“Slow Jogging: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun with Science-Based, Natural Running” by Hiroaki Tanaka is a comprehensive guide on the art of running. The book offers a unique approach to running, focusing on a slower, more natural form of jogging. This form of running is designed to be less intense, allowing runners to run longer distances with less risk of injury and burnout.
At the heart of Slow Jogging is the belief that running should be enjoyable and sustainable, rather than a chore. Through scientific research and expert analysis, the author demonstrates how this approach to running can be highly effective for weight loss, improved health, and enhanced overall wellbeing.
The book begins by discussing the science behind natural running and how it differs from more traditional forms of running. The author explains how jogging can be used to improve cardiovascular health, increase endurance, and enhance the overall functioning of the body.
The core of the book focuses on how to implement Slow Jogging into your routine. The author provides detailed instructions on how to get started, as well as tips for overcoming common obstacles and challenges. The author also includes information on proper form, nutrition, and recovery techniques to help you optimize your running experience.
In addition, the author explores the mental benefits of running and how this form of exercise can help improve mood, reduce stress, and increase overall happiness. He emphasizes the importance of setting achievable goals, developing a positive attitude, and creating a supportive running community to help keep you motivated and on track.
Overall, “Slow Jogging: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun with Science-Based, Natural Running” is a must-read for anyone who is looking to get into running, or who wants to make their existing running routine more effective and enjoyable. The book provides practical, science-based advice and techniques that are easy to follow, making it an accessible resource for runners of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced runner, this book is sure to help you achieve your running goals and enjoy a healthier, happier lifestyle.
Excerpts and Quotes from the Book
“Because running speed and energy expenditure are in linear relation, the physiological efficiency of running is the same at every speed, from slow jogging to sprinting. The calories that you burn with every mile are exactly the same, whether it takes you thirty minutes or six minutes to cover a mile.”
“Contrary to what you may have been told, the effects of interrupted exercise on our health and weight loss are just as promising as continuous exercise.”
“Despite requiring higher energy expenditure, running was thought to be equally tiring as walking and expressed with a similar number on the RPE scale.”
“During very slow jogging the energy comes mainly from contractions of slow-twitch fibers and their number increases to maximum at niko niko pace.”
“For complete beginners, it is recommended to start at an even lighter intensity, alternating one minute of slow jogging with thirty seconds of walking.”
“If we intentionally switch to running (more specifically, very slow jogging), we are going to need more energy (and burn more calories) but will feel no more tired than when walking. To put it simply: when walking or jogging at the same, low speed, you’ll burn many more calories in the same amount of time if you jog.”
“In Japan, you will see people slow jogging everywhere, and you’ll see all kinds of people doing it. You’ll see the elderly, moving at two-to-three miles per hour, which for many people is close to walking speed. There are also busy businessmen, who know that five minutes of jogging a few times a day can be as beneficial to their health as twenty or thirty minutes of continuous exercise. Then there are experienced runners who alternate intense training with slow jogging, giving their bodies a chance to recover and reminding themselves of the pure, childish joy of running in fresh air, which …more”
“It’s highly possible that, if you begin your running program at the proper intensity, you will be overtaken by walkers. Don’t let this discourage you.”
“Jogging is different from most popular physical fitness programs. Unlike weight lifting, isometric exercises, and calisthenics with their emphasis on muscle building, jogging works to improve the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Other body muscles are exercised as well, but the great benefit comes from improving the way the heart and lungs work. After all, when you are past thirty, bulging biceps and pleasing pectorals may boost your ego, but your life and health depend upon how fit your heart and lungs are. Jogging is a simple type of exercise, requiring no highly developed skills. The …more”
“Running in slow jogging style is effective no matter how slow it is. Running one mile you will burn the same number of calories whether your speed is 2 miles per hour or 10 miles per hour. That’s why, from the point of view of weight loss, slow jogging pace is equally effective as more strenuous speed. Also, no matter how slow your jogging is, you can burn up to twice the calories you burn walking the same distance.”
“Slow jogging and forefoot running require going back to basics and the instinctive way of running, so simple shoes with thin, elastic soles and a wide toe box, fitting well on the heel, are strongly recommended.”
“Slow jogging at niko niko pace activates the greatest number of slow-twitch fibers, without activating the fast-twitch ones. That’s why it’s possible to continue exercising for a long time with no fatigue or running out of breath. We are slightly simplifying the process here, but thanks to regular, slow exercise, slow-twitch fibers work more effectively and part of them changes their nature, which results in lower lactate accumulation even for faster running.”
“So what is the “secret sauce” of long-term healthy running? • Slow down! • Run for joy • Recover • Do not run too hard • Finish each run as if you could do it again • Keep fast and agile with short sprints and drills • Keep mobile, especially in the ankles and hips • Keep your foundation strong—this is your foot. Wear flat shoes shaped like your foot to stand, walk, run, and play. • Go barefoot as often as you can. • Learn the skill of running and keep trying to master this. A tool like TrueForm motor-less treadmill helps. • Do simple strength training with Kettle Bells and Burpees • Be your …more”
“The key to slow jogging is what we call niko niko pace. In Japanese, niko niko means “smile.” Unlike traditional training, which requires concentration and effort, slow jogging is more like taking a walk, at an intensity light enough to enjoy conversation or, if you’re by yourself, to just smile.”
“The recommended average speed for joggers ranged from 15-minute miles to 7-minute miles.”
“The term “jogging” became widely used in the United States in the late 1960s, as it was a result of a popular book with the title Jogging. Its author was University of Oregon track coach and Nike cofounder Bill Bowerman. He had been exposed to jogging while on vacation in New Zealand with his college team. He took time off and went for some easy runs with legendary running coach Arthur Lydiard, who had trained several Olympic running champions. On weekends, Lydiard would invite locals to join him for “fitness and sociability” runs, or what he called jogging. Lydiard wanted New Zealanders to …more”
“There are some speeds at which it’s possible to either walk or run. So when do we actually start to run? Interestingly, when increasing the speed on the treadmill, the moment when we switch from walking to running is quite similar for all of us. According to research by Alan Hreljac, published in 1993 in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, it’s 4.6±0.28 miles per hour in America, and about four miles per hour in Japan.”
“To feel and remember movement patterns, try jogging in place, jumping, jogging backwards or barefoot. That is when your feet move naturally, which is the movement you will aim at when jogging as well. Just be careful—do not try jogging on your tiptoes, but by using the upper-central, widest part of your foot.”
“When landing on your forefoot, the Achilles tendon gives you natural elasticity that helps you to spring off your feet and jump higher.”
“When you run too fast, you can damage your body, it can break down, and/or you can get injured or sick. If you’re not running at all or doing only super light activity such as walking, that’s not enough to markedly improve your health and fitness. The happy middle ground is slow jogging.”
“You’ll lose weight, reduce stress, prevent illness, and improve brain function. And, believe it or not, within a year you will be able to run a marathon, if that’s a goal you aspire to.”
“Run with Smile, Midfoot Strike.”
“Slow jogging” at niko niko pace, the training method we developed, was significantly lighter. Similarly designed to improve aerobic capacity and health but based on the intensity of just 50 percent of VO2 max, slow jogging means a very relaxed walking pace of 55 yards in 40 to 50 seconds or one mile in 21 to 26 minutes for the least fit runners.
Slow Jogging: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun with Science-Based, Natural Running Kindle eBook book by Hiroaki Tanaka
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