10K, 15K, Half Marathon (21K), or even a marathon (42K)!


But, how fast is jogging?

There is no way to determine a specific pace (or speed) because everyone runs at their own rate. Just bear in mind that it should be somewhere in the middle of your walking and running paces. Running slower than 6 miles/10 kilometres per hour is one definition of jogging, however, this can be difficult if you are new to running or too sluggish if you are an experienced runner.

For example, I'm a seasoned runner (I've been jogging for over three years). Depending on the distance, my running speed is around 14 km per hour (4:17 min/km). My pace lowers to 12 km per hour (5:00 min/km) when I'm jogging.


Dropping 2 kilometres per hour may not seem like much, but it makes a significant difference in my energy. This way, I'll be able to stay up for longer than when I'm jogging, and eventually run further to increase my distance training.


Health Benefits Of Jogging Everyday Morning

Regular exercise has a huge impact on our overall well-being, as we all know. Depending on the type of exercise you do, you can reap a variety of benefits. In the section below, we'll go through the specific benefits of jogging regularly.


1. Improves Cardiovascular Fitness

The cardiovascular system, which includes the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, is the most visible consequence of jogging on the body. You're probably aware that when you exercise, your body responds by raising your heart rate and breathing rate to meet the demands of the activity. The goal is to keep providing oxygen-rich blood to the working muscles so that they can use it for energy. This increase will also allow waste products such as carbon dioxide to be removed from the body. The strength and function of the cardiovascular system, notably your resting heart rate, improves when you jog regularly.


2. Builds Muscle Strength

To perform the movements required for running, several muscles must be regularly contracted. The glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves are the muscles of the lower extremities that are principally responsible for mobility. While the legs push back and forth, the core and upper body muscles must activate to rotate and stabilise the trunk. Regular jogging will put stress on these muscles, forcing them to adapt and grow stronger. Muscle strength will have a favourable impact on how you move and reduce your chance of injury. 


3. Improved Muscular Endurance

Muscular endurance refers to the muscles' ability to perform repetitive contractions for an extended amount of time without rest. To maintain a jogging pace, the muscles must be capable of continuously contracting. The muscles will begin to adapt and their endurance capacity will improve with regular jogging. Because jogging workouts are often long in duration but low in intensity, it is particularly useful for building muscle endurance.


4. Stronger Bones

Jogging affects bone density in addition to muscle strength and endurance. The amount of bone mineral contained within the bone is referred to as bone density, and having a high bone density boosts the bone's strength. The impacts involved with the foot strike in running have regularly been proven to help develop bone density in studies. As a result, it can be inferred that jogging improves bone health and reduces the risk of developing bone-wasting illnesses like osteoporosis.


5. Facilitates Weight Loss

To lose weight, a negative energy balance must be achieved, which means that more calories are spent each day than are consumed. Maintaining a negative energy balance causes the body to break down body fat to provide a steady supply of energy. While nutrition will play a key role in a negative energy balance, sports such as jogging will burn a considerable number of calories and hence aid in weight loss.


6. Boost the Immune System

It's been reported that running can boost the immune system's effectiveness. The immune system has been proven to be particularly responsive to exercise in studies that have looked into the impact of regular exercise on immunity. Exercise may increase the production of lymphocytes and macrophages, which attack foreign substances in the body to fight illness or infection. While strengthening the immune system may not immediately lessen the likelihood of developing a cold or the flu, it does affect the time it takes to recover from such an illness.


7. Active Recovery

Jogging might help you recuperate faster from intensive exercise sessions. The muscles of the body can experience delayed onset muscle pain after a strenuous strength training session or a demanding run (or DOMS). This could be debilitating for a few days after training while your body recovers. Active recovery, which is a technique for speeding up recovery, can be quite beneficial. Active recovery is low-intensity activity that promotes the circulation of oxygen-rich blood to exhausted muscles, hence speeding up recovery and minimising discomfort. Because jogging is a low-intensity exercise, it can be used as an active recovery therapy.


8. Reduced Risk of Diseases

Jogging, as previously said, can improve cardiovascular health as well as muscular and bone strength. Maintaining cardiovascular fitness has been shown to lower the risk of some heart disorders, such as coronary heart disease and strokes. Regular exercise helps to build strong muscles and bones, which lowers the risk of getting a muscle and bone wasting disease.


9. Better sleep

A good night's sleep is critical to your overall health. When you sleep, your body heals itself, which is why you feel refreshed when you wake up. However, try not to run too late in the day. This can make it difficult to get a good night's sleep. Endorphins, which assist reduce pain and tension, are released during aerobic activity. These stimulate the brain and may cause you to stay awake.


10. Improves Mental Health

Finally, jogging can have more than simply a bodily influence. Aerobic workouts have regularly been shown in studies to greatly improve mental health and prevent the onset of mental disease. When it comes to mental health issues like sadness and anxiety, running can assist to alleviate the symptoms.


Best Time To Go For Jogging

There are benefits and drawbacks to jogging at different times of the day, as well as distinct training effects. When planning your jogs, keep your personal goals in mind. Do you want to lose weight, reduce stress, improve your speed, or jog a longer distance? The optimum time to jog is when it feels the most natural to you. Daily schedules, sleep patterns, work, leisure time, family, and eating times are all important considerations when organising your jogs.


A) Jogging in the morning:-

Advantages:

  • A morning jog is an excellent way to begin the day.
  • You may give your body a healthy dosage of oxygen by jogging in the morning. Your metabolism will be accelerated, causing you to burn more calories.
  • Morning air has a higher oxygen content, making it easier to breathe, especially in the heat. In comparison to the midday heat, it's also easier to run when it's still cool.

Disadvantages:

  • Morning jogging can be more difficult than other times of the day.
  • Your joints may be stiff when you first wake up, and your muscles may be tense and inflexible. This means that when you jog, you lack the requisite muscle control and coordination. That's why you should do a unique, dynamic warm-up program before you run in the mornings so you don't have to fight muscle resistance when jogging. 

B) Jogging in the lunchtime:-

Advantages:

  • The optimal time for a high-intensity jog is around the midday hours.
  • Around midday, your performance potential is at its peak, and your body is not overworked from your daily activities. When compared to the morning, your energy stores are full, and physical exertion feels less severe. This is the ideal weather for a vigorous training jog. The body responds well to speed training in the middle of the day. 

Disadvantages:

  • Jogging after lunch can be taxing.
  • Depending on how heavy and rich your lunch was, your body will need extra time to digest it.

 C) Running in the evening:-

Advantages:

  • Jogging in the evening is a great way to unwind.
  • Do you find it difficult to unwind at the end of a long day at work? A low-intensity endurance jog can help you de-stress. You don't need to warm up as much as you would in the morning because your body is still in performance mode. A calm nighttime jog also helps you burn fat at night.

Disadvantages:

  • It can be difficult to fall asleep after an evening jog.
  • Perhaps a high-intensity jog in the evening would help you blow off some steam. However, you should be aware that you may find it difficult to go asleep because your body has been re-energized by the workout.

How To Do Jogging The Correct way?

If you're new to jogging, check out the beginner jogging suggestions below.

  • Preparation of equipment: Jogging takes very little equipment, but one of the most significant items is jogging shoes. To lower your chance of injury and enhance your health, you should invest in a nice pair of jogging shoes.
  • Identify your location: Decide where you want to go jogging. Jogging can be done outside or on a treadmill indoors. Terrain, weather, safety, timing, and the surroundings are all factors to consider.
  • Start by walking: If you're new to exercising or out of shape, start by walking to allow your body time to adjust. 3-4 times a week, walk for 15-30 minutes and progressively raise your walking pace to jogging.
  • Warm up: Before each jog, remember to stretch. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible, reducing the risk of injury and pressure on your body.
  • Pace yourself: Take it easy the first few times you jog. 5 minutes of jogging followed by 2 minutes of walking This will help your body to acclimatise to the training and become accustomed to it.
  • Adopt the correct jogging form: Using the correct jogging form might help you perform better. When jogging, keep your upper body relaxed and prevent heel-striking. Learn to jog long with your arms at a 90-degree angle and parallel to your torso. By synchronising your breathing with your steps, you may maintain a normal breathing pattern.
  • Plan a jogging schedule: If your ultimate jogging goal is to jog a full marathon, you need establish and keep to a regular jogging schedule. Once you've established a regular jogging routine and improved your fitness level, you can go to a marathon training programme. You might want to hire a jogging coach to help you with your marathon training strategy.
  • Utilize technology: There are several free fitness and jogging applications available that can measure your pace, distance, time, and calories expended. You may also acquire a fitness tracker or gadget to measure your heart rate, progress, and other jogging statistics in greater detail if you've become a more dedicated jogger.
  • Increase your exercises: As your fitness level improves, you should increase your workouts to avoid being stuck in a jogging rut. You may also liven up your jogging routines by adding different terrain to your route, such as trails, hills, or stairs, inserting intervals in your jog, travelling for long distances, and playing another jogging game, such as picking a landmark and sprinting to it.
  • Locate a jogging partner or a jogging group: jogging alongside another person might help you stay motivated.

Difference Between Jogging And Running

At a slow trot or leisurely pace, jogging is defined as moving quicker than a walk or springing strides forward such that both feet leave the ground for a moment in between each step. 


Despite the fact that both jogging and running are aerobic exercises that use oxygen as fuel, jogging is slower by definition, hence running is faster. Jogging at a slower speed is supposed to be less intense, demanding less effort and so conserving energy. As with lengthier endurance runs, jogging allows one to concentrate on stamina. 

Jogging seems to have a bouncing motion owing to shorter steps, lower knee elevation, and less arm swing as compared to running, which often has longer strides, higher knee elevation, and naturally pumping arms, resulting in a more linear action. Finally, from a psychological standpoint, joggers may approach a run in general with a more relaxed attitude.


Joggers may not be pushing boundaries or competing in races when out for a run, but that doesn't mean they can't cross over into running or sprinting. Running should include jogging as part of a runner's training regimen. Some longtime joggers, on the other hand, may be searching for a release or a healthy hobby to add to their lives.


Running is defined as the act of racing, moving, or passing quickly. Running is more energy-intensive than jogging, demanding more energy and resulting in greater cardiovascular and physical fitness. Running, as previously said, necessitates longer strides and faster arm motions, resulting in a higher heart rate and increased oxygen consumption, resulting in an overall effort.

Running, albeit not as much as sprinting, focuses on training at faster speeds. Runners will often set time objectives while attempting to beat their personal bests. From a physiological aspect, both jogging and running are aerobic sports in which oxygen is used as a fuel source, allowing you to go for greater distances.

Interesting Facts About Jogging/Running

The following are some of the most bizarre and entertaining facts regarding jogging and running: -


1. While it may sound ridiculous and dangerous to today's runners, alcohol was once regarded to be a performance enhancer in Victorian times. This ritual is said to have originated in Ancient Greece and China. We now know that alcohol is a diuretic and can cause dehydration, which is exactly what you don't want while running an endurance event, particularly in hot conditions.


2. 1 hour 40 minutes is the world record for running a half marathon backwards. In 2009, Achim Aretz of Germany achieved the World Record for the quickest half marathon ran backwards in Essen, Germany.


3. Oprah Winfrey is most known for being a generous philanthropist and TV program presenter, but she ran the Washington D.C. Marine Corps marathon in 4 hours and 29 minutes in 1994. Nearly the course of her training, she lost over 70 pounds and flattened down to a 150-pound athletic frame (68kg). Other noteworthy celebrities who have run marathons include former US President George W Bush (3:44:52) and actor Bryan Cranston (3:20:45).


4. A marathon can be raced in the desert, in the North Pole, or even around Mount Everest. The fact that you've run a marathon is no longer impressive. It is now considered noteworthy to have completed an extreme marathon. In the Sahara desert, the Marathon Des Sables is a 150-mile ultra marathon. The Mount Everest marathon takes place from Everest Base Camp to Namche Bazaar.


5. The winner of the 1904 Olympic marathon drove for the majority of the distance. The marathon event became down in history as a catastrophic disaster, with many competitors forced to withdraw due to searing heat and dirty tracks. Frederick Lorz was one of the competitors who was affected by the conditions. After 14.5 kilometres (9 miles), he pulled over and had his coach drive him the rest of the way in a car. Lorz walked back into the stadium on foot after the automobile broke down. The audience erupted in applause when he entered the stadium as the first finisher, and he was declared the winner. He went along with it until it was discovered that the genuine winner was someone else. 


Does Jogging Reduce Weight?

One of the primary benefits of jogging is that it helps people to reduce their weight. Jogging burns more calories than practically any other aerobic activity. Jogging benefits in getting skinny since the recipe for weight reduction is to burn more calories than you intake. With a specific training regimen, you can lose weight by jogging for 20 minutes.


Make a list of your weight-loss objectives and make sure they're attainable. Each week, keep track of and record your weight to see how far you've come. Losing one to two pounds per week is considered a healthy, long-term weight loss pace. One pound is around 3,500 calories, therefore if you burn 500 more calories every day than you consume, you will lose one pound in a week. To achieve your weight-loss objectives, you may need to alter your diet.


If you're new to jogging, start with a walking and jogging programme and progressively increase your jogging minutes until you can complete the entire 20-minute jog. Starting a jogging programme without any prior expertise or training will rapidly turn you off.


Interval walking is a good way to get in some exercise. Three to four minutes of vigorous walking, followed by 30 seconds of jogging For the entire 20 minutes, alternate between the two. You're gaining the strength you'll need to maintain a 20-minute jog throughout this period. The number of calories you burn throughout each jog is determined by your weight and jogging pace.

How To Choose The Best Shoes For Jogging?

A nice pair of jogging shoes is required for proper jogging. Although jogging is not as strenuous as jogging, it is still necessary to invest in a decent pair of jogging shoes to avoid injuries. Keep the following points in mind while shopping for jogging shoes:

  • Wear appropriate running or jogging shoes. Jogging shoes should be somewhat larger than regular shoes. When you buy new shoes, get your feet sized.
  • The jogging shoes should be soft and comfortable, with shock-absorbing padding in the heel and little or no sliding.
  • Bring your old jogging shoes, socks, and any inserts with you when you go shoe shopping so you can get a true idea of how well the new shoe will fit your feet.
  • Make certain there is some wriggle space. Between the end of your longest toe and the front of the shoe, there should be roughly a thumb's breadth of space.

Frequently Asked Questions  


1. Is it good to jog daily?

Although jogging is not as difficult as jogging, it is certainly more intense than walking. At all costs, you must avoid over-exertion. Your body need adequate rest in order to relax and recover. It would otherwise put a pressure on your joints and muscles. You may sustain injuries as a result of your actions. Excessive weariness and sadness are possible side effects.

2. Is it better to jog in the morning or evening?

It is not recommended to go jogging extremely early in the morning. This is due to the fact that the body temperature has dropped and the biological functions haven't completely activated throughout this period. Evening jogging benefits are significantly more healthy and good to the body. The lung function has improved, and the bones are dynamic and fluid. In the evening, the body temperature is also greater, making it simpler to jog or run.

While it may not be possible for everyone to set aside enough time in the second half, it is preferable to not exercise at all.

3. What if I jog 30 minutes a day?

To shed one pound of body weight, you must expend 3,500 calories. As a result, exercising for 30 minutes a day for a week is likely to result in a weight loss of half to three-quarters of a pound.

4. How should a beginner start jogging?

Each jog should begin with a 5-minute easy warm-up. Quick walking, marching on the spot, knee lifts, side stepping, and stair climbing are all examples of this. Begin walking for a period of time that is comfortable for you. Allow yourself a few minutes after each jog to cool down by walking and stretching. Try our stretching regimen after a jog. For novices, regular jogging means getting out at least twice a week. As your body adapts to the continuous training stimulus, your jogging will improve. jogging twice a week, every week is preferable than jogging six times one week and then not jogging for the next three weeks.

5. What are the side effects of jogging? 

  • The increased blood flow to your capillaries and arteries causes itchy skin, which is one of the negative effects of jogging.
  • If you exercise late at night or late in the evening, you may get night sweats while sleeping.
  • Dehydration is frequent in endurance events like the marathon, and breathing through your mouth can dry up and irritate your throat.
  • Even though exercise has been shown to improve libido, a study found that severe exercise, such as marathon training, can have the opposite impact.

6. Can jogging help reduce belly fat? 

Yes, as stated above, there are numerous benefits of jogging, one of which is weight loss or reduced belly fat. Jogging for 20 minutes a day can theoretically help you burn body fat, but you don't get to choose which body regions shed fat first. In practice, though, increasing physical activity, modifying your nutrition, or doing both will nearly always yield greater outcomes.

7. How many minutes should I jog a day?

In general, however, you should practise for roughly 30 minutes each day. If you're in good health, you can progressively alter it for better outcomes. This is because running for 40-50 minutes increases the pace at which the body burns calories. In terms of a weekly exercise routine, if you just train 1-2 times per week, the weight loss effect will almost certainly not be as you expected. Rather, aim to run as much as possible during the week. Even if scheduling time is challenging, you should aim to schedule at least 4-5 sessions each week for your body to adapt and burn the most calories.


The Bottom Line

Jogging is a low-intensity exercise that may be used for a variety of purposes and can help you improve your health, fitness, and function. Jogging is a fantastic exercise for beginners who want to boost their activity levels without overdoing it because of its simplicity. Those with more advanced training can also utilise it as a useful recovery and maintenance tool.

Thank you for reading our article on benefits of jogging.


We hope this article was useful for our readers to understand about jogging in detail and has motivated them to start practising jogging as soon as possible.

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