Participants of classes offered by Korea Slow Jogging Association slow jog. KOREA SLOW JOGGING ASSOCIATION A line of runners shuffling through a park in southern Seoul on Monday looked a little odd — more like waddling penguins, as some have described them. Their feet pattered rapidly in tiny steps, but they barely moved faster than a walk. The awkward-looking procession inevitably caught the attention of passersby, many of whom stopped for a closer look. “Oh, that’s slow jogging,” one runner said as he pointed toward the line, a remark heard several times over the hourlong session. Some even joined the line. Slow jogging — running at a pace easy enough to hold a conversation — is having a moment in Korea. The trend has also begun making its way overseas, where it has even been dubbed Korean slow jogging on social media. Why is this exercise, erm, off to the races? Most importantly, how do you do it properly? Welcome to the slow lane One by one, neighbors gathered behind a local library as 8 p.m. approached in Wirye New Town in Songpa District, southern Seoul. Some arrived in workout gear, while others simply wore T-shirts and shorts. About 15 people, ranging in age from their 30s to their 60s, had assembled for the slow jogging session, roughly half of them newcomers. Some brought friends or spouses, while one participant was returning to exercise just two weeks after major surgery. After five minutes of stretching, crew leader Lee Choon-kyung, a former nurse, demonstrated the basics of slow jogging. Soon, the group formed a single-file line behind co-leader Kang Chool-shim. Some appeared to have the form down; others struggled simply to keep up. A line of people slow jog at a park in Songpa Distrcit, southern Seoul, on Aug. 24. WOO JI-WON Either way, they were hard to miss. 모바일 야마토예시 Heads turned as the slow joggers' feet bounced rapidly with tiny steps while their bodies moved at a walking pace. Some also spontaneously joined in. One man, though, lasted only briefly, peeling away after realizing this was not quite the “running” he had expected. Kim Gye-hwa was among those who joined mid-slow jog with her friends. "I will definitely try it again," said Kim, in her 60s. “It naturally gets your body working. It feels like it loosens up your muscles.” For a participant named Ye-dam, Monday marked her fourth session with the crew. “I think it has been helping me lose weight, and I think it will also be good for my kids who have bad ankles and waists,” said Ye-dam, who used to slow jog alone before joining the crew after seeing people trotting together in a park. Crew members put feet together for a photo WOO JI-WON The crew has been running since 2024 in Wirye, drawing around 10 to 20 people each time. Sessions are free and open to anyone. “At first, not many people came,” Kang said. “But more began showing up over time.” Exercising together is the key, co-leader Lee said, especially for an activity that can feel a little ridiculous alone. “You can’t do this alone. The form looks weird," she laughed. Slow jogging has been around in Korea for about a decade, but only recently has it begun drawing wider attention. This is partly because celebrities have been showcasing it on television and social media. Actor Ryu Hye-young, herself a runner of three years, recently slow jogged during an appearance on Korea's popular variety show “I Live Alone" (2013-) in June. “When people pass me, I sometimes get anxious and find myself speeding up to keep pace,” Ryu said during the appearance. 카지노릴게임 “But there’s really no need. I just need to go at my own pace.” Actor Ryu Hye-young slow jogs during her appearance on “I Live Alone" (2013-) in June. SCREEN CAPTURE An American runner who goes by “tracy_runs” shares her first attempt at “Korean slow jogging” in a Reel SCREEN CAPTURE American fitness creator Justin Agustin introduced slow jogging as “a trend in Korea that I absolutely love” in a Reel demonstrating the tiny-step technique that drew more than 4.8 million views. Others post videos of themselves trying it. An American runner who goes by “tracy_runs” shared her first attempt at “Korean slow jogging” in a Reel, admitting she was “not really sure” whether she had gotten it right. The video drew more than 1.5 million views with over 1,000 comments. Born in Japan, bouncing in Korea Despite the “Korean slow jogging” videos bouncing around social media, the exercise did not originate in Korea. It was developed in Japan by exercise physiologist Hiroaki Tanaka, a professor at Fukuoka University, around what he called the “niko niko pace” — a pace gentle enough to smile and carry on a conversation while running. The method began gaining a foothold in Korea in the mid-2010s. The Korea Slow Jogging Association was established in 2016 and began running classes and clubs, training instructors and promoting the exercise. For years, however, its reach remained relatively limited. “Before, it was mostly people who already knew about slow jogging who invited us to give lectures,” said Cho Ye-seom, the vice president of the association. “Now, it’s practically nationwide and overseas as well.” Cho said the recent popularity of slow jogging videos has brought teaching inquiries from Brazil, Spain and the United States, and the association is heading to Jakarta in September to hold classes. 바다 이야기 다운 Participants of classes offered by Korea Slow Jogging Association slow jog KOREA SLOW JOGGING ASSOCIATION While Korea may not have invented slow jogging, it has given the exercise its own character, which is why Cho says Korean slow jogging videos stand out overseas. “K-slow jogging is noisy,” Cho said. “We teach people to get their bodies into the rhythm and move to the beat.” Instructors often use music to get beginners’ feet moving quickly. Cho also explained that Korean slow jogging groups span a relatively broad age range, from people in their 40s to their 80s, giving the hobby a “younger, brighter and more energetic” character. And then there are the feet. “The feet go tong-tong-tong,” she said. Those quick little steps, carrying runners forward at an almost comically slow pace, have helped make Korean slow jogging videos instantly recognizable. But beneath the upbeat, playful appearance, Cho sees a deeper reason the exercise resonates in Korea: It offers a counterpoint to the country’s relentless culture of speed and achievement. “Because it isn’t an exercise where you compete with someone else, you can run at your own pace, with a mindset of caring for your own body,” she said. The idea is captured in the association’s slogan: “It’s okay to be slow. Run toward happiness.” The association is planning to hold Korea’s first slow jogging marathon in Busan, targeting 3,000 participants. Tiny steps, quick feet Watching the runners, slow jogging may look easy enough to imitate. But Jeong Jae-hoon discovered it wasn’t quite that simple. “I realized you have to learn it from a professional to do it properly, " said Jeong, who had been looking for proper instruction before recently trying out a neighborhood crew. 모바일 무료충전 바다이야기 "There aren’t many places in Korea that teach it professionally." So what does “right” look like? Sports medicine expert Kim Byung-gon JOONGANG ILBO Kim Byung-gon, a sports medicine expert and personal trainer to athletes who frequently lectures and appears on broadcasts about slow jogging, breaks down the basics step by step. First, forget about speed. Keep it comfortable — roughly the pace of a walk. Keep your stride short and light rather than stretching it out for speed. Land gently on the front of the foot before letting the rest of the sole follow. Start at around 160 steps per minute, gradually working up toward 180. And remember, always keep it easy enough to talk. “The key is to maintain a conversational pace for 20 to 30 minutes,” Kim said. But beginners don’t need to hit 30 minutes right away. Start with five to 10 minutes, or alternate between walking and jogging, then build up to 10, 20 and eventually 30 minutes. “Slow jogging isn’t about going for as long as possible. For beginners, building up the fitness to comfortably jog for up to 30 minutes is a good goal and can provide a sufficient amount of aerobic exercise." Slow jogging can benefit just about anyone, Kim said. It can bridge the gap between walking and running for beginners, serve as active recovery for experienced runners and offer middle-aged and older adults a less strenuous way to get regular aerobic exercise. But does it actually work? Because slow jogging is considered a low-intensity form of exercise, some may question whether it is effective. Experts, however, say slow jogging can offer numerous benefits for both the body and mind. Kim said slow jogging can increase fat oxidation, improve cardiovascular endurance and support metabolic health, including insulin sensitivity. 모바일 무료야마토릴게임 Its easy pace also makes it easier to exercise for longer, increasing overall energy expenditure and potentially helping with long-term body fat management. But how can something barely faster than walking make a difference? “Even at a similar speed, slow jogging involves more frequent muscle contractions and weight-bearing movements than walking, leading to increases in heart rate, ventilation and energy expenditure,” said Han Tae-kyung, a professor of exercise physiology at Gyeongbuk National University. Compared to running, because slow jogging involves a lower speed and shorter strides, each step tends to generate less impact, potentially reducing joint discomfort, Han explained. Its benefits are not limited to physical health. Despite its low intensity, slow jogging can also stimulate the brain in ways that may benefit mental well-being. Participants of classes offered by Korea Slow Jogging Association practice slow jogging. KOREA SLOW JOGGING ASSOCIATION “The brain is unique in that it can respond even at low intensity,” said Yook Jang-soo, an assistant professor at Postech who studies exercise physiology and cognitive neuroscience. "Slow jogging can trigger responses in parts of the brain involved in learning and memory." He further explained that the exercise can also help relieve stress and depressive moods. But perhaps one of slow jogging’s biggest advantages is that it sits between walking and running, combining the benefits of both. Even athletes use slow jogging for active recovery, keeping the body moving and blood flowing without adding excessive strain, or to gradually rebuild aerobic fitness after rehabilitation, Kim said. For recreational runners, Kim recommends slow jogging as a stepping stone before moving on to running, allowing the body to gradually adapt to greater cardiovascular demand and repeated impact. BY WOO JI-WON [] me,” Kang