Jogging is a way to get fit per se. Anyone who jogs regularly is doing a lot of good for their physical and mental health. A study shows that jogging for half an hour a week has a similar effect to an antidepressant.
The following must be taken into account:
- As long as you can still talk while running, your pulse is in the green range.
- If you are short on time: train the same number of times, but for less time.
- Jogging is healthy, but also one-sided. Additional strength and stretching exercises are important to strengthen core muscles and joints. Many injuries while jogging are caused by incorrect or overexertion.
- Don’t forget sunscreen. Those who spend a lot of time outside have a higher risk of skin cancer.
- For long-distance runners, it’s worth practicing drinking while running. You should also think about the food before and on the day of the competition in advance.
Tips for jogging beginners
- Start slowly.
- Combine jogging and brisk walking. For example, jog for two minutes, walk for one minute, jog for two minutes and so on. This is how the body gets used to training.
- Two to four times a week is ideal.
- Don’t have false honor when things go uphill. Brake or run up. You don’t do interval training, you learn to jog.
- Wear light clothing and invest in jogging shoes. Wear reflective elements at dusk so you can be seen.
- Stop jogging when things are going best. This makes you feel good and motivates you to go jogging again.
What about regeneration?
The body needs breaks. You can do exercise every day, but not always the same one. Variety is the magic word. In addition to jogging, you can also ride a bike or do balance exercises. Otherwise: build in rest days.
How much exercise is actually healthy?
Sport protects against cardiovascular diseases, the number one cause of death in Switzerland. According to a study, the risk of death for men decreases by 15 percent if they do three hours of exercise per week. For women it is even 24 percent.
It is generally recommended to exercise at least 2.5 hours per week at medium intensity or 75 minutes at high intensity. Medium intensity means everyday activities, for example walking or leisurely cycling. High intensity means you sweat and breathe faster. For example, brisk cycling, swimming, jogging.
Overcome your inner bastard
A little is still much more than nothing. Instead of fixating on “sports”, you can simply strive for more activity. Tips so that you don’t lose motivation:
- Set realistic goals. Don’t start too ambitiously.
- Build a training structure and do it for at least eight weeks.
- Train with like-minded people.
And if you don’t feel like jogging?
Then you can get this Watch the “Pulse” program. It’s about the question of how to find the ideal sport for you.
Alternatively, we have a selection of workouts for at home. Over 30 Swiss professional athletes have each designed a 15 to 30 minute fitness program. All workouts are available on Play SRF.