Slow Jogging: 9 Benefits Of A Slower Workout To Get Results

Slow jogging is aerobic exercise, so it strengthens the heart and lungs. As the heart gets stronger, stroke volume increases, which means that ... Skiptocontent Menu 25 shares Share Tweet Pin Almosteveryrunnerhasfinishedarunandthought,“Wow;Iranslowtoday.”Thisnotionisoftencoupledwithdissatisfaction,disappointment,andevenfrustration.Afterall,mostofusstrivetobethebestrunnerswecanbeandourbrainsareinclinedtomean“best”meansrunningfast. However,runningfastshouldn’talwaysbethegoal,andpushingthepacecanevenbedetrimentalorcounterproductivetoyouroverallfitness.Indeed,slowjoggingcan—andshould—bepartofaneffectivetrainingprogram,evenforcompetitiverunners. Slowjoggingcapitalizesontheconceptof“goingslowtogofast,”meaningthatwecanrunfasterbyslowingdownsomeofourtraining.  Inthisguide,wewillcoverthebenefitsofslowjoggingandhopefullyhelpyoushifttheperspectiveafteraslowrunfromadisappointed,“Wow;Iranslowtoday,”toanexcited“Wow!Iranslowtoday!” Wewilllookat:  WhatDoesItMeantoRunSlow? SlowJogging:TheBenefitsOfaSlowerWorkout HowOftenShouldYouRunSlow? Let’sgetstarted! WhatDoesItMeantoRunSlow? Whatexactlyisslowjogging?Theadjective“slow”issubjectiveandrelativetoeachrunnerbasedonfitnesslevel.“Slow”runningcanbethoughtofasaneasyconversationalpacethatyoufeellikeyoucanmaintainforquitealongtimewhilechattingwitharunningmate. Wecanattempttoquantifyslowjogginginthefollowingways:  Arunningpacewhereyoucancomfortablycarryonafullconversationorsingasong. AneffortlevelontheRateofPerceivedExertionScaleof5,where1isnoeffortand10isall-outsprinting. HeartrateinupperZone1orinZone2,whereZone1is50-60%ofyourmaxheartrateandZone2is60-70%ofyourmaxheartrate. Roughly2-3minutespermileslowerthanyour5kracepace SlowJogging:TheBenefitsOfaSlowerWorkout So,whatarethebenefitsofslowjogging?Whydorunningcoachesurgetheirathletestoeaseuponthepaceevenwhentheyfeelgood?Herearethebenefitsofrunningslow: #1:RunningSlowAddsVarietytoYourTraining Manyrunnersheadoutthedoorandrunatnearlythesamepaceeveryday.However,theresearchshowsthatthemostsuccessfulapproachtogettingfasterinvolveswhatisknownaspolarizedtraining—runningbothveryslowandveryfastratherthanjuststickingatoneconstantpacedayinandout.  Inotherwords,it’smoreeffectivetovaryyourintensityfromworkouttoworkoutratherthanpushyourselftothesame“medium-hard”pacedayafterday. #2:SlowJoggingReducestheRiskofMusculoskeletalInjuriesandOvertraining  Notonlydoesfallingintothetrapofrunningalmosteveryrunatthesamepacelimityouroverallprogress,butitcanalsoleadtoovertrainingandoveruseinjuriesbecausethesamestressesandintensitiesareplacedonthebodystrideafterstride,runafterrun.  Incontrast,whenarunnerisconstantlychangingpaces—runningspeedworkoutsandslowruns—theyintroducemorestridevariabilityandstressesonbones,muscles,andconnectivetissues.Thiscanreducetheriskofinjuryandincreaseoverallstrength. Additionally,slowjoggingplaceslessimpactstressesonthejoints,sotheriskofinjuryisinherentlyless. #3:SlowJoggingImprovesYourAerobicFitness  Slowjoggingisaerobicexercise,soitstrengthenstheheartandlungs.Astheheartgetsstronger,strokevolumeincreases,whichmeansthattheheartisabletopumpmoreblood—andthusoxygen—outtothebodyeverytimeitbeats.Thiscaneffectivelyreduceheartratebecausetheheartbecomesmoreefficient.  Slowjoggingstillaffordsmanyoftheaerobicbenefitsofmoderate-intensityexercise,suchasincreasingcapillarydensityandmitochondrialdensityinmusclesandincreasingbloodplasmavolume. #4:SlowJoggingIsGoodforYourHealth Studiesshowthatlow-intensity,slowjoggingcanreducetheriskofmortalityevenmoresothanveryvigorousexercise. #5:SlowJoggingBurnsCalories Anyrunburnscalories,soifyou’retryingtomaintainahealthyweight,aslowjogcanhelpyouexpendextraenergy.Althoughyou’llburnfewercaloriesperminutejoggingslowlycomparedtoafasterrun,ifyourunslowly,youcanusuallyrunforalongerduration. #6:SlowJoggingHelpsYourBodyBecomeMoreEfficientAtBurningFat Atlowerintensitiesofexercise,themusclesareabletoburnfattogenerateATP(cellularenergy)ratherthanrelymoreheavilyonstoredglycogen(carbohydrates). Ourbodieshavealimitedcapacitytostorecarbohydratesintheformofglycogen,whereaseventheleanestrunnershaveenoughbodyfattofuelhoursuponhoursofexercise.  Slowjoggingcausesfavorableadaptationsinfatmetabolism,allowingyoutorunfasterwhilestillburningfatforfuelratherthancarbohydrates.Ultimately,thiscanbehugelybeneficialformarathonersaswellasthoselookingtoburnbodyfat. #7:SlowJoggingImprovesRecovery   Slowjoggingallowsyourbodytoreapsomeoftheaerobicbenefitsofrunningwithoutcausingsignificantstressonyourmusculoskeletalandmetabolicsystems. Aslowrunincreasescirculationsoitallowsyourbodytofullyrecoverfromhardworkouts.Thisnotonlyreducestheriskofinjurybutallowsyoutobereadytoattackthenextspeedworkoutwithmoreenergyandintensity.  Bykeepingyoureasydayseasywithslowjogging,youcanactuallymakeyourharddayshard.Inthisway,slowjoggingenablespolarizedtrainingandmoreintensehardworkouts.  IfyourunafastintervalworkoutonthetrackonMonday,andheadoutforamoderately-intensityrunthenextmorning,yourbodywillcarryovermoreaccumulatedfatiguetoaWednesdaythresholdworkoutthanifyouhavetakenyourTuesdayrecoveryrunasatruerecoveryworkout. Asaresult,yourperformanceonWednesday’sthresholdeffortmaysufferandyourriskofovertrainingincreases.Inthisway,slowjogginghelpsyoumaximizethebenefitsofyourspeedworkoutsbyhelpingyourbodybouncebackandrecoverafterhardworkouts. #8:SlowJoggingCanImproveYourRunningForm Whenyourunniceandeasy,youhavethementalbandwidthtofocusonaspectsofyourrunningform,whichcanmakeyouamoreefficientrunner.Thinkaboutthingslikeyourcadence,armswing,andcoreengagement,andworkononeaspectthatmightallowyoutorunmoreeconomically. #9:SlowJoggingAllowsYoutoEnjoytheRun Rememberthesaying,“Slowdownandsmelltheroses?”Whileyoucertainlydon’tneedtostopdeadinyourtracksandsnifffreshflowers,runningslowlyallowsyoutotakeinthesurroundingsandenjoyyourrun. Ifyou’rerunningwithafriend,youcanhaveagreatconversation,andyou’llreapallthewonderfulmentalhealthbenefitsofexerciseandheadintotherestofyourdayinagoodmood. HowOftenShouldYouRunSlow? Dependingonyouroveralltrainingprogramandracinggoals,thebulkofyourtrainingvolumeshouldconsistofslowjoggingorworkoutsthattakeplaceinyourzone2heartrate.  Slowjogginghelpsbuildyouraerobicbase,somostrunningcoachesrecommendatleast60-75%ofyourweeklyrunningvolumeshouldbesloworeasyrunsinZone2,includingrecoveryruns,baseruns,andlongruns. Totakeadeeperlookintoallofthedifferenttypesofrunningworkoutsthatcanmaketheirwayintoyourtrainingplan,readourAllTypesofRunningExplained:GuidetoTop10RunningWorkouts. AmberSayerAmberSayerisaFitness,Nutrition,andWellnessWriterandEditor,andcontributestoseveralfitness,health,andrunningwebsitesandpublications.SheholdstwoMastersDegrees—oneinExerciseScienceandoneinProstheticsandOrthotics.AsaCertifiedPersonalTrainerandrunningcoachfor12years,Amberenjoysstayingactiveandhelpingothersdosoaswell.Inherfreetime,shelikesrunning,cycling,cooking,andtacklinganytypeofpuzzle. TakeYourRunningFurtherWithOurResources... 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