At first, when I heard this I thought it was some trick question to test my English grammar. Then, I asked my friends and fellow runners this question. The answers they gave me was shocking. It turns out that ‘walking,’ ‘jogging’ and ‘running’ are not the same.
Here I listed down all the major differences between the three activities. Read on to know more.
1. Similarities
- Losing weight
All three activities are great for losing weight. Since they are all aerobic activities, which demand your body to move constantly. You will be shocked to know how many calories you have lost per month just by walking/jogging/running.
- Strengthening your joints, knees, and bones
- Saving some cash
You don’t have to waste your money on extending your gym member card, which by the way costs you a fortune. Whether in the park, on the treadmill or even in your backyard, it is so easy and simple to do these activities.
- Reducing risk of cancer
- Extending your life expectancy
- Improving self-esteem
- Increasing stamina
- Relieving stress
While performing these exercises, your brain releases endorphins and endocannabinoids. They are your natural painkillers, which help diminish your pain, and trigger positive feelings inside you.
- Eliminating depression
2. Differences
- Calories burning
Regarding how many calories you burn per hour, running is in the first place. Jogging is somewhere in between. And walking stays at the bottom. Compare to other two exercises; it burns the least calories. However, sometimes a demanding walk can burn just as much as a jogging can.
This is due to the level of intensity of these three activities. Running and jogging are both intense aerobic activities while walking is only a moderate activity.
Moderately intense exercises (such as walking) increase your heart and respiration rate slightly and noticeably. The average walking speed of a normal person is about 3 to 4 mph. At this pace, you should be able to carry on a decent conversation.
If you find yourself gasping for breath while walking, you may need to slow down a bit. Cause my friend; you are way above the target heart rate.
Intense activities are obviously way more exhausting. Your heart rate speeds up faster, and your breath becomes more rapid. You can only hold a conversation in short sentences in a limited amount of time.
- Form
When you are running or jogging, the ball of your foot strikes the ground first, not the heel. And due to the steady rhythm of running, you are more likely to cause injuries to your joints. While in the case jogging, with its constant change in movement, your foot will hit the ground less frequently, thus reducing the chance of your getting injuries.
And unlike running, jogging, or other high impact activities, your body does not put as much pressure on your joints while walking. Since one foot always remains on the ground at all time to support your weight. Thus, you will be less likely to cause an injury to yourself during walking.
3. Which activity is for you?
Walking is slow, steady, and perfect for losing weight. However, due to its slow and steady pace, it may not be idealistic for people who want to lose weight fast.
In this case, do consider either jogging or running. Since they are both fast and vigorous aerobic activities, which require you to be moving all the time. Thus, you will burn more calories per hour.
However, the best and fastest method, in my opinion, is running. For example, if you run at nine mph per hour, you can burn up to 1,000 calories (provided that you are 150 pounds). With the same amount of time, you can only achieve 492 calories burnt while jogging.
4. How to choose your shoes
Running shoes and walking shoes are entirely different. Walking shoes usually have flexible soles and stiff heel counters, while running shoes do not. So, pay attention to those details while shopping for your shoes.
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Always remember to choose sneakers that can cushion your feet and promote breathability. There are many great brands producing sneakers, which meet all these requirements, on the market.
5. My tips
- Remembering to be safe
Whichever activity you choose, don’t push yourself too hard or else, you might regret your decision.
- Choosing your shoes carefully
- Never exercising with your barefoot
- Following an exercise plan
