We hear it all the time. We see it all the time. And many of you who work out or have ever worked out have probably done this exercise. Its hailed by most as the juggernaut of cardio. And yet few realize the damage this activity does to the body…Jogging. Yes readers, what most people call jogging is very unhealthy in regards to your joints. Jogging does have benefits in relevance to cardiac fitness. Most activities that heighten the heart rate will prove beneficial to the lasting performance of your heart. But these benefits are far outweighed by the looming effects that jogging has on the joints.
I am sure that some readers will disagree highly with the statements I have just made so let me clarify a little bit. There is a big difference between running and jogging. When I say running, try to think about about the fluidity of someone in the middle of a fast run. It is very similar to walking. The steps originate from the heal, then rock forward to the balls of the feet and then the toes. The shock of your body weight crashing down to the ground is evenly dispersed.
Now think of someone out for a jog. As the jog wears on typically the jogger will slow down. This person will be in the mode or style of running, but with the speed of a brisk walk. This will ultimately produce the typical pounding, thumping , continual slamming of each footonto the ground, every step. That is what corrodes the joints. From the foot, to the knee, to the hip it will wear away at the cartilage, ligiments, and fat pads.
So if running is a high priority for you. I would suggest interval training. Most people are not in good enough shape to maintain a fast pace for very long. So run as long as you can and when you cant run any longer, slow down to a brisk walk. Then when you think you can go again, GO! Not only is this much easier on the joints but also saves time. You will burn more calories quicker with this style of training even with the walking “breaks”. Just be sure not to take to long walking during interval training. It should be just long enough to catch your breath.
Posted by jasonkremser 