So You Want to Become a Jogger

Jogging is a wonderful form of exercise.  It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s great for building cardiovascular endurance, and recent studies show that it’s the most effective form of exercise for losing, and keeping weight off.  If you’re thinking about lacing up and giving jogging a try but want to be smart about it, read on….

For the novice jogger or people who are unsure how or where to begin, the key is to start slow, says Robert Herbst, a personal trainer, weight loss and wellness expert, and powerlifter.  “If people want to start jogging, they should build up to it gradually, starting with walking,” he said. “They should also start doing some resistance training to build their leg muscles.”

A combination of jogging and walking at a pace that’s comfortable for you may help you ease into it. “The jog/walk strategy can be tailored to the person depending on their discomfort, as well as using a heart rate monitor to ensure that the heart rate is not spiking during the jog portion,” says Bianca Beldini, a doctor of Physical Therapy and USA Triathlon Certified Level 1 Coach.  Intervals she suggests include a 3-minute jog followed by a 30-second walk, a 4-minute jog followed by 45 seconds of walking, or a 5-minute jog with 1 minute of walking.  “Any combination is fine as long as the person performing it is staying within their respective low heart rate zones,” she adds.

If jogging seems a bit too difficult or uninteresting to you, then try something else, says Franklin Antoian, a trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com. “When choosing an exercise to lose weight or fight obesity, be sure to choose something that you actually like to perform. For example, even though jogging is great for weight loss, if you hate to jog, it’s not going to be beneficial for you.”

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