Brisk walking vs jogging- which is better for your health and to shed some extra weight? If you are someone like me, who want to reduce some calorie but is not interested in heavy exercise or strict dieting, this post is for you. Here, I am trying to explore the difference between brisk walking and jogging, and its effectiveness on your health.
Walking is one of the effective exercises that is recommended by fitness trainers, physicians, and healthcare professionals alike. As a cardiovascular activity, it is a great exercise to improve your blood flow and control your blood pressure and cholesterol level. If you are suffering from severe joint or bone issues, fitness experts suggest going for brisk walking rather than jogging. Brisk walking is equally effective as jogging or running as it can increase your stamina, burning calories easily. The key difference between brisk walking and jogging is that later involves lesser speed but higher than normal walking.
Brisk Walking vs Jogging
While brisk walking is a low-intense physical activity with walking at a faster pace than usual. In brisk walking when one hee lifts from the ground, the toe portion of the other leg will be placed on the ground, thereby allowing equal distribution of load. As it covers a better speed than normal walking, you will be able to cover a minimum of 3 miles per hour. It is okay for people of all ages and all fitness levels.
Jogging on the other hand is a higher-impact exercise that covers more distance than brisk walking and involves a higher speed. Jogging requires less speed than running and hence utilises less energy. In this, more physical effort is required than brisk walking, hence the calorie burned will be higher than brisk walking. Similar to brisk walking, jogging can help improve cardiovascular health and build stronger leg muscles. However, it is not recommended for people with joint or hip issues and serious health problems.
Get some tips for healthy hips
Brisk Walking or Jogging for Calorie Burn?
Both brisk walking and jogging increase the heart rate and raise the heart rate to 120bpm-140bpm depending on the activity speed. However, the intensity will be less in brisk walking compared to jogging. Weight loss requires more calorie burning. Due to the nature and low impact of brisk walking, the calories burned in brisk walking will be lesser. Hence, jogging burns more calories than brisk walking. As jogging burns more calories in less time duration than brisk walking, it is more effective for weight loss also. However, brisk walking is still considered an effective exercise for weight management by many who are not ready to take the risks of jogging.
Benefits of Jogging & Brisk Walking
When it comes to the benefits of brisk walking vs jogging, both have significant health benefits. The benefits you reap will depend on the time duration of the activity you undertake, the type of your body, etc.
Cardiovascular Health
Both brisk walking and jogging offer great benefits to cardiovascular health. Engaging in these activities improves blood circulation and heart rate, increasing oxygen supply to the body and a stronger heart. Doing regular brisk walking or jogging can help reduce blood pressure, lower the risk of heart disease, and improve cholesterol levels.
Joint Health
Compared to jogging, brisk walking has a lower impact on joints. While brisk walking is comparatively safe, jogging put more stress on knees and other joints which can lead to pain and discomfort, especially for people with joint issues.
Promotes Mental Health
Both jogging and brisk walking provides mental health benefits. As both these activities are highly stress-relieving and stimulate the “feel-good” hormone endomorphin, which can improve mood and lower symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Time and Energy
The time and energy required for brisk walking and jogging are different. You can do brisk walking as part of your daily routines, such as taking stairs instead of elevators or walking to work. Brisk walking can be done without much preparation. While jogging requires more energy due to its high intensity, brisk walk can be done in a relaxed manner. And you may need to take proper cool-down periods during jogging.
Fitness Goals
Compared to brisk walking, jogging is more effective for promoting weight loss and achieving fitness goals at a faster pace. Depending on your fitness goals and health conditions, you can choose the best that suits you. However, it is advisable to start with shorter sessions and gradually increase the time and intensity of the activity to avoid injury and overexertion.
Risks of jogging
Though jogging gives faster results compared to walking, it has some risks. Those who are having hip, spine or joint issues are at risk of having injuries or pain as jogging is a high-intensity physical activity. For example, if you have had hip surgery or having overweight, giving more pressure on joints or hips can worsen the pain or risk of injury. But if you are physically fit and looking for reducing your fat or trim down your body, jogging will be more suitable for you.
Conclusion
You might have got a clear idea about the difference between brisk walking vs jogging. There is no evidence to substantiate which one among these activities is more ideal than the other. While jogging offers a greater advantage in terms of weight loss, improved cardiovascular endurance and calorie burn, brisk walking is a lower-impact option that works best for individuals with joint/bone issues and those who prefer moderate-intensity activity. Ultimately, the selection between jogging and brisk walking depends on your personal choices, physical conditions, fitness level, and health goals. Listen to your body, start at a slow pace, and enjoy the process of staying active and improving your overall well-being.
Studies are going on regarding the effectiveness of jogging vs brisk walking. Health experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate physical activities like walking or 75 minutes of high-impact activity like running or jogging for healthy adults to stay active and for improved heart fitness.
