Why Jogging Is Terrible

• Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
• by Jesse

Today's blog post comes courtesy of Dr. Corey Duvall, a Chiropractic Physician, CrossFit Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Owner/Director of the Stay Active Clinic. 

Jogging IS terrible.  ”But terrible is such a strong word”.  That is why I use it.  It is my contention that there is NO benefit and undue HARM caused by jogging.

Let me clarify Jogging.  This is the act of repeatedly running consecutive distances of 2 or more miles at a pace slower than 8 minutes/mile.  If you aren’t running that fast you should speed up and shorten your distance.

People have the goal of “running a 5k” in two months from the couch, or the goal of “just finishing” a marathon, or “getting in shape”.  These are not periods of life-long improvement, they are moments of stupidity and harm interposed between months or years of laziness.

Yes, I’m being harsh, but I feel strongly about this.  I have treated MANY people for issues that are the result of nothing more than bodily neglect followed by abuse.  They ignore their movement systems, create horrid imbalances by sitting around, then abuse these systems by putting it through an incredible load for little to no value; they wind up with shin splints, Achilles tendinosis, “runners knee”, IT band pain, or back problems.

Let me first explain what jogging is mechanically and then I’ll explain the two major ways it is terrible:

There are two distinct movements in the human system involving forward locomotion.  One is walking and the other is sprinting.

Walking – Walking was meant to carry us for incredible distances by using very little energy.  The mechanics and loading mechanism shows just this.  Using muscles are TAXING to our metabolism and thus walking uses very little of them.  It instead places the forces on our bones, ligaments, and cartilege.  Because walking is a relatively slow cadance and there is little vertical movement the tissues handle it easily and without issue.  They rarely break down from this (unless someone is abnormally heavy) and the person conserves energy and their connective tissues stay intact.

Sprinting - Sprinting is meant to carry us short distances extremely quickly by using a great deal of energy.  Sprinting uses every muscle in our body to its fullest potential and is burns a great deal of energy.  In doing so it saves our joints and bones by loading the muscles in a shock absorbing manner because otherwise the bones and joints would break down beyond repair.  Thus, sprinting and walking look entirely different and should be used for different purposes.

The problem with Jogging is that people often speed up their walk instead of slowing down their sprint to move greater distances.  Elite 100m sprinters and elite marathoners look nearly identical in their mechanics.  Hell, elite marathoners are essentially sprinting for 26.2 miles; running faster for the first mile than most can for only one.  Speeding up the walk leads to the two issues that make jogging terrible.  It increases injury rates by increasing a load on a movement not meant to handle that load.  Walking does not spare joints but is safe at low loads.  Jogging is not low load.   It also does not burn energy at a greater rate than walking and not NEARLY as much as sprinting.  By hardly loading the muscles, jogging does not increase energy burn from walking by an appreciable rate compared to sprinting.  This means, you don’t “get into shape” any faster than walking for the same distance.

Jogging is terrible because it does not help you reach your goal any faster than walking, it helps you reach it FAR SLOWER than occasional sprint intervals, and it ups your injury rate to keep you from your goal.  My suggestion is to learn how to sprint and use them like seasoning while long hikes on local trails are your main course.

Post thoughts to comments.

-Corey

20 Comments:

• Ron Burgundy is a man to be emulated.

  – B-Vo on February 7th, 2012 at 7:30 am

• Ahhh, Jesse. Your posts just fill my day with such hope and positivity…or maybe not. I think you may be surprised to find out that I do agree with “some” of this post. Yes, I do agree that the people who sit on their fat asses for years at a time doing nothing (exercise or diet) to improve their overall health and then suddenly decide that they want to run a marathon are going to put their bodies under some very hard stress. Yes, they will probably end up with shin splints, IT band issues and possibly worse. But do I think that they shouldnt have goals and work towards them…no way. Just because someone cant run an 8 minute mile that does not mean that they shouldnt start.

  I have a friend that all she does is post on Facebook about Girl Scout Cookies, Oreos, Cupcakes, etc. She is overweight, claims to be working out but I have yet to see a change in her body or an improvement from her 15 min/mile pace. Its actually HURTS me to watch her “run”. She also thinks it only takes 4 weeks of training to be able to do a 10 miler. I am just waiting for the day that her doctor tells her to stop running…oh wait, he already has. So, yes I agree that people like this are doing more harm to themselves than good.

  
  But then again I can look at it from my personal experience. Reading this article makes me feel ike I never should have started running 4 years ago because my pace was around 14 min/mile. But that would also mean that I would never have improved to my 9:45 pace for short runs and 10:00 pace for long runs. Oh wait, thats still not good enough. Not everybody is a fast runner but there is always room to improve. Luckily before I started running I had always been at least somewhat active either with dance classes, gym memberships, etc. Admittedly, my running did not improve to any great degree until I started incorporating speedwork about 2 years ago. It has now improved even more since I have started lifting weights on a regular basis through Crossfit.

  I suppose one of the main reasons that I find this so offensive is that even after reading this post 3 times it still makes me feel like because I cannot run an 8 minute mile that I am being judged and that I am not good enough.

  – Guess Who, Jesse. :P on February 7th, 2012 at 1:14 pm

• So the first time I read this I thought - wait, does that mean since I am not running (or jogging) a mile at all, then I shouldn’t even try?  And I felt just like I did when I was picked last for the team because I wasn’t good enough. 
  
  So then I went back to the post again and re-read the “clarify jogging” part again and if I am running more than 2 miles - either my arse is on fire or someone better be chasing me!

  Even though I cannot run - or jog - hardly any distance at all - are you, as my very well qualified coach, going to tell me NOT to run?  Even though you know how slow this ole gal moves?  I doubt it.  And will you one day send me on a mile run - quite possibly.  Will you do it before I am ready - highly unlikely.

  Motivation comes in different ways.  Maybe this wasn’t quite a pep talk - but it was motivating.

  – Judy on February 7th, 2012 at 3:00 pm

• I think the point here is that - mechanically - jogging (using the mechanics of WALKING at the pace of RUNNING) is terrible… 

  We should instead be using the mechanics of RUNNING at a slower pace…  Thus there is WALKING, RUNNING (either fast or slower), but there should never be JOGGING (walking at a near run speed).

  So, I need to learn how to RUN… 

  – Ken on February 7th, 2012 at 3:11 pm

• I few things to clarify.  I sought out to write a blog post back in December (aimed to launch in February) about why “jogging” (silent j) is bad and an overview of our methodology for training for endurance events.  I came across this article by Dr. Duvall explaining precisely my thoughts, and then some, presented in a much clearer way than I could have written.  I asked Dr. Duvall for his permission to use his article and here you have it today.  I cannot take credit for the content, but I fully back his statements.

  – Jesse on February 7th, 2012 at 3:29 pm

• My main motivation for using this article was to educate folks on our methodology for training for endurance events, point out the errors of their ways, and show them that there is a different, more efficient and effective way of training.

  The traditional model for training has been:
  1.) Distance
  2.) Intensity
  3.) ? Technique ? (technique?, just go and run)

  The CrossFit Endurance model for training is completely opposite:
  1.) Technique
  2.) Intensity
  3.) Distance

  We unfortunately see many folks who have been “pounding the pavement” for years come to us with more musculosketal and mobility issues than folks who have stayed away from “jogging”.

  It is the method of training that we are judging (that’s what our students pay us to do: to tell them what they need, not what they want to hear).  The effort, hard work, and spirit that is the endurance community is not being questioned here, just the method at which these folks train.

  – Jesse on February 7th, 2012 at 3:55 pm

• Ohhhh, if only Ron Burgundy could guide us through these challenging message board discussions…

  In his stead I will offer scotch, scotchy, scotchy, scotch as a solution.

  As someone who has been working for 3 years to get from ‘the couch’ to some kind of level of fitness and with barely a sub 8 min mile. I would say that I would still be foolish to try a run greater than 5 miles without first improving my ability and skill in a single mile. It would be a bloodbath and I’m sure my coaches wouldn’t encourage it a all. If I had a goal of running a marathon, I’m sure I would get the coaching I need (and maybe didn’t ask for) but it would still be the coaching I come for

  – B-go on February 7th, 2012 at 7:23 pm

• This is my least favorite thing about Crossfit…the need to constantly shout that all other forms of exercise are terrible.  How about a consensus that perhaps there are other things out there?  I gained 10 pounds doing crossfit 3x/week for 8 months (with supplemental exercise 2 other days a week); when I went down to 2 and started long runs again, the weight came back off.

  – Jodi on February 7th, 2012 at 8:17 pm

• Hey CF Blacksburg,

  At first glance, some may seem inclined to feel they should never run when faced with the daunting task of running under 8 minutes for a mile.

  8-minute mile is a pace.  4 minutes for 1/2 mile is the same pace as 8 minute mile.  I simply start people running at a distance that they can maintain that pace.  Instead of running for 3 miles in 30 minutes… spend 30 minutes running fast and walking.

  That might be intervals of 400m under 2 minutes, or 200m under 60s, I even have 65+ year old clients start at 30 meters under 10s.  They then rest for the period necessary to repeat that same effort.  Eventually, those running 30 meters in 10 seconds can keep 60 meters in 18 seconds, or 200m in 55s.  Through consistent efforts, good diet and lifestyle, you’ll continue to get faster, and probably much faster than you anticipate!

  Be proud of your progress so far.  Then find safer, more effective ways of continuing that improvement! 

  -Corey Duvall, DC

  – Jesse on February 7th, 2012 at 8:46 pm

• I tried to post but it’s telling me that it thinks its spam and it won’t post it. This is what I tried to post, could you maybe post it for me?

  “Here, here!  My personal story with jogging (both mechanically and as an “exercise regimen” is a testament to this argument.

  Last September (about a month into my Crossfit experience) I clocked a 9:04 mile. Over the course of the following 6 weeks, I didn’t try to run a full mile again, but I practiced rowing, sprinting, and all of the normal WODs that I was doing.  6 weeks later, my mile time was 7:24. 

  This is particularly impressive for me considering that a few years ago, I went through an excessive jogging phase where I trained for and ran a marathon.  I had to stop running because of IT band issues and horrible knee pain, but I pushed through the marathon with the pain and just assumed that it came with the territory of running.  I relied on jogging (about a 10:00 mile pace) about 5-7 miles a day, working up to the 15 or so miles that you get in most marathon training regimens. 

  The point is I came to hate jogging, but thought that it was the “best” thing I could do for myself.  I never wanted to focus on sprints because I’m not naturally a fast runner.  However, since starting CrossFit, and focusing on sprints/interval runs mixed into WODs, I feel mechanically better and have seen more improvements in technique, endurance, and overall comfort level (and enjoyment!) with running than I did in years of jogging at McComas on a treadmill.  I also no longer have any pain in my knee while running. 

  I think people are conditioned to see longer distances as the ONLY marker for “good runs” rather than intensity.  Long story short, I’m sold on training fast rather than slow.”

  Thanks,
  Stef

  – Jesse on February 7th, 2012 at 8:47 pm

• I tried to post a couple of times, actually, but the computer said I was “spam” so it discarded my message. My thoughts are below if you want to try and post for me?

  
    Great article - very thought provoking. The article is spot on. The good Doctor is coming from a health & wellness perspective where he sees patients who are clearly suffering from a plethora of jogging-related injuries.

    There are many safe alternatives to jogging that have as much benefit and far fewer risks in terms of longevity, joint health, etc. I think that is really the Doctor’s take away message.

    And Ken - you’re spot on. Jogging does not support proper mechanics.

    Learning how to run = running better = running faster = performance increase = less injuries. It has to start with proper movement and mobility.

    FYI, the world’s greatest runner, Haile Gebrselassie, started with the 5k, then 10k, setting world records in both, before moving up to the marathon.

  Talk to you soon,
  John

  – Jesse on February 7th, 2012 at 8:48 pm

• Jodi, I agree with you that there are numerous forms of exercise that are viable options for folks.  I too don’t like the bashing that is present in any ardently-supported philosophy (be it fitness, politics, nutrition, religion, whatever).

  However I question your concern regarding gaining 10#.  So what?  Is that # tattooed on your forehead?  What was your performance like?  I too have gained about 10#s over the last 2 years, and you know what?  I’m stronger, faster, and fitter … all at the ripe old age of 41! 

  Long slow runs only make you better at just that, long SLOW runs.  Learn how to run, run fast, and one will see better results.

  – amy on February 7th, 2012 at 10:27 pm

• This discussion goes along with the blog post yesterday about scaling.  If it takes you 10:00 to do Fran, something is wrong - with your scaling.  If it takes you 10:00 to run a mile, something is wrong.  That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do Fran, or cover a mile.  It simply means that you need to scale things as necessary to achieve an desirable stimulus.

  – amy on February 7th, 2012 at 10:31 pm

• I just got a message back from Ron Burgundy…he says “the post was right all along. Figure out what the hell you are doing; figure out how to do it right; then figure out how to do it for long periods of time…do not skip step 1 or step 2. End”

  My number one goal for 2012: train with absolutely no injuries

  – B-no on February 7th, 2012 at 11:49 pm

• Man, haters gonna hate.  Even people who run olympic marathons look out of shape compared to sprinters.  What’s the debate here?  Of course you will lose weight (muscle) if you switch to the LSD routine!  Forget about even mentioning the biomechanical damages.  With the kind of inflammatory loads of cytokines released from long runs you may as well start smoking!

  – Josh on February 8th, 2012 at 12:16 am

• pretty much every elite runner in the world does long slow distance. if you want to get faster at running (even 5k), you jog.

  here is some helpful information about why that is: www.scienceofrunning.com/2012/01/crossfit-endurance-tabata-sprints-and.html

  – Runner on February 9th, 2012 at 1:59 pm

• You have some valid points here about speed vs. distance. But I’d like to know what’s so great about the 8-min mile here?  It’s like saying everyone should be able to do 100 pull ups.  Come on, things aren’t this black and white.

  – Jessica@earlyamrunner.com on February 10th, 2012 at 6:12 am

• After training for and running my first half marathon, I have less inflammation in my knees and arthritic back than ever before.  My resting heart rate is down to 46 from doing this activity deemed as having “NO benefit.” 

  I started out from the couch, there was no other place to start from, and it has indeed been the start of life-long improvement.  I’ve seen this with several friends that have caught the running bug. I lost the last 10 pounds of baby weight and kept it off for three years.  My token injury in has been a rolled ankle in my own front lawn.  Not too bad for an activity that supposedly tears you up.

  It doesn’t matter if “resolutioners” pick running, cross-fit, or any other fitness activity, they’re done by Valentine’s day.  It’s not just running that sees this phenomena of laziness with a quick attempt at getting fit.

  There are different places to be on the spectrum between short & powerful and long & hard.  They are in as different of places as sprinters are different from marathoners, as slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscles are different. 

  In other words: mid/long-distance running and cross fit are on different parts of the fitness spectrum.  We need to respect each other for putting in the training needed to accomplish what we do, and to respect the other for doing what we currently can’t do. 

  Neither one of us is warming the couch, isn’t that the *real* problem that needs to be attacked?

  – Becky on February 10th, 2012 at 11:48 am

• This article is ridiculous. You obviously have no clue what you’re talking about, so please stop spreading misinformation.

  P.S. crossfit sucks

  – M on February 10th, 2012 at 2:22 pm

• Interesting….

  I’ve done nothing but get stronger, faster, and leaner from “jogging.” It’s scary the misinformation you can receive from people who claim to be professional.  Injury comes from those who are uneducated about the activity and don’t tune in to the feeling of their body. This goes with any activity, not just “jogging.”

  – April on February 10th, 2012 at 4:42 pm