What Is The Difference Between Running and Jogging? And How Do They Help Your Health

The older you get, the more you understand the importance of sports and how much of a positive impact they can have on your life. You don’t need to be an athlete or anything to reap the benefits of exercising. Small, consistent effort can go a long way towards improving your mental and physical health, and it will, if you keep it up. One of the best things you can do to maintain a high level of fitness in your life is running. Or is it jogging that you need to do? Well, there is a difference between both, but they are quite good for your health. 

The pace 

If you asked most people what the difference between the two ways, most will tell you it is at the pace. While that isn’t necessarily wrong, there is a bit more to it than that. Why? Because there isn’t a certain speed limit that would dub you a jogger rather than a runner or vice versa. There simply isn’t a rule that says you need to stay about a certain pace of X miles per hour for it to be considered running. People run at different paces, because their bodies and physical abilities vary, so it is only normal for people to have different definitions of what might be construed as running or jogging. Still, the latter does entail moving at a slower pace than the former, and that is a fact. 

In professional circles, going at a pace slower than 6 mph is considered to be jogging. Going anything over 6 mph is considered running. This is ultimately how professional runners would like to be labeled and viewed, because calling one a jogger would probably offend. So, for casual runners/joggers, are there any other differences? Yes, there is.

Muscle strain 

When you are moving at a higher speed, that is, running, your feet spend less time in contact with the ground. And that requires more effort from your muscles, and they work differently in that case as opposed to when you are jogging or walking. As you can see here, people with flat feet even have a different muscle activity here simply because their feet aren’t arched as they should be. This is why it helps that they get running shoes for flat-footed runners, which can help reduce the strain on their muscles and also reduce the pressure, which reduces the possibility of injuries and pain. In short, running has a bigger impact on muscles and develops them a bit more. This is why sprinters have a more muscular build than long-distance runners. 

Losing weight 

This is where opinions –- and research –– vary. There seems to be a general consensus that running is better for burning calories and is, in turn, better for your health. While some studies show that running can help you burn a lot more calories and it is great for avoiding hypertension and high cholesterol, it is not necessarily the optimum choice for you. You need to make consistent efforts to burn calories and lose weight, and sprinting might not be something that you could do regularly. Yes, your body will probably burn more calories if you run rather than jog. But is that something you can do every day? 

Post-workout effects

When it comes to high intensity workouts in general, your body tends to keep burning calories for a long time even after you’re home and rested. This is because you push your body and test its limitations, so your oxygen reserves become depleted after a high intensity workout like running. This is why your body works hard to restore those oxygen levels even after you are done, which causes continuous effort and that results in your body burning calories for up to 48 hours after you’re done running. Jogging has that effect to an extent, but it is much more potent with running.

Choose your preference 

Knowing all this, at the end of the day, all exercise is good. Running is useful and jogging is also useful. You just need to find something that caters to your own preferences when it comes to exercise routines and body capabilities. You don’t need to run at a certain pace to get the benefits. Just do what you can and your body and health will be all the better for it. 

You should always remember to properly warm up before heading out for a run or a jog, because it can protect you from a lot of injuries. And always stay hydrated and take sports drinks with you, and they will help you finish the run or jog without any fatigue.