Running can be a bit intimidating: the imagination imagines long-legged, lean, fit athletes crossing the finish line of a marathon with their hands raised in a victory gesture. However, “runner” does not mean “marathon runner”, “athlete” or even “athlete”.

A runner is someone who runs, and it can be anyone! You can also become a runner. Develop speed and endurance by adding short intervals of jogging to your walks.

According to a July 2017 study conducted by Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, short jogs will not only help you run faster and longer, but will also increase your fitness level, as well as help combat age-related decline in endurance.

In addition, alternating between walking and jogging burns calories about twice as fast as stationary workouts, according to research published in December 2017 in the journal Biology of Sport.

Running on the road

If you’ve been wanting to start running for a long time but don’t know where to start, try this 20-minute jogging workout, perfect for beginners.

5-minute warm-up walk

30-second jog

2 minutes walk

20-second jog

90-second walk

15-second jog

1 minute walk

10-second jog

2 minutes walk

15-second jog

90-second walk

20-second jog

2 minutes walk

30-second jog

3-minute walk to recharge

Warm-up

5 minutes walk

A warm-up can simplify or negate your workout! A good warm-up prepares your body for exertion by increasing your heart rate, increasing your breathing rate, dilating your blood vessels, relaxing your joints, and increasing blood flow to your muscles.

Start your workout slowly and gradually increase your walking speed for 5 minutes.
Intervals

30-second jog

When your body is warm and ready to run, it’s time for your first interval run. Don’t get carried away at this stage, as there is still a lot to do. If you wear an activity tracker or a smartwatch, you can monitor your heart rate — it should be about 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

2 minutes walk

Relax and go for a walk again. Maintain a pace that will allow your heartbeat to slow down and you to catch your breath.

20-second jog

The second run interval is over: try running as fast as you did during the previous 30-second interval.

90-second walk

The intervals of walking gradually decrease, but the intervals of running also decrease. This style of training helps build both anaerobic and aerobic abilities by maintaining an increased heart rate and diluting it with periods of increased speed.

15-second run

That’s only half of it, but you’ve already done it!

1 minute walk

Slow down a bit for this one-minute walk interval – one minute can seem surprisingly short compared to a minute and a half or two minutes. Catch your breath as best you can.

10-second jog

This is the shortest running interval of your workout: try to increase your pace a little, but don’t overdo it — just try to run a little faster than during the 30 – and 20-second intervals. There are still several stages ahead.

2 minutes walk

This is a longer interval of walking, so let your heart rate slow down to prepare for the next interval of jogging.

Running in the woods

15-second run

Another 15-second jog interval. Try to maintain the same pace as in the previous 15-second interval.

90-second walk

You have a minute and a half to rest until your next run. Use this time to shake your hands and take a deeper breath.

20-second jog

You may feel tired, so pay special attention to your shape. While jogging, make sure that your eyes are directed forward, your chest is raised high, and your shoulders are pulled back. Relax your neck.

2 minutes walk

Let’s go back to the two-minute walk interval. Move slowly, because the next interval of running will be long (but it will be the last in the training).

30-second jog

That’s the end — the last interval of the run! The goal is to maintain the same speed as the first 30-second interval, but it’s perfectly fine if your pace is slightly slower this time. You just worked really hard, so give yourself credit.
Cooling down

3 minutes walk

During the last 3 minutes of your workout (great job — you did it!), move slowly until you’re fully recovered.

You can, of course, continue walking after the last three-minute interval has expired. Longer walking will help to get rid of the pain in the muscles and give more time for the heart rate to return to a state of rest. In any case, after you finish your workout, do some stretching exercises.