We have recently received an interesting email from our friend in New York:
“After SJ since January 2021, my health is great! I have reduced 30 pounds and all due to Slow Jogging. It is so much easier to run at a weight of 125 pounds! I sometimes feel as though I am floating on air when jogging.
My pace continues to be between 3.5 and 4 miles per hour. I hope that sounds ok to you! I sometimes wonder if after a year and a half I “should” be a bit faster but that is where my ideal heart rate is so I am not pushing it.“
First of all, congratulations! It’s always great to hear how SJ makes you healthier and happier.
Let us explain:
Running speed depends on the STEP FREQUENCY (CADENCE) and STEP LENGTH.
If you practice Slow Jogging regularly, your endurance will increase. If you work on increasing your cadence and taking longer steps, you will also get naturally faster.
It’s a great idea to do a trial 1min jog once in a while to see your progress.
In this video you can see a group trying to find their own Niko Niko pace doing the 1min trial jog. The purpose is to jog at a comfortable pace for 1 min and measure the distance covered. Try doing it at least 5 times to get a stable, average result.
Just be careful about one thing: trying to work on the stride length often results in landing ahead of your body and heel-striking. Even when trying to get faster, keep in mind the Slow Jogging basics: the forefoot strike. It comes naturally when you land beneath your body.
Getting faster or not, it’s up to you. Slow Jogging is beneficial enough even if you don’t get faster in the process. And if you want to try getting faster, try working on your stride frequency or step length – just make sure to remember the basic Slow Jogging technique that will help you stay injury-free and healthy.
PS: Have you seen our SJ T-shirts? Worldwide shipment is finally available.
https://slowjogging.myspreadshop.com/ and https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/108692815
Slow Jogging by Prof. Hiroaki Tanaka 