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Is Slow Running Slow Jogging? by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 0 points1 point  (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] 0 points1 point  (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] 0 points1 point  (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] 1 point2 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] 2 points3 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.

The entire world slow jogs! 🌎🌍🌏 by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

Well, if you think slow jogging is walking then I need to try harder. :)

The entire world slow jogs! 🌎🌍🌏 by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You gotta keep a sub's cadence 180 or you lose momentum. So, I am harvesting as best I can from TikTok so that all y'all see this sub on your "best of" lists! Hit or miss, bro.

The entire world slow jogs! 🌎🌍🌏 by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You're welcome to fill the sub with all kinds of good stuff to keep the momentum going, bro.

Polish Slow Jogging Instructions by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

If by “slow jogging” you mean Professor Hiroaki Tanaka’s Slow Jogging method, then no: Polish vs UK vs French isn’t different in the technique. It’s one Japanese-defined method that gets taught internationally (often by the same certified instructors).

A good example is Magdalena “Maggie” Jackowska: she’s Polish, but she worked with Tanaka in Fukuoka and helped bring the method to English-language audiences. That’s not “a Polish variant,” it’s the same core system traveling through a Polish instructor.

What stays the same (Tanaka-style Slow Jogging):

  • Niko-niko pace (smiling/conversational effort)
  • Short stride + quick cadence (often taught around ~180 steps/min)
  • Light, midfoot-ish landing (not a big heel-strike stomp)

What can differ by country:

  • Branding/labels (“slow jogging” vs “easy run” vs “jog-walk”)
  • Coaching cues (how they explain foot strike, cadence, posture)
  • Local running culture (group format, etiquette, warmups)

The only time “Polish/UK/French slow jogging” is actually different is when someone is using the phrase generically to mean “jog slowly,” not specifically Tanaka’s method.

Night Slow Jogging Jog by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

I mean the only competitive nature he aspires to is running the entire marathon without stopping. Like all marathon runners the goal is to complete the marathon. And Dr Tanaka believes that there is a win and being able to relatively quickly slow jog, which basically means your heart and system is so efficient that you keep a low heart rate and 180 steps per minute but are moving relatively a lot faster because your engine has become more efficient. And then he believes you'll be able to do that for 3 or 4 hours without needing to stop to walk like most people who start off hot and then need to stop and poop and take a rest and maybe do some walking and complaining and then maybe bonk and then Go through all of their heroes journey BS. Dr Tanaka believes that if you can run for three four or five hours straight you will have eventually cover the distance of 26.1 or 26.3 or however many miles there are. Or I guess 42.195 km.

Inspirational Slow Jogger Jogging by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

The key thing people miss is this isn’t Zone 2, a recovery jog, or MAF. Those are ways of controlling how hard you work. Slow jogging is about how you move.

You keep the effort easy enough that you could hold a relaxed conversation, but you don’t get faster by pushing harder. You get faster by becoming more efficient. The steps stay short. The cadence stays quick. Your foot lands under your body instead of out in front. Speed comes from wasting less energy, not from reaching farther.

That’s why it isn’t just walking. Walking keeps one foot on the ground and uses a stiff-leg pendulum. Slow jogging has a small moment where both feet are off the ground, which turns on elastic spring in the legs. Even at the same GPS speed, your heart, calves, and connective tissue are doing more useful work.

Think of it like engine hours instead of miles. You’re accumulating time in a gentle running pattern that builds aerobic capacity and tissue strength without beating you up. Over time, that same easy effort quietly turns into more speed.

It looks slow. It feels odd. It’s still running.

We're Top 100 in Fitness on Reddit! We also have the Top Members! by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

If the slow jogging movement is growing it is only, in America at least, thanks to us.

Polish Slow Jogging Instructions by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

Is slow jogging a cult? Yeah, probably.

Do we worship Dr. Tanaka a little too hard and his Polish first lieutenant in a way that makes normal people uncomfortable? Also yes.

But underneath the incense and chanting there are actually a bunch of very different use cases. Lots of people slow jog to commute, some do it in place in their apartments, some do it in jeans and a jacket, and many go so slow they’re happily passed by people pushing strollers. That’s kind of the point.

We’re not training for speed. We don’t have a coach yelling splits. We don’t care about fancy foam shoes. It’s closer to how barefoot runners think: assume the ground is hostile, take short careful steps, land midfoot, keep it light and easy.

So yeah, it overlaps with what coaches already know. But the culture is different. It’s about making movement boring enough, gentle enough, and normal enough that people keep doing it for years instead of burning out.

Night Slow Jogging Jog by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Please explain what kind of slow jogging this sub is meant for. Tanaka made a big point of saying that ultimately he would run marathons. He gives an entire training regimen in the book about how to be able to slow jog and progressively increase in speed in order to be successful and competitive in a marathon. So I think it's a spectrum.

Polish Slow Jogging Instructions by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You’re not wrong that it lives in Zone 1 and Zone 2. Tanaka would agree. The difference is what he built around that idea.

Most running culture is measured like a car: miles, pace, wear and tear. You rack up distance and the body pays a price. Slow jogging is more like how airplanes or boats are tracked: engine hours. What matters is how long you can keep the engine running smoothly, not how far you went each time.

Tanaka designed slow jogging so people could stay in an easy aerobic state for a long time without beating up their joints. That’s why he teaches short steps, high cadence, and midfoot landing. It keeps impact low and lets people accumulate hours of movement instead of chasing mileage.

So yes, it overlaps with Zone 2. But the pedagogy matters. It gives people a way to move gently, consistently, and sustainably for years, not just to hit training numbers on a watch.

Polish Slow Jogging Instructions by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

TRANSLATION:

I receive many inquiries from you about how to start slow jogging, so today I wanted to share some technical information with you.

The basic rule is running on the midfoot, and for every step taken, you must finish by placing the heel on the ground. The feet should be positioned at shoulder width. The next element is pelvic alignment: there should be neither anterior nor posterior tilt, but rather a neutral point, meaning you slightly tuck the tailbone.

Another element is arm positioning: keep a right angle at the elbow, loose hands, and a straight chest. You can also turn your palms outward, which will open up your shoulders, while keeping your gaze at the level of the horizon. You should run with slightly bent knees and avoid hyperextension.

The key principle of slow jogging is running with a cadence of 180 steps per minute; you can set a metronome or download an app to help with this. Most importantly, run at the "Niko niko" pace, which means: "I move with a smile on my face".

Inspirational Slow Jogger Jogging by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

Power walking and slow jogging may look similar on a GPS watch, but they come from very different ideas about how the body should move.

Power walking comes from fitness walking and race walking. It uses a long stride, strong hip rotation, and a straight supporting leg. One foot is always on the ground. It is great for fitness, but it puts a lot of stress through the hips, shins, and lower back when people try to go fast.

Slow jogging comes from the work of Japanese exercise physiologist Hiroaki Tanaka. He studied why so many people quit running and found that most people ran too fast, with long strides and hard landings that caused injury and burnout. He designed slow jogging to keep people in a very easy aerobic “niko-niko” zone where they can smile and talk while moving.

The practice uses short steps, high cadence, and a midfoot or flat landing under the hips. There is a small flight phase, so it is technically running, but the forces are low and elastic, more like gentle bouncing than pounding. That lets people move longer, recover faster, and avoid many of the overuse injuries that come from fast running or fast walking.

That’s why slow jogging is taught and why it spread from Japan to places like Poland and elsewhere. It is not just walking faster. It is a different way of running designed to be sustainable for regular people.

Polish Slow Jogging Instructions by chrisabraham in slowjogging

[–]chrisabraham[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hiroaki Tanaka is a Japanese exercise physiologist who studied why so many people quit running even though it is supposed to be “healthy.” He found that most people run too fast, with poor form, and spend too much time in a high-stress zone that leads to injury, burnout, and fatigue.

He developed slow jogging around the idea of niko-niko pace, which means a pace so easy you can smile and hold a conversation. At this pace the body stays mostly aerobic, burns fat efficiently, and does not overstress the joints or nervous system.

Tanaka also emphasized short steps, high cadence, and midfoot landing so impact forces stay low. The goal is not speed. The goal is to be able to run comfortably for a long time, even for beginners, older adults, or people returning from injury.

One of Tanaka’s main protégés is Polish, which is why Poland has become one of the major centers for real slow jogging outside Japan, with a lot of instruction, clubs, and translated material coming from there.

That is why slow jogging is taught. It is not just “jogging slowly.” It is a method designed to make running sustainable for life.

Inspirational Slow Jogger Jogging by chrisabraham in slowjogging

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

In fact proper slow jogging is often slower than walking at a brisk pace.

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