Live Well: Running with a Smile

Have you heard of the Slow Jogging movement? It’s all about running at niko niko pace—running with a smile!

It may seem odd to take an activity associated with speed and do it slowly, but the method developed by Prof. Hiroaki Tanaka allows people who may not have run before to start in a way that’s efficient as well as less likely to result in injury.

The key is to maintain a pace that gets your blood pumping, but still allows you to carry on a conversation with a companion. Niko niko is Japanese for smile, and the principle behind slow jogging is that it should be enjoyable—bring a smile to your face—rather than difficult or painful.

One of the reasons many people struggle to maintain fitness regimens is that they are too unpleasant, too difficult, too intense. People set lofty goals and get discouraged if they can’t achieve them, or don’t even start exercising if they see others’ feats of endurance and think: I’ll never be able to do that! But jogging slowly is something almost anyone can do!

In addition to maintaining a comfortable pace, Prof. Tanaka also recommends small steps, landing on the forefoot rather than the heel. He suggests jogging in place for a minute, paying attention to the natural way you land—on the balls of your feet, rather than the heels. Your feet are built to manage impact that way—use it to your advantage.

And most of all, keep smiling!