Should You Try ‘Jeffing’ to Take Your Walking Workout to the Next Level?

If you want to up the ante on your walking workouts, but don’t feel ready to simply run, how about a mix of both?

The run-walk method — also known as “Jeffing” after its creator, Jeff Galloway — can increase your fitness while minimizing your risk of injury.

It also makes running more approachable. “For new runners, it can increase confidence and help them feel less intimidated to try something new,” says Emily Moore, RD, a Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified running coach and registered dietitian based in Wilmington, North Carolina.

What Is the Run-Walk Method?

The structure of the walk breaks can vary. They can be taken after a certain distance or duration of running or whenever you start to feel out of breath.

Potential Benefits of Jeffing

As simple as it may sound, alternating between walking and running offers a number of health benefits.

May Lower Injury Risk

Run-walking may lower your risk of running injuries by recruiting your muscles in different ways, reducing the likelihood of overuse, Twiggs notes.

Gradually working in more intensity through a run-walk approach can also help beginners’ bodies better adapt to the high-impact stress of running, adds Rachelle Reed, PhD, an exercise physiologist in Watkinsville, Georgia, who is the head of scientific research and communication at Therabody and serves on the scientific advisory panel for the American Council on Exercise.

May Boost Cardio Fitness

Adding running intervals into a walk boosts your heart rate and the amount of oxygen your body needs, Dr. Reed says. Over time, these effects can lead to increased cardiorespiratory fitness.

Although runners traditionally run at a moderate rather than a high intensity during a run-walk, HIIT research can still offer useful clues because both approaches alternate periods of work and recovery, Reed notes.

May Reduce Fatigue

Because run-walk intervals are less intense than a continuous run, they’re less likely to leave you as fatigued during or afterward, Reed says.

“By changing up the muscle groups you're using, that fatigue is going to be distributed in a different way,” Twiggs adds. Rather than tiring only the muscles that propel your running stride, you’re sharing the work between those that help you run and those that help you walk.

Is Jeffing Good for Weight Loss?

Alternating between bouts of walking and running may help promote weight loss (compared with walking alone).

Thirty minutes of run-walk intervals burns more calories than a 30-minute moderate-intensity walk because the bursts of running push the overall intensity higher, Reed says. “And generally speaking, that requires more energy,” she adds. More energy equals more calories burned, which may encourage more weight loss over time.

“When you look at the literature on interval training in general, what you see in a lot of the papers is that people loved how efficient it was,” Reed says. And by mixing up the pace and effort level, the workout feels less monotonous, she adds.

These perks could help you stay consistent. “When we're thinking about weight management or calorie/energy balance, sticking with it is what's most helpful — and is also the hardest piece of the puzzle,” Reed says.

Gear: What Equipment You’ll Need for Jeffing

One benefit of both running and walking is how little equipment you need. Still, there are a few pieces of gear that can make your workouts safer and more enjoyable.

• Appropriate Footwear You don’t need high-tech footwear, but you do want a pair of supportive running shoes that are comfortable during both running and walking, Twiggs says.
• Timer You’ll need a timer to keep track of when to walk and when to run. Consider using a smartwatch, an app, or a dedicated timer.
• Sweat-Wicking Apparel Choose comfortable clothing made of breathable, moisture-wicking materials, Moore says. Think: fabrics like polyester or merino wool that dry quickly so they don’t weigh you down when you get sweaty.

How to Get Started With the Run-Walk Method

Most people can do a run-walk workout, whether you’re an absolute beginner or you’ve been exercising for years. Here’s how to get started.

• Determine your intervals. If you’re just starting out, let your breathing guide your intervals, Twiggs says. “Run until you start to get out of breath, and then walk until you feel well-recovered,” he says. Once you get comfortable run-walking, you can determine the interval lengths according to your average mile pace (Galloway offers recommended run-walk intervals). In general, faster paces call for longer running intervals, while slower paces call for shorter running intervals.

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• Warm up and cool down. Before launching into running intervals, walk for 10 minutes to warm up, Twiggs suggests. Then, start your planned intervals and end with a walk so your heart rate can gradually return to baseline.
• Control your pace. Even though you’re running for short periods, don’t try to sprint; keep your pace to a moderate, controlled jog. When walking, let your heart rate recover. “It’s not a speed-walk,” Twiggs says.
• Make your transitions smooth. The shift from walking to running should be gradual, not abrupt. “Think about running and walking as just different gears, but you're still in the same vehicle,” Twiggs says.
• Aim for consistency. To build the habit, Twiggs recommends three run-walks per week — typically 30 minutes twice during the week, with a longer effort on the weekend. When just starting out, though, begin with 15-minute sessions.

How to Make a Run-Walk Workout Harder

Once a run-walk feels comfortable, there are a few ways to intensify your workouts.

• Adjust the run-walk ratio. Extending your running intervals or shortening your walking intervals will challenge your endurance. Just be sure to stay at a particular interval ratio for at least two weeks to give your body time to adapt before moving on, Moore advises.
• Run faster. Picking up your running pace slightly will challenge your cardiovascular system and require more effort overall, Twiggs says.
• Add incline. Choosing a hilly route or using the incline on a treadmill is an efficient way to improve your cardio fitness and make your leg muscles work harder.

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• Extend the workout. Twiggs says you can safely extend your workout duration or distance by about 10 percent per week. For example, if your longest workout was 30 minutes one week, increase to 33 minutes the following week. If you want to progress faster than that, shift to a more conservative run-walk ratio — more walking, less running — to ease your body into the added time or mileage.

Nutrition Tips for Run-Walk Workouts

Fueling your body appropriately will set you up for success. “Your body will feel better. Your running will feel better. And you might notice an improvement in your performance,” Moore says.

Before You Run-Walk

Moore recommends eating before every workout, even early morning ones. If you have less than an hour to eat before your run-walk, grab a low-fiber source of carbohydrates like a banana or some graham crackers, she says.

If you have an hour or more before your workout, Moore suggests eating a meal that’s high in carbs with a moderate amount of protein and a little fat. For example, waffles topped with bananas, maple syrup, and nut butter.

During Your Run-Walk

Moore also suggests having some electrolytes, particularly sodium, which we lose through sweat. But not all sports products have sodium, she warns. So, consider adding an electrolyte powder to your water.

After Your Run-Walk

Refueling after your workout helps your body recover, Moore says. She recommends eating a balanced meal with carbs, protein, and fat as soon as possible — an egg sandwich on a bagel with some avocado and some berries on the side would do the trick.

If your next meal is more than an hour away, have a snack with plenty of carbs and protein to tide you over. Good postworkout snack options include berries and plain Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs with toast, and fresh fruit with nut butter.

And, be sure to drink plenty of water to rehydrate.

The Takeaway

• The run-walk method, created by the Olympic runner Jeff Galloway, alternates planned intervals of running and walking. This mixed approach may provide benefits, such as reduced injury risk, improved cardio fitness, and less fatigue than continuous running.
• Beginners should start with 15-minute sessions three times per week, letting their breathing guide their intervals. Gradually increase duration, pace, or incline as you progress.
• Proper fueling matters. Eat carbs before your run-walk, replenish with easily digestible carbs and electrolytes during longer sessions, and follow up with a balanced meal or snack to aid recovery.