Walk, Don't Jog...

Why do people love to jog? Slow down... you're moving too fast.

Jogging makes you feel athletic. You move a little quicker jogging than you do walking. The jogger's face usually looks contorted. The jogger sweats and pounds the ground. Certainly jogging is an aerobic exercise.

But--
1) Is jogging any better than walking?
2) When does jogging cause more problems than its worth-- leading to injury or strain on the joints for the older runner?

Jogging may be a case of self-delusion!

You jog for 2-3 miles and I walk for 4 miles-- who exerts the most energy? You jog those 2-3 miles in 40-50 minutes. The 4 miles walk takes me 70 minutes. I have less stress on my joints. My face is not contorted by exhaustion. I enjoy the scenery and get an aerobic workout. The main difference-- my walk takes a bit longer and I don't look quite as macho in my athletic pursuit.

In "Beyond Pritikin"-- mainly a diet book-- by Louise Gittleman summarizes the advantages of "brisk walking." Here's the passage:


"Beyond Pritikin" (1988)-- p 110

Brisk, vigorous walking burns just as many calories per mile as does running. It may even provide better muscle toning than running because, when walking a mile, more steps are taken than when running a mile. When you walk, try to move your whole body vigorously. New research reports that exercise in which both the arms and legs are actively moving is a better fat burner than exercise in which only the legs are involved. This is why cross-country skiing is so highly rated for its calorie-burning benefits, as well as the NordicTrack and stationery rowing machines. So get into it and move all of your body.