You may have heard about jogging or maybe you’re doing it every day. This physical activity is one of the most famous aerobic exercises in the world. According to a survey, more than half of the world’s population perform this exercise every day. Today we’re going to break down some facts about jogging and discover the secret behind its success.
Jogging or slow running is an aerobic exercise that takes place between walking and running. Due to its high efficiency, people perform this move at low speeds and long distances. Unlike running, jogging is easy and can be performed by almost anyone.
Did you know that an average person can jog at a speed of 5-6 miles per hour. Studies have shown that this physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and also boost your immune system. Jogging can help in relieving stress which elevates your mood. Adding this aerobics exercise to your lifestyle will improve your physical and mental health.
There are many great health benefits of jogging, some of the best are given below.
1. It Helps In Losing Weight
Weight loss is one of the most famous topics in the fitness community. This is due to the poor lifestyle and bad eating habits of individuals. Gaining excess fat can lead to serious health issues like obesity and heart conditions. Obesity is the main cause of many chronic diseases. Obese people are always anxious about their bodies and health. This also triggers low self-esteem and anxiety.
One of the most convenient ways to achieve weight loss is jogging. This aerobic exercise accelerates your metabolism and heart rate, the two major factors for weight loss. Studies have shown that a long-distance jog can burn a significant amount of fat from your body. It is guaranteed that a 30-minute jog at a moderate pace can burn more than 300-500 calories. Daily jog for 1 month can help you to lose more than 2-4 kg or 6-8 pounds, depending upon your diet.
2. It Strengthens Your Leg Muscles
Strong and muscular leg muscles are important not only for lifting weights but also for enhancing your personality. People with weak legs tend to have hormonal issues and are less physically active. Diabetic patients also suffer from weak leg muscles. To build strength and muscle mass in your lower body, the best and most accessible option is aerobic exercises. Walking, running, jogging, or swimming are some of the best exercises to consider. Out of these exercises, jogging brings the best result as it is easy to perform and trains your muscle for a longer time.
Jogging is known to be one of the best aerobic exercises for increasing strength in your leg muscles. This move targets all the major leg muscles like the quadriceps, hamstring, gluteus maximus, and calf muscles. You can easily add jogging to your lifestyle as it doesn’t require any equipment and can be performed at your nearby park. A long-distance jog will keep your muscle under tension for longer periods, therefore, building strength, endurance, and agility.
3. It Helps In Relieving Stress
Stress has become one of the major issues of society. A high amount of stress can be faced by anyone from a student to an adult. The major cause of stress is most commonly a busy lifestyle. This can cause several mental issues like anxiety, insomnia, and depression. Luckily one of the best benefits of jogging is stress management.
Aerobic exercises like jogging release stress-relieving hormones known as endorphins in your body. Endorphin reduces stress and makes you feel more energetic. Everyday jog can elevate your mood, improve your sleep, make you feel more relaxed and active. Studies have shown that the people who jog regularly had a low level of stress compare to inactive people.
4. It Helps In Warming Up Your Body
Warming up your body before an intense workout is necessary to prevent injuries. This accelerates your cardiovascular system and increases blood flow to your muscles. Stretching and aerobics are some of the most effective warm-up exercises for your body. Warm-up exercises can help you to perform better workouts and reduces the chances of muscle soreness.
Jogging is one of the best exercises which comes under warm-up. Most people jog to warm up their bodies before any outdoor activity. Jogging for some miles helps in waking up your joints and muscles. 10-15 minutes of jogging is enough to prepare your body for any workout.
5. It Developes Cardiovascular Endurance
The ability of your heart and lungs can provide oxygen-rich blood to your muscles. This term is important for athletes and lifters as high endurance is required in sports activities. Aerobic exercises are best known for developing cardiovascular endurance in your body. One such aerobic exercise is jogging.
Jogging develops strength in your heart and increases the number of blood capillaries in your body. These blood capillaries carry more blood to your muscles which improves stamina and lowers the chances of fatigue. High endurance will help you to perform better in sports activities and burn a large number of calories.
Tips:
1. Always Wear Good Quality Shoes
During any aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, or running; it is important to wear good quality shoes for better performance and comfort. A good pair of shoes will be expensive but are worth it as they’ll keep you away from injuries. The parameters which are important to remember when buying new pair of running shoes are; size, weight, material, and brand. When you visit a shoe store for buying a pair of running shoes, make sure to measure the size and width of your feet. Buying shoes with perfect fit will keep your feet fixed during dynamic movements. You’ve finally found some perfectly fitting pairs, the next step is weight. People often ignore this parameter of the shoes. Weight plays a crucial part as you lift your feet to walk. Mostly the lightest shoe in the store is made out of premium material and only famous brands use these.
So you’re only required to find a light and proper fitting shoe for getting the best experience of any aerobic exercise.
2. Jog At Normal Pace For Best Results
There is a difference between jogging and running. Most people don’t know the actual pace for jogging therefore they tend to perform running instead of jogging. The standard pace for jogging is 5-6 miles per hour. The best way to determine the difference between jogging and running is by measuring the number of heartbeats per minute. When compared to running, jogging is a less intense exercise. Exercises with normal intensity keep your heartbeat lower than its peak level.
Jogging increases your heartbeat by a certain percentage known as target heart rate. According to the studies by the American Heart Association, to perform better in any exercise, you’re heart rate should be 75-85 percent of your maximum heart rate. This 75-85 percent of heart rate is your target heart rate. You can use a fitness band with a heart monitor to measure your heart rate.
3. Morning Jog Is Better Than Evening
The timing of your workout is an important factor for your health. The most proportion of people like to perform their exercises in the morning. The remaining people perform at other times of the day. The reason behind the popularity of morning exercises is due to the benefits it contains. A 20-30 minute jog in the morning is the perfect way to start your day. Morning jog delivers fresh oxygen to your blood and pushes your metabolism level to burn extra calories.
In the morning, try to focus only on aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, and running. A high-Intensity workout like weight lifting is not suitable as your body cannot handle such high stress. Performing an intense workout in the morning increases your risk of injury and fatigue. During sleep, your body losses water so It is advised to drink a lot of water in the morning before performing any exercise.
4. Stretch Your Muscles Before Jogging
According to some professionals, exercise for a long duration can decrease the mobility of your muscles. This can lead to soreness and a high risk of injuries. To prevent any damage to your muscles It is recommended to stretch your body before and after an exercise. Stretching your muscles increases the flexibility and range of motion of your joints. For joggers and runners, the major muscles to stretch are the quadriceps, hamstring, glutes, lower back, spine, and calf muscles. After stretching these areas do a couple of heel flicks and high knees to increase the flow of blood to your muscles. A little warm-up before your jog can increase your performance and agility.
5) Always Keep Yourself Hydrated
After oxygen, water is the second essential factor for life. Humans are designed in such a way that they can deal with heat and limited water for a certain period. In desert-like conditions, we can survive only for 2 days. Water is the source of life and performs many important functions like delivering energy, proper digestion, regulating blood flow, lubricating joints, and keeping a constant temperature of your body. Water makes 60 percent of your body weight.
Jogging and dehydration run parallel to each other. While jogging you can lose water by sweating and breathing. Losing too much water can cause dehydration and fatigue. Dehydration is not a serious health issue and can be cured minutes after drinking water. To prevent dehydration, always drink 500-1000 ml of water 30 minutes before your jog. This will keep you hydrated and prevent fatigue.