Put on your running shoes and get out there! Start jogging: Smart tips for beginners and 3 mistakes you should avoid
More than five million Germans regularly lace up their running shoes. Another 17 million jog at least occasionally.
© Drazen_ / Getty Images
Do you want to start jogging? Congratulations – that’s a very good idea. Read the most important tips for beginners before their first training session – and which mistakes you should definitely avoid.
More than five million Germans regularly lace up their running shoes and go jogging. 17 million say they go jogging at least occasionally. Nevertheless, Germany has become lazier. The running boom has taken a hit. Do you want to counteract this? That’s a very good idea. We’re happy to help and give you a little help when you start your running training.
Many new runners are afraid of making mistakes. But there is hardly anything as uncomplicated and easy to learn as jogging. Solid shoes, comfortable sports clothes and a bit of motivation – that’s all you need to look good and be fitter in everyday life within a few months. Read here what’s important when you start enjoying running and what mistakes you should avoid when jogging.
Why should I jog at all?Before it begins…Equipment – What you should pay attention toThe 3 most common (beginner) mistakes
All beginnings are difficult – even when jogging
The question of why you should jog is something you (unfortunately) have to answer yourself. What can help is a piece of paper on which you write down your own personal reason. Do you want to lose a few kilos of winter fat? Manage the six flights of stairs to your apartment without fidgeting like a cockchafer at the door? Or finally show your son who’s boss on a Sunday walk? Maybe you even dream of taking part in a regional running event with friends or colleagues? Write it down! If you ever don’t feel like jogging at all – and this will definitely happen more often in the first few weeks – grab the motivational note.
Now there are people – the author of this text is one of them – who find it difficult to motivate themselves without a specific goal, even with a reminder. For jogging rookies, it doesn’t have to be a competition. To start with, concrete goals like: “jog ten kilometers in one go in three months” are enough.
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19.11.2021
Start jogging: What to look out for before you start
There is no sport that is as uncomplicated and easy to learn as jogging. All you need is two healthy legs, a healthy heart, a suitable running shirt, running pants and a pair of running shoes.
Speaking of healthy. Before you lace up your shoes and go jogging regularly, you should get a thorough check-up from a doctor – even if you feel generally fit. The so-called sports medical examination checks your heart, circulation and musculoskeletal system. And the best thing is: many statutory health insurance companies offer sports medical examinations as a statutory benefit – the costs are covered in full or at least in part by the insurance companies. If the doctor has given the green light for jogging, you can start. There is no need for expensive investments. With one exception.
Running shoes – don’t cut corners
The right and, above all, appropriate footwear is the be-all and end-all when jogging. Leave your worn-out trainers on the shelf – that would be saving money on the wrong thing. It is much more worthwhile to look for the right pair of running shoes in a specialist sports shop. Many shops offer professional advice using treadmill analysis. Specialist sales staff can identify misalignments of the leg axis (e.g. X-legs or O-legs) as well as special features when placing the foot and then recommend the appropriate running shoes.
Beginners should budget around 100 euros for a pair of running shoes. As for the rest, a simple sports shirt, jogging pants and, on colder days, a thin hat should protect the head – because that’s where the body loses most of its heat. No matter what you choose, you should feel comfortable in it. The rule of thumb is: look at the outside thermometer and dress as if it were three degrees warmer outside. It’s okay to feel a little chilly in the first few minutes.
Start jogging: put on your shoes, get set, GO!
The preparations are complete. You can get started. But despite all the euphoria: take it slowly! Otherwise the wave of euphoria will collapse as quickly as it built up. So that your circulation can gradually get used to the new strain, you should start by alternating between running and walking phases. “At first, a maximum of three times a week – and as slowly as possible,” says Dr. Matthias Marquardt, sports doctor and author of the “Running Bible,” the standard work for beginners and experienced runners.
First of all, the duration of the exertion and the corresponding rest phases are important. The running speed is completely irrelevant. So don’t let yourself be distracted by overconfident or more powerful joggers who overtake you with their faces bright red and panting. Give your body time – your patience will pay off.
Jogging for beginners: The first training
Duration: approx. 40 minutesGoal: Gently introduce muscles, cardiovascular system, tendons and joints to endurance trainingMethod: Alternating running and walkingProcess: 3 minutes jogging at an easy pace + 2 minutes walking break + 3 minutes jogging at an easy pace + 2 minutes walking break; repeat the whole thing four times
Now, many new runners rightly ask themselves how they can determine whether the pace during the running phases is not too fast. There is a rule of thumb for this too: if you have a training partner, which increases the fun and entertainment factor of jogging considerably, you should be able to talk to each other during training without any problems. Remember this principle. Above all, your muscles will thank you.
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Starting jogging: The three most common mistakes
Beginners often train too fast, too much and too intense. They overload the musculoskeletal system. This can lead to Achilles tendon and knee problems. Beginners are often over-motivated. This leads to them often jogging want and the Forget rest periods. Tip: Every training day should be followed by a rest day. On rest days, you do not run. Alternative sports such as swimming or cycling are permitted. Important to know: Rest phases or regeneration are the key to the so-called training effect. Only in the recovery phase does the body have time to repair the damage caused during the exertion and to allow for adaptation. Beginners to running tend to constantly with other joggers to compareThis is not only unsettling – it is also demotivating because the other runners usually have more experience and are therefore naturally more capable than rookies. Beginners should therefore concentrate on themselves and measure themselves against their own progress. Of course, it is not forbidden to be inspired by the “old hands”. On the contrary: experienced runners are usually happy to pass on their knowledge to beginners.
Sources:“Fit for fun”; “Runner’s World”; “GEO”; Statista; “bevegt.de”
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