Running, sprinting and jogging are all forms of cardiovascular exercise that use the same muscle group. Everyone can run, but it comes down to the speed that they run at, and what they are trying to achieve. All three forms provide you with health benefits and can help you keep fit, lose weight, elevate your mood by releasing endorphins and improve your heart health. Here we look at what each one entails.
There is no set speed that one should run at. Running needs to be performed at a constant, for about 10 minutes to be considered aerobic. Here your muscles rely on oxygen to fuel them. You will know if you are running, as you will be breathing heavier, and break into a sweat. If you had to look at running at competitor levels, it is broken up into 5km, 10km, half marathon, full marathon and ultra. We like to break running down further into two groups – jogging and sprinting.
Jogging is a lower intensity form of running that is often performed over long distances. This form of running has a steady state, meaning that your speed is kept constant throughout your exercise duration. Jogging doesn’t put as much pressure on one’s body, and one can exercise for longer periods at a time compared to sprinters. Jogging for over 30 minutes will burn calories, in turn helping you shed fat.
Sprinting involves running at your fastest possible rate for short distances, followed by periods of rest. You will then repeat the same distance at this high intensity. Sprinters can train really well on a track. You need to train your body hard and build a strong physique to sprint and perform at your best. Sprinters usually have defined, highly muscular bodies, similar to that of bodybuilders.
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