One of the most common complaints among novice runners is their lack of jogging stamina. Many who have only recently started running complain of various pains as well as breathing problems during and after a short jog. It seems many individuals think they should immediately have the jogging stamina to run for an hour or two shortly after taking up jogging as a hobby. Unfortunately, jogging doesn’t work that way.
The only way to develop the jogging stamina that will allow you to jog for longer periods is to jog frequently until your body becomes accustomed to this new exercise routine. Jogging is one of those things that starts out as difficult but progressively gets easier as you continue doing it. As Jim Ryan, a former football player in the National Football League once remarked, “Motivation is what gets you started, but habit is what keeps you going.”
Improving one’s jogging stamina entails following a jogging plan. One important thing to remember when choosing a jogging plan is to match it to your goals and needs. Not all jogging plans are made equal. If a novice runner mistakenly tries to follow a jogging plan for experienced runners, they will quickly shy away from jogging because they cannot meet their unrealistic goals. The right jogging plan should gradually help you build your jogging stamina without making it that easy to accomplish. Jogging, after all, is founded on the premise that the only way to develop jogging stamina and endurance is if you continually challenge your body to break its current limitations.
Keeping this premise in mind, here are some ideas on jogging routines that suit novice runners.
Find time to jog 3 to 4 times a week. After you have conditioned your body, your shortest runs should be in the 30-minute range while your longest workouts can extend up to 1 hour. As you develop the necessary jogging stamina, you can increase your time and distance to meet your personal goals.
If you are completely new to running, begin with walking sessions for the first two weeks. Don’t try to immediately jump into a long routine if you don’t want to be discouraged with your progress. Walking sessions will prepare your body for the demands that will come later as your body gets in better condition.
One important rule for training is to balance speed with duration. For beginners, longer runs should be done at a slower pace while shorter runs can be done at a faster rate. As you begin to develop the jogging stamina for longer runs, you can gradually increase the pace of your workouts. If you can jog a certain distance 4 weeks after taking up jogging exercise, you should be able to increase both speed and distance as your stamina increases.
If you need help, ask a more experienced runner to give you a few tips. Do not be shy about letting a fellow jogger know of your intentions to develop your jogging skills. You will probably be surprised to find they are more than willing to help you train.
Jogging stamina is ultimately the one thing that will make you stick to jogging for an extended period. Remember this when you start preparing your jogging plan. Then, as you develop your stamina, jogging will become easier as you see your body far surpass your past limitations.
As a final note to beginners, one thing you should do if you know you are not in the best of condition is to pay your doctor a visit. If you have any physical reasons for not taking up the sport or need to start off especially slow it is best to know in advance just to be on the safe side.
Robert N. Perry writes articles on various subjects though most are health related. An avid jogger, he has written well over a hundred articles on the subject and has a website with information for both seasoned joggers as well as beginners.