Fitness Experts Reveal The Subtle Differences Between Running & Jogging

Many people have a love-hate relationship with cardio — maybe you personally love to hate it. Seriously, though, there's no denying that after a quality run or jog, you always feel pretty dang good, even if you hated every second of it in the moment, all thanks to the flood of feel-good endorphins coursing through your body. Interestingly enough, though, there are differences between running and jogging that you might never have thought about — I mean, aren't they basically the same thing?

"Jogging and running share many similarities, however, there are just as many differences," Adnan Munye, a personal trainer, fitness and sports injury specialist, and founder of AMMFitness, tells Elite Daily over email. So let's get into some of those differences, shall we?

One visible difference between the two, says Munye, can be seen in body movement. "When jogging, the body has a prominent bouncy movement," he explains. "However, running is made up of long strides and faster arm movements."

Plus, when you're running those long strides and moving your arms in the process, your body's actually engaging in a greater force of momentum and movement, and the physical exertion is usually more intense than that of jogging, according to David Barbour, co-founder of the wellness company Vivio Life Sciences. "Running will elevate your heart rate, respiratory rate, energy metabolism, and general physical exhaustion to a higher degree [than jogging]," he tells Elite Daily.

Jogging, on the other hand, can essentially be likened to fast-paced walking, says Barbour. "It is a lot less physical, yet the impact on joints and muscles is less harsh," he explains. "You may also be able to maintain jogging for longer distances and times."

While jogging may, indeed, be a less intense workout, it could be a more sustainable one in the — wait for it — long run. Sorry, guys. But really, Barbour says that "with longer durations, you may be able to accomplish the same amount [on a jog as you would on a run] with less joint/tendon impact."

The physical aspects that separate jogging from running aren't the end-all-be-all, though. According to Robert Jackson, a personal trainer at Minimal FIT, there's also a difference between the mindsets of runners and joggers.

"Running [might be] more focused on a particular goal, with a specific plan in place based on intensity, distance, or speed," Jackson explains. "Jogging is a more casual approach to matters, with no specific goal or intention other than the pleasure of jogging."

In Jackson's opinion, a runner tends to be someone who's more committed to achieving certain goals, like a new personal record or finishing first in a 5k. A jogger, however, he tells Elite Daily, is usually happy to just pound the pavement without knowing how long it took them or even how far they jogged.

"You're likely to find joggers running in packs, chatting and socializing," Jackson explains. "A runner will often be found running solo, checking their watch frequently and monitoring their heart rate to stay in a training zone."

Different strokes for different folks, right? And remember: Runners can jog, and joggers can run. After all, variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to cardio.