WALKING, JOGGING, & SPRINTING: The Differences & How to Use Them in Your Training

The differences between walking, jogging, and sprinting are in all reality very minimal. They can mainly be chalked up to differences in speed.  

So how do you choose which is right for you? 

The best approach is to choose whichever method of movement allows you to exercise at a moderate intensity for the duration of a workout. The intensity of walking, jogging, or sprinting will be different for everyone, depending on fitness levels and prior experiences.

Walking 

Walking is one of the most basic gaits a human can take part in. We all know what walking is, so I won't delve more into it. Instead, we'll talk about the benefits of walking.

 Walking is an activity that has a very low barrier to entry, meaning most people can get off their couch and start doing it immediately. For those who are able to, walking can be a great cardiovascular activity for anybody. Even those who can only walk short distances will benefit from spending a little time walking each day. Walking may seem a little higher intensity if you're deconditioned, especially when walking up hills. 

The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week as a preventative measure and for overall general health. If you are just starting out on your exercise journey, walking may be considered moderately intense for you. 

If you already exercise regularly, then walking may not be intense enough to qualify as moderate physical activity. That said, walking can still be beneficial to your overall activity levels.

If you want to add walking to your fitness routine, start by walking for as long as you can just breathing through your nose. When you have to stop and catch your breath or breathe through your mouth, call time on yourself. By breathing through your nose, you will keep walking at an appropriate physical intensity. Take notice of how long you are able to walk before you need to catch your breath. Each time you walk, try to increase the amount of time you walk before you stop or take a breath through your mouth. 

Jogging 

Jogging is essentially faster-paced walking. By definition, jogging is intended to be a moderate intensity gait. For some individuals, however, jogging may be a higher intensity exercise dependent on fitness level.

For those who have some fitness and are looking for a challenge above waking, jogging can be a nice step up from walking. Jogging can be performed over longer durations of time and at a variety of paces. 

If you're looking to start jogging, try jogging for one minute and walking for two minutes. Repeat this pattern for the duration of your jogging workout or until you are unable to maintain a comfortable job for one minute. Over time, you will build your ability to jog. When that pattern begins to feel easy, challenge yourself by jogging for one minute and walking for one minute. Again, as you improve your stamina, jog for 90 seconds and walk for 30 seconds. 

The goal is to slowly increase jogging time and decrease walking time. Over time, you should be able to increase your endurance until you are able to jog for all or most of your workout. 

Sprinting

Sprinting is moving as fast as possible over a short distance. Sprinting is often considered one of the most intense forms of exercise. As such, it is commonly used in the exercise routines of skilled athletes to help build and maintain speed and power. Although sprinting represents a large jump up in intensity from jogging, it is a great way for individuals to increase their cardiovascular capacity. 

The CDC recommends 75 minutes of vigorous cardio activity a week. For those who are looking to increase the intensity of their jogging workouts, sprinting can be a great way to get there.

Sprinting is not an activity to jump right into but it is an activity that can be worked up to. If you're interested in starting to add sprinting to your workout routine. 1-2 days a week would be a starting point.

In order to balance intensity with safe running form, start on a hill. Sprinting up an incline will prevent you from over-striding, which is a common way to cause hamstring strains in new runners. Two to three sprints at a distance of 20-30 meters on a hill is a great starting point. From there, add additional sprints as needed to maintain intensity. Once you are comfortable sprinting and confident in your form, move on to flat sprints and longer distances.

Curious? Sign Up for a Fitness Assessment!

If you're curious about starting to walk, jog or sprint, have a race you want to train for, or want to know about strength training for walking, jogging, or running, schedule a fitness assessment with one of our qualified coaches!