This note introduces the traditional form of water running with two references and two videos.
- C.U. Burdenko Water Training Certifications, Levels 1 – 3
Twenty years ago people would stare and wonder at those running or training in the water. Not so today. People with different objectives train in the water routinely. At Boston College, the athletes– and not just runners, but also football and basketball players –train in the water regularly. Their goals: improved performance, maintenance, variety, and rehabilitation.
Pool running is particularly excellent cross training for runners as it offers specificity of movement. You practice the same form in the water as you use running on land. Water running has helped masters athletes competing in distances from the 200 to marathon podium their events. Athletes have used water running at all stages of training whether injured or wanting additional training without overtraining. And athletes new to running have used water training to speed up their progress without injury.
Athletes also use water training to maintain fitness while injured to return to running faster when healthy again. If you are an injured runner who is water training, continue land-based strength training (as long as your injury does not affect that) to maintain muscle mass enhanced with gravity.
For athletes of all ages, water training offers numerous advantages:
A study by Reilly, Dowzer and Cable found that at low to moderate intensities (comparable to an easy run or marathon pace), deep-water running is actually more demanding on the cardiovascular system, probably due to the increased demands on the upper body, which is poorly trained in runners compared to the legs. (Reference below.)
Aquarunning Equipment: Belt, Ankle Weights, Gloves
You may choose to wear a belt – or not. You should wear a belt if you cannot hold a vertical position without it.
Ankle weights offer additional resistance, but avoid buying zoomers which aggravate the Achilles. You can also use old racing flats.
Gloves are better than barbells as they add resistance while encouraging you to keep your arms close to your torso.
- C.U. Burdenko Water Training Certifications, Levels 1 – 3
Twenty years ago people would stare and wonder at those running or training in the water. Not so today. People with different objectives train in the water routinely. At Boston College, the athletes– and not just runners, but also football and basketball players –train in the water regularly. Their goals: improved performance, maintenance, variety, and rehabilitation.
Pool running is particularly excellent cross training for runners as it offers specificity of movement. You practice the same form in the water as you use running on land. Water running has helped masters athletes competing in distances from the 200 to marathon podium their events. Athletes have used water running at all stages of training whether injured or wanting additional training without overtraining. And athletes new to running have used water training to speed up their progress without injury.
Athletes also use water training to maintain fitness while injured to return to running faster when healthy again. If you are an injured runner who is water training, continue land-based strength training (as long as your injury does not affect that) to maintain muscle mass enhanced with gravity.
For athletes of all ages, water training offers numerous advantages:
- Training with others at different fitness levels (and enjoy conversations which you can’t when swimming!).
- Water offers 13 times the resistance of air so it enhances strength while eliminating effects of gravity to minimize risk of injury.
- Numerous forms (more than 12, including backward, forward, and lateral movement).
- Flexibility to training at many levels of perceived exertion.
- Enhanced range of motion for stretching.
- Increased chances to train at a high intensity.
A study by Reilly, Dowzer and Cable found that at low to moderate intensities (comparable to an easy run or marathon pace), deep-water running is actually more demanding on the cardiovascular system, probably due to the increased demands on the upper body, which is poorly trained in runners compared to the legs. (Reference below.)
Aquarunning Equipment: Belt, Ankle Weights, Gloves
You may choose to wear a belt – or not. You should wear a belt if you cannot hold a vertical position without it.
Ankle weights offer additional resistance, but avoid buying zoomers which aggravate the Achilles. You can also use old racing flats.
Gloves are better than barbells as they add resistance while encouraging you to keep your arms close to your torso.
Gloves
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Aqua belt
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Ankle Weights
|
Where?
Most water running is done in water over your head (feet do not touch the ground) in a pool, lake, or ocean.
You can also run so your feet touch the bottom of a pool. If you run on the bottom of the pool, wear running shoes. You can also tether yourself to the end of the pool. See video #2.
Aquarunning Form
There are more than 10 forms of aquarunning. This note covers just the “traditional” form, with 2 videos as guidelines.
Posture: Run “tall” in a pencil position, shoulders over hips. Avoid bending too much at the waist (the tendency for swimmers). If you are “sitting” in the water with your legs in front of you, they will not benefit from the water’s resistance.
Legs: The traditional form involves a natural running motion, with the opposite arm and leg moving at the same time. Raise your knees high and keep your toes up (dorsiflexed).
Shoulders/neck/back: Keep them back and relaxed.
Arms: Keep them close to your body, with elbows bent at 90 degrees.
Hands: Press the water down and when rising to your shoulders slice the water.
Time In The Water
Regardless of your usual running pace, consider ten minutes of easy aqua running equivalent to a mile of running. If you want to train for the equivalent of 4 mile run, aqua run for 40 minutes. If you want to incorporate speed, always warm-up for at least 10 minutes of easy running first. Then consider how many minutes/seconds your intervals last on the roads/track and aqua run in the water at the same level of intensity as you would on land (this is hard to judge at first) and recover for the same number of minutes as you would on land.
Intensity
To incorporate speed, consider how many minutes/seconds your intervals last on the roads/track. Then aqua run in the water at the same level of intensity as you would on land (this is hard to judge at first) and recover for the same number of minutes as you would on land. Any level of intensity, from recovery to high intensity (V02 max and repetition) workouts is possible in the water. If, for example, on land 800s take you 3 minutes at a perceived exertion of 8 (hard, not very hard) with a 1:30 recovery, aqua run for 3 minutes at a p.e. of 8 and take a 1:30 easy recovery.
Another advantage of water running and intensity is that you can do speed workouts more frequently in the water than on land. You can incorporate aqua speed workouts every other day, depending on your age and level of fitness.
Post-workout stretches: on-land stretches can be performed in the pool with a greater range of motion because gravity is not involved.
CLICK ON THE VIDEOS BELOW.
References
Reilly, T.; Dowzer, C. N.; Cable, N., The physiology of deep-water running. Journal of Sports Sciences 2003, 21 (12), 959-972.
Killgore, G. L., Deep-Water Running: A practical review of the literature with an emphasis on biomechanics. Physician and Sportsmedicine 2012, 40 (1).