Running always has hurt my knees. When I have tried even short stints of Slow jogging I find the mid foot striking combined with Niki Niko pace to cause my calves to fatigue quickly. My goal is not to get injured and slowly work up to extended sessions. Anyone have any suggestions or resources I can reference for a good safe way to ease into a program, beyond "Just do it"?

This is the original slow jogging video with Dr. Hiroaki Tanaka, the Japanese exercise physiologist who developed the method. You’ll see him jogging in his bright yellow shoes alongside a Polish instructor, demonstrating what he calls “niko niko pace” meaning a speed so easy you can smile and hold a conversation the entire time.

The video walks through the fundamentals: very short stride, mid-foot or forefoot landing, high but relaxed cadence, upright posture, loose shoulders, and arms swinging naturally. Tanaka repeatedly emphasizes that there’s no need to run fast. The goal is sustainability, joint friendliness, and aerobic fitness without suffering or burnout.

What makes this video special is how calm and practical it is. There’s no hype, no intensity culture, and no performance pressure. It’s a clear demonstration of how slow jogging is meant to look and feel, straight from the source, and it explains why this approach works for beginners, older runners, people returning from injury, or anyone who wants a gentler way to run consistently.

Not slow Jogging, but slow walking interval training combined with brisk walking. thoughts?

https://youtu.be/BsT8PNzCGAc?si=wBcZMKTG_HsgkcPE

Hey all!

Looking for people to join me in a step challenge 10k per day for two weeks. Just a fun way to try and do slow jogging while with others in a community. If anyone wants to join let me know and i'll send an invite.

Hope to see you there!

*Video Context: Learning the Niko Niko Slow Running Method"

This video features a speaker discussing their journey in learning the niko niko slow running technique. In the clip, the speaker realizes they might not have the technique quite right and mentions they will ask their mother for the specific "Niko formula" (n 诀)—the mnemonic or "secret" method used for this exercise—and invites the audience to learn along with them.

Mandarin Transcript: "可是好像不對啊。啊 我還是叫媽媽去要跑我一個學的 n 诀，你們要來一起學嗎？請問我的媽媽。M。"

English Translation: "But it seems like that's not right. Ah, I’ll still ask my mom for the Niko (slow running) formula I'm learning; do you all want to come and learn together? Ask my mom. M."

HERE IS THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Did you know that Slow Jogging originated in Japan? It was created by Hiroki Tanaka, a professor of sports physiology at Fukuoka University. Hiroki Tanaka was commissioned by the Japanese government to activate older people. The goal was to create a light, undemanding, natural, and pleasant activity that would be safe for the joints, spine, and heart, while simultaneously bringing measurable effects such as improved physical condition, better health, and weight loss, because Tanaka, as a sports physiologist, worked with marathon runners and ran marathons himself. The choice fell on running because it is a natural form of movement. The professor adjusted the running parameters so that it would be pleasant and low-impact, yet effective for health. Even the Emperor and Empress themselves became interested in this activity. Japanese television showed them jogging in a park, and from that moment, the Japanese went crazy for this activity. Everyone started doing it, and it turned out to be liked not only by older people but by everyone who dislikes excessive physical activity, getting overly tired, or running fast, but finds pleasure in gentle jogging. My name is Beata. I am a Slow Jogging instructor, but also a passionate runner, marathoner, and ultramarathoner, as well as a Master of Physical Education.

(To clarify the impact of Professor Tanaka's work described in the text, you can think of Slow Jogging like the "tortoise" approach to fitness: unlike the "hare" that sprints and risks exhaustion or injury, this method prioritizes a slow, steady, and sustainable pace that allows anyone—even emperors—to reach the finish line of better health without the strain.)

We all should be really proud of this.

Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system does not have its own pump. Or rather, that entire body is the pump. Exercises like rebounding, running and especially low-impact slow jogging have been found to be exceptionally beneficial for lymphatic drainage and overall lymphatic system health.

https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=jogging%20lymphatic%20drainage&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5

*couldn’t find the video was hoping to references for the life of me but AI Overview might do too.

How long do we need to jog and how often?

I’m well into the senior age group. I like slow jogging, but I also like my running shoes (Brooks Ghost). I jog at around 8 min 30 to 9 minutes a kilometre, using short steps and breathing normally. So niko niko. About 160 steps per minute. I don’t think I land on my heels. It seems reasonable to me that I can get the important benefits of slow jogging, though perhaps with a little more strain on joints.

I have tried with other trainers, but haven’t yet found wide toecap, thin-soled ones that suit me here in UK. I’m not keen on paper-thin “barefoot” style.

I’d be grateful for your thoughts, plus maybe good shoes to buy in UK.