Photo: IC

Night jogging is a healthy and trendy workout. Posts of selfies and even jogging routes are everywhere on social media networks, yet few realize the hazard behind it.

The alarm was sounded by a tragic incident that took place earlier this month in Baoji, Shaanxi Provinces. A girl, who was a dance teacher, got lost while jogging in a park on October 14. A week later, she was found killed, her body discarded under a bridge in the park.

Her murder isn't the first tragic incident to befall night joggers. It's sad that doing something to maintain a healthy lifestyle carries with it such a high risk of personal harm. 

Aside from the risks mentioned above, joggers also need to pay attention to traffic laws and wear reflective clothing while running at night. Enclosed in this article are a few tips to help avoid such incidents.

Run with friends

"I'm not a supporter of night jogging," Zhang Jingqi, a popular Sports & Fitness blogger, told the Global Times. "Most people choose to run by themselves at night, one problem is that it's hard to handle by yourself when you get injured, another thing is the safety issue."

He explained that dehydration and cramps, because of a lack of potassium, might occur if someone isn't properly prepared before they go running.

Running alone in a remote, dark area poses a great danger to runners. A number of tragic incidents have occurred in such situations. Zhang suggests finding company to run with, a friend that you are familiar with, not just an acquaintance.

Traffic is another problem.

Many taxi drivers complain that it's hard to see night joggers when they make a habit of not wearing anything that glistens, especially on streets with low light.

In a recent report published in the Nanfang Daily, a private car owner surnamed Wu also expressed similar concern. He recalled suddenly having to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting a runner one night when the runner, sans reflective clothing, suddenly appeared a few meters ahead of his vehicle.

Some runners also tend to run in the bicycle lane, which also poses a danger.

Alternative workout

Exhausted from a day filled with work, most people only have free time at night to workout. If jogging is your preferred form of exercise, morning jogging, or using the treadmill at a gym is safer than running outside at night.

"If you want to train at a specific time, I suggest that you train at home," Zhang said, "modes of some training are easy, like HIIT or circuit training, do not require equipment or large spaces."

HIIT, which refers to high-intensity interval training, is a cardiovascular exercise method that alternates several short periods of high-intensity aerobic exercises with less intense exercises for recovery.

HIIT is believed to be much more effective in improving endurance and burning more fat.

"In research, HIIT has been shown to burn adipose tissue more effectively than low-intensity exercise - up to 50% more efficiently. It has also been shown to speed up your metabolism, which helps you burn more calories throughout the day," an article on bodybuilding.com said.

There's no fixed form of HIIT training; it varies. Zhang said that the duration could vary between 4 to 30 minutes. The key, he said, is the alternation of high intensity and medium intensity exercises. For example, a 100-meter sprint, followed by 200 meters of fast walking, and then another 100-meter sprint.

It can be done with or without fitness equipment, running, cycling, swimming, stair climbing, self-weight training or weight training are all doable exercises.

Circuit training also includes high-intensity aerobics to improve cardiovascular strength, but it focuses more on strength building and muscular endurance.

A circuit consists of a series of exercises. One needs to repeat the circuit several times with little rests in between each circuit.

The program was developed by R.E Morgan and G.T Anderson in 1957 at the University of Leeds in Britain.

A standard circuit should work on the whole body, muscles of each section should be exercised.

For example, they should include sit-ups and stomach crunches to work on the core, squats and squat jumps to work on the lower body, push-ups, and  chest presses to work the upper body or burpees to work on the whole body.

"These exercises can be done as long as there is empty space," Zhang said.

Without strict requirements for equipment or space, and being much more effective in improving performance and burning fat in less time, these are two ideal training methods for all.

But as everything has drawbacks, those who try the exercises should also pay attention to a few things during workouts.

Everyone is in a different state of physical fitness, a medium intensity exercise for one might be a high-intensity workout for another, act according to your own ability. Do not over train,  it does more harm to your body than good. If possible, check your heart rate while doing high-intensity training.

Tips for night jogging

If you still prefer jogging, the following tips might help.

► 1. Don't run alone at night, especially for girls. Sometimes even two girls can defeat a man.

► 2. Avoid dark, remote paths. Change your jogging route often.

► 3. Inform your family or friends, or simply let them be aware of your routes through devices with GPS.

► 4. Wear clothing that reflect light so drivers can see you.

► 5. Do not to listen to music with earphones, or at least listen at a low volume so you can hear car horns.

► 6. Some professional stadiums open their tracks to the public at night, with full lighting and security, like the Olympic Park in the north of Beijing. It's safer to jog there.