Running or Jogging the Choice is Yours
Although many people enjoy jogging, others are content with just running or even brisk walking. What is the difference between running and jogging? The major difference is the rhythmic and controlled pace compared to running which tends to have little rhythm to it. While the runner may slow down or even stop every few miles, a jogger tends to go at a steady pace during the entire activity. One of the reasons this may happen is because the jogger maintains a steady slow pace while the runner tends to start out running fast and slows down or stops when he is unable to maintain that pace.
The key is to do what is comfortable for you, but if you want to maintain a regular exercise routine, jogging is better for you than running. That does not mean running is bad but it is more than the short term than the long-term exercise routine. It is more effective to continue at a steady pace instead of changing your pace. This is especially important for those who are unable to run or jog for long periods. Choosing to maintain an even pace throughout your jogging routine will help you keep your heart rate at the same pace and will prevent you from becoming out of breath or overworked. It is much healthier when you can maintain a steady pace instead of trying to make your heart race and maybe faint or develop cramps.
If you enjoy running and jogging, you may wish to alternate your routine in order to incorporate both of the activities. Keep in mind that you are more likely to last longer during your jogging routine, so save your running for those times you may have less time than others are. Running is a good activity to perform in the morning before you go to work though you may choose a leisurely jog as well. The important thing is not whether you run or job but to make sure you protect your feet by wearing properly fitting shoes that have a design for jogging. It also means replacing your athletic shoes on a regular basis and not waiting until they are ready for the trash before you do so. Another mistake many people make is to continue jogging when they are experiencing pain in their knees or legs—stop if you are in pain or you will pain a higher price later.
Is There a Right or Wrong Way to Jog?
Good solid question, right, how do you jog? Is there a right or wrong way to jog? Although some might say it makes no difference, others may disagree with that. Everyone has his or her own personal preference about different things, and when those preferences are different from what others may do, it means the other person is “wrong.” Is that actually true? No, it is not necessarily true, but in the eyes of the person doing things differently, it is indeed the wrong way of doing whatever activity it was. Whether it is jogging, running, or even vacuuming the floor, some people believe there is a right and wrong way to do it.
In retrospect, jogging involves the slow, rhythmic movement of a run, more like a trot or gallop of a horse than an actual run. Because of its slower pace, people who cannot run can usually jog. That is not always the case; there are exceptions such as heart patients and others who may not have the ability to perform any activity beyond that of a brisk or leisurely walk. For those who have the pleasure of being able to jog, they will develop their own way of doing it, and there is actually no right or wrong way to do it. The key issue is being up to keep up a slow steady pace but there is no right or wrong way except in the minds of some perfectionists.
No matter what you teach people about jogging, they are still going to find their own methodology, something that works for them. The choice is personal and as long as the result is the same there is little relevance to the reasoning or methodology that separates one person’s style from another. There will always be different ways to jog based on a person’s personal preference and even of their weight and body build. Some people just find one way of jogging easier than another with some even choosing to alternate between jogging and brisk walking and even running. It is not your style of jogging that will make a difference in your health but rather your perseverance in doing it. Choosing to remain healthy by participating in jogging as your exercise of choice will provide you with more years of good health than those who choose to lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Choose a Jogging Trail that is Away from Traffic
Although you want to job in places that are well populated you also want to stay away from traffic. Do not choose high traffic roads to jog even if you are on the side of the road facing traffic. There is always the possible that a car or truck will veer off the road and hit you or maybe just pull off the road with mechanical problems and fail to see you. If you choose roads that have a high traffic volume, choose one that has a sidewalk or a shoulder that is far enough off the main road for you to be safe.
In addition to the potential for being hit jogging in a high traffic area, is the possibility of being mugged or even kidnapped as you jog alongside the road. You can avoid those possibilities by making sure you are on the sidewalk or far enough away from the highway that someone would have to stop the car and get out in order to pull you into the car. Safety is a very important issue for joggers and one that you should not take lightly. Jogging is a healthy activity for the body but you also have to make sure you perform it with your personal safety in mind.
One of the best ways to make certain you are in a well-lit area that is well populated is in a business area. Keep in mind that not all business sections will follow this pattern, so you still have to be careful where you go. For example, factories and warehouses are not the safest places to be because even though people may be working, they are usually secluded and unable to see what is going on outside. The best places are round stores where customers come and go at all times rather than restaurants or movie theaters where customers are frequently inside rather than outside.
The key to making jogging a healthy activity is to make certain you are aware of the surroundings where you jog and to be attentive to your surroundings. Do not make yourself a target by being preoccupied with your own thoughts or with a music player. Although it may help pass the time while you are jogging it also puts your safety in danger and makes you vulnerable to a surprise attack by someone you neither saw nor heard.
Make Jogging a Group Activity
Quite often, when friends get together they are at a loss for something to do. They have done everything and want something different they have never tried, why not make jogging a group effort? Get some friends together and go for a jog in the neighborhood, the park or the local track. Not only is it a healthy change from going to the ice cream shop but you will be safer in a larger crowd. Although experts recommend at least two people, the more people who are with you when you jog, the safer you will be. By making it a group effort you will be both safe and healthy simultaneously.
Whether you arrange jogging as a group with just friends or participate in a sponsored event is of no relevance. The important issue is taking the time to participate in a group jog with friends or with another group of people. Certainly, it is likely to be more exciting if you are with friends but if that is not possible, do not eliminate the possibility of participating in an activity that is already organized. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of joining in a group jog just because you do not know any of the other participants. Events of this type are the easiest way to meet new people and make new friends.
If you cannot find an event that is already sponsored there is no reason y9ou can’t get something started yourself. All you need to do is find a group of people interested in joining in a group jogging activity. You can do it like a game or simply provide healthy refreshments at the end of the job. It is not something that needs a great deal of effort or requires a lot of time to organize. You can send flyers around your neighborhood to let everyone know about the event and see how much interest you can generate. The more people that are interested, the more likely it will be of being successful.
You don’t have to participate in a group jogging effort of course, but getting together with a group of friends or others who enjoy jogging can make the time go faster, and you will have accomplished your goal before you realize it. When you make it fun the time goes quickly and you can accomplish more, even beyond the original goals you set for yourself.
The Health Benefits of Jogging
Everyone needs to exercise in order to maintain good health. That does not mean you need to spend hours in a gym every week by any means. Some people are not into the gym and for them jogging on a daily basis is the perfect exercise routine. It accomplishes what the exercise intended to accomplish, increase the heart rate and metabolism. Even if your weight is within the normal range, you want to make sure your exercise routine increases the speed of your metabolism so that your weight will remain within the normal range. Of course for those who wish to lose weight there is a need to burn more calories than you consume.
Though it may seem minor to those without a weight problem, exercise is very important. In order to remain healthy you need to exercise enough to increase the heart rate and increase the rate at which your body burns calories. Even without increasing your food intake if you fail to burn off the calories you consume you will begin to gain weight. This is one of the reasons people question why they are not eating any more yet they are gaining weight—a sedentary lifestyle does not leave room for calorie burning.
An added benefit that may not occur to everyone is when you are participating regular in an exercise routine such as jogging you tend to be more conscious of the food you eat. Instead of lying around and munching on chips and other unhealthy foods, you have a greater tendency to choose foods that are good for you. It may be something within the subconscious that makes us do it, but exercise just seems to make us more aware of what we put into our bodies. That is certainly not true of everyone but many people do subconsciously eat better when they take the time to exercise regularly.
How often should you jog? It is a personal decision but if possible, you should jog for at least a half to forty-five minutes every day. If you do not have that much time at once, you can break it into fifteen to twenty minute intervals. Some people use their lunch break to exercise but you have to keep in mind even for short jogs you still need to make certain to wear properly fitting and appropriate shoes in order to avoid damaging your feet, legs and knees.
Safety Tips for Jogger
sNo matter what time you jog or where you go there are important safety tips you should always follow. Although one usually thinks of these as important for women, men can become victims of crimes just as easily as women can. In most cases one thinks that women are victims of rape while men might be subject to muggings but there is no iron clad rules that will define one gender being more or less vulnerable than the other. Your vulnerability depends upon where you go and how you present yourself.
One of the most important safety tips to follow when jogging is to go with a friend. Even during the daylight, it is a good idea to have someone else with you even if it is only to make sure nothing happens to you or to keep an eye out for someone who looks suspicious. Having someone else with you is usually a deterrent to criminals because they do not want to someone else to see them and be able to report the incident. Certainly, there are exceptions to the rule but in most cases; a criminal will not bother someone who is with another person. They do not want to be identified and though they might attempt to attack and kill someone who could be a potential witness, they realize that person may be able to disappear and notify the police quicker than they can attack.
Avoid using a personal stereo when you are jogging, especially at night. Although you may think it helps you keep your pace better when you have music playing, you are also allowing the music to distract you from things that surround you. You cannot devote your full attention to your surroundings if you have headphones on or ear buds in your ears. Criminals know this and they are always on the lookout for those who do not have their full attention on their surroundings. While you are busy jogging to the music, someone can come out from the bushes, grab you and rape and/or attack you.
Always jog in well-lit and populated areas. It is certainly enticing to jog in the park at night where no one can see you in your sweats or shorts and without your hair and makeup on, but that is very dangerous. Never jog anywhere that you cannot see and hear what is going on around you no matter how safe you may feel. Failure to exercise caution can make you a target for a criminal who may be hiding in the bushes or a dark alley.