How to Start Jogging

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Begin Jogging

• Warm up. Warm up your muscles for at least five minutes. Prepare them for the upcoming demands. Warm ups get oxygen moving to your muscles allowing them to work longer. It also helps prevent injuries.

  This is an important pre-jog tip to practice.

• Practice good form.

  Start jogging.

  You may feel a little uncomfortable at first.

  But time you'll get better.

  And, over time you'll feel more confident.

  Keep the correct running form in mind.

  There's a lot written about proper running form on the Internet.

  Essentially you need to do what feels good to you. However,

  keep the basics in mind:

  1. Relax your arms. Don't clench fists. Allow an easy swinging motion.

  2. Land on your heels and let your foot roll forward. Then, push off with the ball of your foot. Don't think too much about this; just let it happen naturally.

  3. Don't shuffle or drag your feet. Conversely don't let your feet slap against the ground. Both types of movement can cause foot pain, shin splints and other trouble.

  4. Don't look down...too much. You need to see where you're going but keep your head up and shoulders back. Hunching forward hurt your backs and shoulders. If you're pushing too hard, relax and slow down.

• Your body is the boss. When you start jogging let it happen slowly. You may only jog for a minute or five. But take a break. Breathe. You want to have a good experience. This way you'll return to jogging feeling encouraged not discouraged.

  Stop well before you begin breathing too heavily. You don't want to pass out. Remember, you're introducing a new activity to your body so take your time.

• Recover. Take a breather and walk for a little. You'll build up your energy again. How long this takes is entirely up to you and your body. Use a marker such as a tree, a sign or person that once you pass it you can start jogging again.

• Try again. Start jogging again but just until you feel you've had enough. This may only be a few minutes or seconds. That's okay. You're building up endurance and that takes time.

• Cool down. Make time for a cool down. This tells your body it's job is done. Now it can begin slowing down the blood flow to the muscles and focus it back on your internal organs.

• S-T-R-E-T-C-H. Thank your body for its performance with a nice long stretch. Your neck all the way down to your feet need a good stretch. You'll feel better, have less tightness in your muscles and increase flexibility.

You'll be tired from your efforts.

Your body needs to recover from the demands you've placed on it.

Try to get eight hours of sleep.

Your body will repair and strengthen your muscles during this time.

You'll increase your performance with regular rest between workouts.

Expect a few days of discomfort.

Check in with your doctor if you feel serious pain. Address injuries early so you recover sooner and to avoid making things worse. Walk, swim or ride a bike on your recovery days. REST your muscles and then...start all over again.

Source: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthysleepfs.pdf

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Why Did You Start Jogging?

What motivates you to get out and jog? What's in it for you to begin this exercise routine?

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