By jogging in place regularly you condition your body to burn calories more efficiently. This helps with weight loss and weight maintenance. During aerobic exercise, your heart rate increases and your blood delivers a greater amount of oxygen to your muscles. Jogging in place warms up your muscles and increases your heart rate and breathing. It provides aerobic benefits, or serves as a warm up for more vigorous activity. Jogging strengthens your heart, lungs, muscles and bones. Jogging in place provides year-round exercise for all ages.
Step 1
Choose a soft, level, non-slip surface for jogging in place such as a carpet or lawn. Jog in place on soft surfaces whenever it's possible to reduce the impact on your joints.
Step 2
Keep your hands loose. Bend your elbows at right angles like the letter L. Squeeze your arms close to your sides and swing them from your shoulders. Raise your hands no higher than your shoulders. Raise your knees as high as is comfortable.
Step 3
Walk in place for five to 10 minutes to warm up. Keep this slow pace when you begin each exercise session to give your body time to prepare for exercise. As you warm up, your heart rate increases, you breathe more deeply and your circulation increases to deliver oxygen to your muscles.
Step 4
Raise your knees higher and swing your arms more vigorously to increase the intensity of jogging in place. Don't swing your arms across your body or twist your torso. Keep your upper body straight and your head up with your eyes straight ahead. Relax your shoulders.
Step 5
Cool down by slowing your jogging pace back down to walking in place for at least five minutes. Walk in place to allow your heart rate and circulation to return to normal after each session of jogging in place. This helps to reduce your risk of muscle soreness.
Step 6
Stretch for five to 10 minutes after you finish. Stretch after each session to help increase your flexibility and range of motion while your muscle are warmed up. For example, perform calf stretches, calf raises, hamstring stretches, quadriceps stretches, shoulder shrugs and shoulder rolls. These stretches can reduce your risk of injury and increase your endurance for jogging in place.
Tips and Warnings
- Wear supportive shoes with effective cushioning such as running shoes or cross trainers. Engage in resistance exercises at least twice a week. Resistance exercises with weights or your body weight improve your stamina for exercise, and help to maintain muscle mass and functional strength. Increase your exercise gradually. For example, start with 15 to 20 minutes three times a week and add more time each week. Jog in place at a pace that makes your breathe faster, so that you're able to say a few words but not carry on a conversation. If you're becoming out of breath, slow down.
- Consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Jogging in place may be too high-impact or strenuous for some people.
Things You'll Need
- Proper fitting running shoes
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