I decided to recently start a jogging regemin of about 20-30 minutes 3 times a week about two days apart. It works well with my schedule but recently a friend of mine who is studying bioengineering told me that jogging is actually too strenuous and damaging to the body and can lead to problems such as arthritis later on. He said I should try swimming (Which irritates me because he knows I can't swim) since it is lower in stress. I really do enjoy jogging, though, and want to know if there is really any truth to what my friend has been telling me. If so is there a better cardio workout I can do?
2007-02-09 04:47:29 · 7 answers · asked by glukkonexec 1 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
If you ease into jogging it can be fine.
If there is a family history of joint pain or arthritis, then he is correct - it can be hard on the joints. Overdoing it (taking on too much too soon), or ignoring signs of injury and running anyways can also be bad.
Start off with a good Couch to 5K program (one that alternates intervals of running and walking), and listen to your body. If you have any type of pain in your legs or back, other than the "ow... you made me exercise" pain, then give yourself enough time to recover.
If done carefully, you should be able to jog without injury.
2007-02-09 04:54:35 · answer #1 · answered by Patti C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Walking is just as good for you as jogging. The only downside is that it takes longer to do. Jogging can put undo stress on your joints, no matter what anyone says. However, if you like jogging better than walking, just be sure that you've warmed up your muscles (and bones) sufficiently before starting, and cool down after you're done. Another biggie: get shoes that are up to the task. This is an area where you just can't cheap out. Buy the best running shoes you can afford, and that will help your feet and knees, too.
Good for you for trying to be healthy! Tell your bioengineering friend that maybe he should worry less about the joints and more about the heart.
2007-02-09 04:58:23 · answer #2 · answered by SuzeY 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely better than sitting around, but it does involve a lot of impact to the lower body. A compromise might be to go jogging just once a week, and work out on a cross-trainer machine twice a week, which gives your body time to repair any damage to your joints and ligaments in between sessions.
2007-02-09 05:05:28 · answer #3 · answered by kena2mi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a friend who is 5'3" and weights 145lbs. He doctor told her not to walk or jog to excercise since145 is considered overweight for her height. I was surprised to hear that since she doesn't even look too big... So...In my opinion, it's bad to jog if you are not skinny. Even if you are not so overweight or you don't look so big that's still considered overweight when it comes to jogging. You must be skinny to jog.
2007-02-09 04:55:46 · answer #4 · answered by RetroBunny69 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is this thing at the gym that I hate... The eliptical.
It was desighned by the devil but it works
2007-02-09 04:56:05 · answer #5 · answered by jay m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no its good for the heart and body , and you can also lose weight
2007-02-09 04:54:42 · answer #6 · answered by Dr.Kn0w iT™ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Indoor cycling! :) I love it, and its not hard on your knees. You burn alot of fat.
2007-02-09 04:52:25 · answer #7 · answered by Encouragement 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋