Power Walking or Jogging

Exercise performed daily can help improve your mood and manage your weight. Power walking and jogging are two forms of exercise that can be performed almost anywhere and only require a good pair of shoes and clothes. You should learn the subtle differences that distinguish power walking from jogging before you implement either in your exercise program.

Power Walking

The biggest difference between a power walk and a jog is the placing of the feet on the ground. For an exercise to be considered a power walk, one foot must remain in contact with the ground at all times. The typical maximal speed for a power walk ranges from 3.5 to 5 miles per hour. Walking at 3.5 mph burns around 346 calories per hour while walking 5 mph burns 726 calories per hour for individuals who weigh 200 lbs.

Jogging

A jog involves striking and dragging one foot on the ground at a time to create forward propulsion. After your strike your foot on the ground, it is lifted while the other foot cycles forward. For a brief period of time, neither foot is on the ground. Mike Antoniades of BBC Health and Fitness states that jogging is movement at a leisurely pace, in comparison with running, and does not exceed 6 miles per hour. Jogging at 5 miles per hour burns 728 calories per hour according to the MayoClinic.com.

Movement Efficiency

The big difference in calories between paces for walking comes from a decrease in efficiency as your walking speed increases and an increased utilization of your arm muscles to help increase your speed. Power walking and jogging burn roughly the same amount of calories for a 5-mile-per-hour pace. This makes the two forms of exercise interchangeable and they can be used to add variance to your workout routines.

Considerations

Jogging is a higher-impact exercise than power walking and causes more force to be placed on your hip, knee and ankle joints. If you are overweight, you may be better suited to perform power walking than jogging when adding cardiovascular exercise to your workout program. Jogging is good practice for higher-intensity running. Practicing your jogging technique can help you develop the leg strength and cardiovascular capacity you need to be a runner. Remember to always consult your doctor before implementing or making any changes to your health and fitness program.