How the hell do I learn to jog?

[Namechange8471]

So I’m very overweight. I tried a few days ago to jog, gently and slowly, I lasted 20 seconds!

I’m doing lots of walking but I really want to be a jogger, any tips please?

There is a six week couch to a mile program which you can download as a podcast that starts off with 30 second jogging intervals. The idea is you then progress to couch to 5k after completing it, but it is a gentler introduction. You can repeat sessions as many times as you need go before stepping up. Good luck!

(Ignore my current thread about falling arse over tit while running) niko niko slow running is worth a look. Google it or search in the exercise topic as there was a great thread about it with some really good links. It's very gentle and so easier to build up stamina and confidence.

Couch to 5k app. The NHS one is good. I used it. Start slow, really slow. Don't worry if you need to repeat weeks on the app.

Maybe start with brisk walking. The couch to 5k NHS program starts with a session of 5 minutes walking to warm up. Then one minute jogging, 90 seconds walking, repeat 8 times. You could replace the jog sections with brisk walking, 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Just to get yourself moving. Then try the couch to 5k. Also the NHS healthunlocked website has a program called active 10 that might suit you if c25k is too much for you to begin with.

NHS couch to 5k. Good luck!

Couch 2 5K is brilliant - I was very overweight when I did it but it still worked for me. And no shame at all in running very slowly - slow right down and build up your stamina. There's a great C25K support forum on the healthunlocked (nhs) website - loads of advice and encouragement. Good luck!

Couch to 5k and go very, very slow to start. If you can only manage 20 seconds take it down to a pace where you can do the minute. I’m very overweight and just about to start week 3.

20 seconds is great - next week try and push it to 30 seconds and before you know it you'll be at a minute. If you want a structured programme couch to 5km is great but start small, go easy on yourself and make small changes bit by bit and before you know it, you'll be a runner

Lasting 20 seconds for your first attempt is completely normal. I also recommend the couch to 5 km app ( C25k) Basically you walk for a while then run for a while and the repeat that pattern. From experience the first 2 weeks are hell but you will be shocked at how quickly u will build up ur time. Also don’t do it every day, try for every other day as ur mussels need time to recover. When ur really sore a bath really helps. Best of luck with it

Wow thank you for the replies!
I’ve downloaded the app ( how have I never heard of it!?)

That's brilliant OP! Like PPs have said, join the forum. It's full of brilliant people offering advice and support. The main advice being to slow down

I'm doing sessions 5 days a week of a little workout and a cycle on an exercise bike which I don't time, I go by how my body is feeling, after the bike i do a little jog on the spot and just go at my own pace and each time i can go a little longer, I'm also very overweight and really trying to lose weight. The workout is to help strengthen my muscles so I'll be able to go for proper jogs. Best of luck with your progress and I think its about doing some research and assessing your stronger and weaker parts of your body and do the right stretches and things to balance it out.

C25k is awesome. I started it 18 months ago and it helped me lose 2.5 stone as well as increasing my fitness. I had a couple of months off at the end of last year/start of this year with a broken foot, and I was worried I would have lost my fitness completely, but I now run 5-7km 3-4 times a week and really enjoy it! As other have said, run slowly, speed doesn't matter (I still go super slow, but for me, it's been about being able to run for a sustained period of time more than anything)

I’m doing Couch to 5k with the pram. I’m incredibly slow (not actually sure I’m going any faster than walking really) but I figure anything is better than sitting on the sofa eating chocolate biscuits

C25k is brilliant, I would give week 1 a go and if its really too much then perhaps do a few weeks of walking round the block, going up and downstairs and increasing your activity level. Or even do it through once Slow /fast walking instead of Walking/ running ? The idea is that it gradually builds stamina and fitness through the effort/recovery method.

Please, please , please.slow down though - I help run Couch to 5k for my running club and so many people think its about sprinting like you did on school sports day (probably the last time most people ran) or they are embarassed to be seen so they run super quickly to get it over or they are so fired up they go off like a Rocket. They Can’t sustain it and then say they its not for them !. Its for you, do it at your speed .. to start off with think as slow as you can go without walking , or jog slowly then slow down a bit.

Good luck !

I'm twice the weight I should be.

I can jog, on the flat, for 60 seconds slowly, and 30 if I actually jog.

I'll take that though - these past few weeks I've been going out most days, then I seemed to hit some kind of stride last week, and went out twice a day (Not UK! once to try to jog, once to just walk) for 4 days - I did 50km last week!

Then I took Saturday off for my feet to recover, just did a long walk on Saturday, then yesterday I did my personal best - 5km in 48minutes. Still 10 minutes off pace, but unbelievable compared to where I was at before this all kicked off!

So my advice is, don't expect it to happen quickly. Pay attention to your body - if a knee twinges, or your feet are suffering, take a day or two off, or just walk (and don't pressure yourself for a brisk walk, just get out there for an hour to keep the habit), but if you keep it up, you do get there.

On the feet thing, what's revolutionised it is wearing a pair of pop-socks under my normal socks - having the pop socks as a kind of lube layer has stopped both my blisters, and the major foot ache I was getting (no idea why it helped with the ache)

If you can manage 20 seconds that's fine, carry on with that, 20 seconds then get your breath back and when you can go again try to go for that 20 seconds again. Maybe just do 6 lots if you can then when you feel able go up to 25 or 30 seconds. Say at the end of a fortnight you'd like to do 30 seconds comfortably then at the end of a month maybe 45/60 seconds.

Just be kind to yourself and remember it's not a race (until you enter one that is 😉).