What is jogging?
How many calories does jogging burn?
Advantages of jogging
Disadvantages of jogging
Starting your jogging program
Exercise guidelines
Jogging gear
Jogging safely

What is jogging?

Like walking, jogging can be done anytime, anywhere, and involves only one person: you. Jogging has all the health benefits of walking-- it conditions the heart, improves muscle tone and strength, relieves stress, and can help with a variety of health problems, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and arthritis. While walking may conjure up all the pleasures of a casual stroll, jogging requires more of a commitment to training and results. It takes discipline to run, but the rewards are measurable improvements in time, distance, endurance and strength.

How many calories does jogging burn?

The number of calories you burn when jogging will vary with the intensity and duration of your workout. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), a 160-pound person will burn around 12.5 calories for each minute of activity. Heavier individuals will burn more calories for the same amount of exercise while a lighter individual will burn less.

Advantages of jogging

The big advantage of jogging over walking is that it takes less time, is the most efficient way to achieve cardiovascular fitness, and depending on your distance will burn more calories. The disadvantage is that it can result in more injuries, as the strain placed on both muscles and joints is greater. But with proper shoes and preparation through stretching, you can greatly reduce your risk of injury.

Disadvantages of jogging

What some consider to be an advantage and others a disadvantage of jogging is the element of competition. Races offer an opportunity to compete with others, not to mention a great opportunity for traveling and socializing. If those aspects of the sport don't appeal to you, you can simply opt out of racing and run by yourself or with friends instead.

Starting your jogging program

Regardless of your age, get a checkup from a physician before you begin to run. There is some debate about who does and does not need medical clearance, but your best bet is to consult a physician before beginning this, or any exercise program, to ensure that you have no health problems that might surface if you exercise too hard.

Getting medical clearance is especially important if you are overweight, if your family has a history of heart disease, if you smoke now or used to smoke, if you have high blood pressure, if you are over age 60, or if you've been pretty much of a couch potato most of your life. Besides, getting a physical is the first step toward getting physical.

Fitness experts offer a variety of methods for getting started. Some say to start out by simply walking for several weeks, then alternately combine walking with jogging. Your best bet is to log on to some of the available runners' sites on the Internet. Then find a training program that appeals to you.

As a beginner you should only be jogging aerobically. Naturally, you will become out of breath, but you should not be gasping. A good rule of thumb is to not strain too much. If you are able to hold a conversation while jogging it is a good sign that you are not overdoing it.

Exercise guidelines

• Warm up first with either a fast walk or a slow run, followed by some light stretching. Gradually build up to a pace that's comfortable for you.
• Most experts suggest that you land on the ball of your heel, and let the rest of the foot follow. You want to push off from your toes as you begin your next step.
• Don't hunch up. Keep your back reasonably straight, your shoulders back. When you come to a hill, it is only natural to lean forward a bit, which is perfectly fine.
• Let your arms swing naturally, don't hold them to your sides.
• Don't worry so much about how far you are jogging. Rather than set a distance goal, set a time goal. Increase your time gradually; experts usually recommend an increase of only 10% a week to avoid injury from overexertion.
• Bring some cool water along to keep your body from becoming dehydrated from your workout.

Jogging gear

Although you can spend a fortune on running shoes and attire, in the beginning, most experts agree that any pair of comfortable shoes will do. After several weeks, be prepared to spend about $75 for a good pair of running shoes. Although you don't need special runners' socks, try to avoid wearing thin, dress socks. If you find that you get blisters, you may want to switch to running socks sold in athletic stores. Another runner's trick is to apply vaseline to your feet before jogging to avoid blisters.

To avoid injury, only increase distances gradually, and by small amounts.

After several months you will no longer be a beginner and will have to decide whether you wish to just run for fitness or to go one step further - jogging for conditioning, endurance, or competition.

Jogging safely

Safety for joggers is a big issue, as news accounts of ambushed joggers become more and more frequent. Even if you live in a "safe" neighborhood, the following advice from the US government can help protect you from mishap:

• Jog with a known companion.
• Jog in a familiar area.
• Do not jog in a secluded area.
• Do not jog after dark.
• Jog facing the traffic.
• If followed, go to the nearest house and call the police.
• Wear bright-colored clothing to improve your visibility.
• Carry a whistle or shrill alarm to summon help, if needed.
• Vary your route and pattern of jogging.
• Keep Alert! Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Jog away from bushes where someone could hide.
• Take a key with you when you jog. Don't leave your house unlocked. Someone might be watching you and your house to see when it will be empty or unlocked.