Jogging for be­gin­ners: tips for all age groups

Jogging tips: how to get off to a good start

In the video, head physician Dr. med. Christian Larsen explains why the jogging experience is different for everyone. Individual strengths and weaknesses play just as much a role as good running technique.

Age-appropriate running training

Young novices can just start running right away. In the first 3 months, it's best not to overdo it to avoid straining the tendons. Those aged 50+ should start with a 30-minute brisk walk before starting with jogging.

10 golden rules for beginners

It’s important for novices to increase the intensity of their training healthily. Get an idea of your individual profile first and your running career can begin. Have fun jogging.

Cardio check

If you're aged 40+, have a chronic disease (such as high blood pressure) or haven’t done any sports for more than ten years, you should first have a cardio check.

Walking

Brisk walking improves your physical fitness. As soon as you can walk at a brisk pace for 2 hours, you can gradually start with jogging.

Leg axes

When jogging, the most common pains and injuries affect the muscles and ligaments in the feet and legs. The important thing is to first check that your leg axes are correctly aligned.

Stair training

Walking upstairs trains the heart, walking downstairs the leg muscles. When jogging, the feet and legs are loaded with three times your body weight. Stairs are ideal preparation for jogging and prepare the body for the physical strain.

Interval training

Incorporate variety into your pace: walk for two minutes, jog for one – repeat alternately. Start slowly! Your jogging pace at the start should not be much faster than walking.

Goal: to jog for a full 30 minutes

Start with 10 minutes of interval training and gradually increase to 30 minutes. Once you manage 30 minutes, gradually start to shorten the walking intervals until you can jog for half an hour without a break. How long will it take? Depending on your age, body weight and physical fitness, somewhere between 2-6 months. Learn to rely on your instinct (not your head). Fear and ambition sometimes block our body’s signals.

6-months’ rule

Muscles can be built in 3 months, ligaments and tendons are only really stable under tensile pressure after about 6 months. During the 3-6 month period, it's therefore best to “start slow to go far”. In order to stay free of injury in the long term, you should invest 6-12 months in basic training before aspiring to ambitious sporting achievements.

Train regularly

The body becomes best accustomed to jogging when you jog frequently at the start but not too intensively nor too long.

Boosting performance

Once you can slowly jog for 30 minutes straight, you’re ready to up the ante. Please be sure to follow these tips: Start by increasing the number of times you go jogging a week. Then increase the time you jog from 30 to 60 minutes. Only then should you increase your pace.

And finally

Should you suffer any physical complaints, reduce the length and intensity of your jogs. Seek expert advice from a doctor or sports therapist.

This article is presented by: www.medical-running.com