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Small Steps to Jogging Success
The how of jogging.
At The Guide, we've previously covered the "why" of jogging thoroughly. It's about time to spill the beans on the "how".
You're here because you thought you'd "give this jogging thing a try", right? You're wondering how to start: when to jog, how to actually do it, for how long, in what conditions, at what times, on what days, will it hurt (and how much), and, and, and... STOP!
Don't worry. Relax. Breathe. At The Jog Guide, we've got it all covered. In this article, we're going to take you through some the basic mechanics of the jog, some fundamental pre-cautionary points just to get you on your way. The details and fancy stuff will come in future articles.
Let's get started!
Commitment and Consistency
Firstly, you're going to have to make a commitment to yourself that you're
actually going to follow-through with this — that jogging is going to become
a regular, sustaining part of your everyday life, for the rest of your life.
It's pointless to make an impulse commitment on New Year's Eve, then stop one
month later. A better (though less exciting) strategy is to make small, but
consistent efforts, regularly. Even if it's just jogging up one flight of
stairs everyday. Do that for a month. Don't try to do more. Consistency is the
most vital attribute when you're getting started.
Walk Before You Jog
I know, I know... if you'd wanted an article on walking you would have read an article on walking. But just hear me out. Walking will lay the foundation for all the stress that high-impact exercise does to your body. This is especially useful if you've been inactive for the last few years or, perhaps, most of your life (in which case you should definitely start with a long schedule of walking.)
If the most strenuous event in your day is the walk up to the second-floor car park after work, then you'd better get your thighs, knees, and feet warmed up for the vigorous bodily activity that jogging provides. You do this by walking. Get your brain and body used to the idea that you can transport yourself from point A to point B without the need for any kind of automotive machinery.
Most joggers experience a lot of unnecessary hurt when they start their program. Their motivations pull ahead of what their bodies can do, which causes frustration, physical pain, and the loss of the most crucial ingredient to fitness success: motivation.
The basic pattern of exercise failure goes something like this: (1) Person reaches a point in their life when they realize they're out of shape and in danger of not only the negative social implications of being unfit, but the long-term heath problems; (2) They panic and try to do too much too soon, and their bodies cannot keep up with their intentions; (3) They become immensely frustrated, lose heart, and give up completely — only to start the same cycle again a few years later.
It's not uncommon for an unfit person, when starting their jogging regime to go through so much pain that they can hardly walk, much less jog, for days and weeks afterwards.
And that is why we suggest walking first.
The Jog
With all that out of the way, we can finally get to what you came here for.
So, here's how jogging is done: (1) You go outside and find a flat piece of land; (2) you lightly "trot" one foot in front of the other. And that's it!
Disappointed? I thought so.
Seriously, the point I'm trying to make is that the act of jogging itself is very simple. There isn't any special technique you need to learn, there are no secrets or tricks to use. Most of the issues you'll face when jogging are strategic and psychological. That is to say, what's impeding your success is what you do and don't do before your jog, your consistency and follow-through, and your emotional state.
People who use jogging to benefit their lives don't succeed because they're good at jogging per se, it's because they're good at getting up at a certain time and making the effort to put in the required amount of time — rain, hail, shine, good day, bad day. They succeed because they make the effort to keep positive in spite of the discomfort of strenuous exercise, in spite of the monotony of pounding the ground, one foot in front of the other, day after day, hour after hour. They succeed not only because they practiced good, consistent habits, but also because they cultivated a burning desire in their hearts and kept it burning white hot, even when their bodies wanted to give up.
So, in summary, this is what you have to do to get started and keep going:
- Make a commitment to start and then another commitment to keep going.
- Start by walking until you feel your body is ready for the extra stress
- Go out and jog. Put one foot in front of the other. Just do it. No excuses.
- Be consistent and keep on keeping on. Don't allow resistance — fear, pain, negativity, frustration — to interfere with consistency. Consistency is the key.
Good luck!