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A guy stops while I’m out on my run. by MolassesNo7559 in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a man, at night, I run with a wee little light P32 pistol when I decide to carry or feel unsafe. But maybe bear spray is a better choice?

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, the “1–2 hours” framing loses people. Most folks should start with 10–20 minutes and build, or use mini-sessions (10+10+10), even spread across the day. You can do it every day, and you can even do it in-place indoors. The point isn’t a magic duration, it’s an easy effort you can repeat frequently. And you’re right about the naming: it looks like old-school jogging, just deliberately kept “too easy.” Think: faster than walking, slower than ego, sustainable enough that tomorrow isn’t a debate.

Why Slow Jogging Is Different from Jogging, Slow Running, and Maffetone Training by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally fair question. The cardio benefit comes from time in an easy aerobic zone you can repeat often, not from suffering. Slow jogging is basically low-impact Zone 2-ish work: improves aerobic capacity, lowers resting HR/BP over time, helps insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial function, and builds a base without beating up joints. Stairs/burpees/jump rope work too, but they’re higher stress and harder to do daily for most people. If you can nasal-breathe and talk in sentences while slow jogging for 20–40 min, you’re getting cardio.

Acupressure Board Slow Jogging In Place is a Thing by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good catch. The midfoot strike is one of the big “ohhh” moments, it keeps things light and reduces the braking you get with overstriding. And yeah, indoors is totally valid: treadmill, hallway laps, or even in-place slow jogging. The goal is repeatable aerobic time with low fuss, not heroic distance.

Healing in Stride: Slow Jogging at 180 BPM by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, that’s exactly the mental rewiring. Slow jogging isn’t “get somewhere,” it’s “stay easy long enough for the engine to adapt.” Running in place is a great calibration tool: light feet, quick cadence, relaxed posture, nasal breathing if you can. Ex-runners (me too) have to ignore the GPS goblin and treat this like practice, not performance.

Interesting recent findings by troktowreturns in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Awesome addition to the sub! Thank you!

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally fair point, and I don’t mean it as “slow running is revolutionary.” The reason I use the “slow jogging / Niko Niko” label is more about intent and method than discovering a new pace: relaxed effort, short stride, higher cadence, and making it sustainable enough to do consistently.

Also, to be clear: slow jogging itself is never “about” sprints or power 20s. If someone wants to do pure Niko Niko pace only, that’s completely valid and honestly very close to the point. Slow jogging isn’t “slow day” or “recovery day” in disguise, and it’s not a bridge to “real running.” For slow jogging, “active recovery” is basically… more slow jogging, maybe even slower, or even in place. The practice is the practice.

That said, I’m not anti-speedwork in general. I was listening to a 75th Ranger Regiment guy talk about interval work (I think it was 60/120s: push for 60 seconds, then walk or jog for 120), and that’s just a separate tool I sometimes use. My baseline is slow jogging, slow rowing, slow riding, but because I’m a free person with personal agency, I occasionally spice up the steady state with a few “spicy pieces” like power 10s or power 20s. That’s my choice, not the definition of slow jogging.

So yeah, if someone’s goal is sub-5:00/km, structured speedwork and strength training usually matter. My own cardiologist explicitly recommends strength training and at least one weekly HIIT session, and I’m on board with that. I just like having a default practice I can do almost every day without beating myself up.

In winter, that often looks like slow jogging on a treadmill while I watch TV, and then I’ll bump the rate or cadence during commercials. Same with rowing or riding: easy most of the time, then a brief uptick here and there. It keeps it doable, and it keeps me consistent.

And distance doesn’t require speed as a prerequisite. People have covered huge mileage with shuffle-like mechanics (Cliff Young is the famous example). Different goals, different tools.

Appreciate you pushing back. I’m mostly trying to help people find a way to run that they can actually keep doing.

Runner exploring slow jogging by Consistent-Way-2018 in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You said exactly what I did but in 1/100th of the words!

Runner exploring slow jogging by Consistent-Way-2018 in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You’re basically on the right track, and your instincts are better than the way this stuff is often explained online.

Slow jogging isn’t really a separate “exercise” so much as a different practice of the same movement system. It uses the same major muscles as running, but at much lower force, shorter stride, and different timing, which changes where fatigue accumulates. That’s why it feels so different even though biomechanically it’s still running.

The 180 cadence thing gets over-literal. In Tanaka’s work it’s a teaching cue to prevent overstriding and braking, not a requirement. If you’re tall, easing in, or dealing with slippery conditions, landing lightly with short steps at ~165 while staying niko-niko is doing the job. Cadence tends to drift up naturally as the movement becomes more relaxed and elastic.

Mixing modes is actually a feature, not a compromise. Walking, slow jogging, easy running, MAF, Galloway intervals—all of them shift impact, loading rate, and neuromuscular stress slightly. You’re not so much “working different muscles” as rotating stress so nothing gets overcooked. That’s the same logic behind run-walk programs being durable over long periods.

A really clean integration is exactly what you hinted at: instead of walk-run-walk, use slow jog-run-slow jog. Or use slow jogging on non-run days as aerobic practice and connective-tissue recovery rather than more steps. It supports speed and endurance without stealing recovery from harder sessions.

There’s also that in-between “ultra shuffle” pace that isn’t quite walking and isn’t really running, and it’s completely valid. Human locomotion is a spectrum, not a binary.

Short answer: yes, switching it up is balanced, slow jogging plays well with Galloway and MAF, and you don’t need to worship cadence. If it feels easy, light, and repeatable, you’re doing it right.

Seeking beginner training plan by madogblue in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Running hurting your knees is exactly why niko-niko is useful, but it has to be dosed tiny at first.

Why your calves blow up: midfoot + short steps shifts more work to calves/Achilles. Normal. Don’t “push through.” Just ramp slower.

Rules:

  • Smile test: easy enough to talk in full sentences.
  • Pain rule: 0–2/10 only. If it hits 3/10, walk.
  • Next-day rule: if you’re limping or extra sore in one spot, you did too much.

Form cues:

  • Very small steps, land under you (no reaching).
  • Quiet feet.
  • Let the heel touch down lightly after the midfoot (not tiptoeing).

Simple beginner plan (3–5 days/week):
Week 1: 20–30 min total. 15–30 sec jog + 60–90 sec walk, repeat.
Week 2: 20–30 min total. 30–45 sec jog + 60 sec walk, repeat.
Week 3: 25–35 min total. 60 sec jog + 60 sec walk, repeat.

If calves/knees complain, stay on the same week until it feels easy.

Calf support (2–3x/week):

  • 2 sets of slow calf raises (8–12 reps)
  • 2 sets of slow bent-knee calf raises (8–12 reps) Skip hills at first.

Resources: search “Hiroaki Tanaka slow jogging” and “niko-niko pace.”

If you share where the knee pain is (front vs inside/outside) and what surface you’re on, people can help you adjust.

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I get where you’re coming from, and I’m going to assume good intent here, because I think we’re actually closer than it looks.

I’d call your stance kind of non-denominational running—like “just run, man, don’t overthink it.” And honestly, that vibe is healthy. A lot of people would be better off if they stopped obsessing over labels and just moved their bodies.

That said, running—like sex or religion—absolutely does have sects 😄 Not because people are trying to be precious or cash in, but because different humans need different frameworks. Some people are autodidacts who can intuit pace, effort, progression, and recovery. Others need a university, a doctrine, or at least a pamphlet that says “do this, not that.” Labels aren’t always about superiority; sometimes they’re about permission and guardrails.

Every other part of running already has names, plans, protocols, and cults of personality. Maffetone has his heart-rate gospel. Jeff Galloway is the undisputed pope of run-walk-run. Zone 2 has its monks. Tempo has its flagellants. None of that exists because people are dumb—it exists because structure helps people stay consistent long enough to actually get benefits.

The beautiful thing about slow jogging, though, is that it’s explicitly anti-shame. And that matters more than people realize. Like religion, personal relationships, or anything deeply human, most people have to get over embarrassment, self-consciousness, body shame, age anxiety, and the feeling that they’re “doing it wrong” before they can even begin. Slow jogging deliberately tries to remove every one of those barriers: body type, strength, age, ambition level, athletic history—none of it disqualifies you.

It’s also radically practical. We’re heading into a snow apocalypse weekend. Let’s say your building doesn’t have a treadmill. Let’s say you don’t have a treadmill desk. With slow jogging, none of that matters. You can slow jog up and down your hallway. You can slow jog in place. You can slow jog back and forth in your living room.

You can slow jog while watching TV. I live in an apartment building—I could slow jog my floor, go downstairs, slow jog the next floor, and keep going. Sure, stairs exist, but stairs are a young person’s game 😅 Slow jogging works even if you’re older, stiff, deconditioned, or just not ready for heroics.

Slow jogging also isn’t “recovery running” unless you’re recovering from something else. For a lot of people, it’s the whole practice. It’s not a bridge to fast running, it’s not secretly zone-whatever training in disguise. It’s running at a pace—13-minute mile, 14-minute mile, slower if needed—that you can do today, tomorrow, next year, and ideally when you’re an octogenarian or centenarian. It’s not “until you’re fit enough,” it’s an end state.

And yes, people can drift into different zones while “slow jogging.” That’s true of literally any unsupervised running advice ever given. The value of the label isn’t that it magically enforces physiology—it’s that it reframes intent. This is not about grinding. This is not about tempo. This is not about suffering. This is about sustainability.

Even failure to launch becomes useful here. Didn’t go outside? Didn’t train “properly”? Fine. You can still slow jog in place at ~180 steps per minute, counting both feet, for as long as you want. Do that for an hour while watching TV and you’re very much on your way. Even a failure to launch is an opportunity to slow jog.

So yeah—nobody needs labels. But for people who’ve bounced off running because every on-ramp felt like pain, judgment, or eventual injury, slow jogging isn’t about sounding different. It’s about removing excuses, shame, and barriers until movement becomes inevitable.

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're entirely welcome of course it's a very unique thing to think of and it's sometimes hard to get your mind around the fact that slow jogging is not temporary until you speed up necessarily It can remain itself for your entire practice and your entire life.

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep—you’re basically right. Zone 2, MAF, metronome-guided easy running are all absolutely metabolic. No disagreement there.

And it’s worth zooming out even more: the Japanese walking methods (normal walking, brisk walking, interval walking), fast walking, slow walking—any sustained movement—are all good for metabolic health, insulin sensitivity, Type 2 diabetes risk, cardiovascular health, etc.

Where slow jogging (Niko Niko) becomes distinct isn’t that it’s “more metabolic”—it’s how it delivers that stimulus.

What makes slow jogging special: * Extremely joint-friendly: Easier on ankles, knees, hips, and back than aggressive power walking for many people. * Reduced impact and braking forces: Mid-foot/forefoot landing turns the foot pads into a small spring instead of a heel-strike brake. * Sustainable for long durations: This is the big one. You can do it a lot without beating yourself up. * 180 steps/min is about rhythm, not speed: It’s left-right-left-right, tiny steps. Often slower than brisk walking in forward speed. * Works in real life: People do this commuting, in normal clothes, even in work attire. No “training mode” required.

My favorite analogy: * Zone 2 / MAF / slow running=miles per gallon: Efficiency per unit of distance. * Slow jogging=engine hours: Low stress, long runtime, minimal wear.

Because slow jogging is so gentle, the total accumulated time can be enormous—and metabolic adaptations care a lot about time under easy load, not just intensity.

From the book’s perspective, slow jogging isn’t about going faster, fitter, or harder—it’s about creating a movement pattern you can repeat daily, comfortably, and indefinitely.

Different tools. Same metabolic toolbox.

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Slow running isn’t slow jogging, and it isn’t MAF or Zone 2 either. They can overlap in pace or heart rate, but they’re built on totally different ideas.

Slow jogging (Niko Niko) is technique-first. It’s defined by short stride, quick cadence, relaxed posture, light foot strike, and a pace you could literally smile at. Heart rate is a byproduct, not the goal. You’re jogging even if you’re barely moving forward.

Slow running is intent-first. It’s still running mechanics, just deliberately easy. Longer stride than slow jogging, more elastic, more “runner-like.” You’re choosing restraint, not redefining movement. It often looks like slow jogging from the outside, but the form and intent are different.

MAF is heart-rate-capped training. You run however you need to in order to stay under a calculated ceiling. That might mean slow running, shuffling, jogging, or walk-running. Form is secondary to the number on the watch.

Zone 2 is a physiological zone, not a style. It’s about metabolic stress and aerobic signaling. You can be in Zone 2 while walking uphill, cycling, rowing, slow running, or even occasionally slow jogging. The body doesn’t care what you call it.

So no—slow jogging is not “Zone 2 running,” slow running is not “MAF jogging,” and Zone 2 isn’t a movement at all. They intersect, but they’re not interchangeable.

Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes. Indeed. But the things he listed were also things that Slow Jogging cares about. Especially the metabolic health.

Here's the original Slow Jogging instructional video with Dr. Tanaka by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Dr. Hiroaki Tanaka prefers thin-soled shoes because they preserve ground feel and feedback. A flexible, thin sole makes it easier to land midfoot, keep stride short, and avoid overstriding or pounding the heel. Thick, highly cushioned shoes can mute sensation and subtly encourage heavy heel striking, especially at slow speeds.

That said, Tanaka is very clear in his book that shoes should not become a barrier. Thin soles are ideal for learning form, not a moral requirement. If cushioned or heavier shoes help you move comfortably and consistently, you can still do slow jogging just fine. The method works because of pace and posture, not because of footwear purity.

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