How to Begin Running, Jogging, or Walking

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By relawshe
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Are you a beginner who wants to start jogging or running for fitness? Here are some tips & suggestions to aid you in your new quest for fitness.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

proper apparel & gear
patience
motivation

Step 1

Wear the right gear. It is extremely important that you wear the proper shoes for your feet, and dress for the weather. Purchase your running or walking shoes from a specialty store. The associates there can examine your foot & stride, can watch you run or walk, and can suggest the proper shoes for your pronation, arch support, and gait.
Also, dress for the weather. Wear sweat-wicking shirts if it's hot outside and wear warm layers that you can shed, if it's cold.
The better prepared you are for your sport, the more you can concentrate on your sport, without worrying about the performance of your gear. And the proper gear will help you perform better as well.
Step 2

Stretch to prevent injury. There are numerous research studies out there that debate how much stretching is needed (if any), and when to stretch.
What works best for me is to stretch a little bit beforehand, usually just the places I know I get sore easily. But I save the intense stretching until after my workout. That way, my muscles are warmed up and there's a much chance I will pull or injure something.
Talk with your doctor, a nurse, or a sport injury expert for further advice on when & how to stretch. You can also check out running magazines for examples of great stretches.
Step 3

Start slow. You need to start slow in any sport, then advance as you gain stamina & endurance. Starting slow will help you identify any "problem areas" your body may have. If you go too fast too soon, you may tear, strain, or break something. As you get more familiar with your body & how it operates during the sport, then you can get more intense.
Step 4

Alternate walking & running. This is great especially if you've never done either for fitness before. Take turns walking for short periods of time and then running for short periods of time. This helps build endurance without putting too much strain on your body too soon. The walking in-between running sets acts as a time of rest for your body, to re-energize you for the running part.
As you improve, you shorten the walking times, until you no longer have to walk at all.
Step 5

Take rest days. The number of rest days you should take per week completely depends on you and what your body is telling you. Most sports experts suggest taking every other day as a rest day, to give your muscles time to heal the micro-tears that form from hard exercise. Most experts say that it takes a full 24 hours for your muscles to heal.
As your stamina improves, perhaps you will run everyday of the week and take the weekend as rest days. Or perhaps you will need to rest every other day. This varies person-to-person, and you must find what works best for you. Just make sure that your exercise/rest schedule involves both pushing your body and giving it plenty of rest.
Step 6

Take care of yourself. If you feel sore or get injured, take care of yourself right away. Stretch, put ice on it, wrap it, elevate it, and rest it. You may even need to visit your doctor.
Make wise decisions about your body, because if you take care of it now, it will take care of you later.
Sometimes you can be in pain and continue running, and it's no big deal. But sometimes the pain is a very big deal and needs immediate attention. So please pay attention to your body's signals!