AQUA RUNNING: FORMS AND WORKOUTS
Copyright Cathy Utzschneider, Ed.D., Physiology and Performance
Certified in Levels 1, 2, and 3 Burdenko Water Training
Aqua running is not just effective crosstraining for all sports – running in particular. It’s also contributes to performance by adding volume and speed to your weekly workouts whether or not you are injured. Aquarunning has helped Olympic Trials runners I’ve coached reach the finals of the 800, mile, 5K, and 10K. The advantage of water, aside from no impact, is that it offers 13 Xs the resistance of air.
You can build many kinds of workouts in the water – and wear waterproof headphones for fun! The trick is to get over driving to the pool and getting in the water.
You may choose to wear a belt – or not. You should wear a belt if you cannot hold a vertical position without it. The best hand gear is the glove (see below) as it adds resistance while allowing economy of motion which barbells don’t. The glove can be purchased at http://www.aquajogger.com, among other places.
There are three basic forms of aqua running. You can practice these at slow, medium, and fast paces. Applying the principles of perceived exertion is effective. If “1” is equivalent to a marathon shuffle, “5” is your average smile time” pace and “10” is how you feel after sprinting a mile. (Don’t train higher than at a perceived exertion of “9.5”).
Note that your body should be as vertical (like a pencil). Keep your shoulders and neck back and relaxed.
WORKOUTS: If you want to equivalent workout of a 4 mile run, aqua run for 40 minutes. Ten minutes of aqua running in terms of effort (even if it doesn’t feel like it) equals a mile of running. If you want to incorporate speed, 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. (If 800s take you 4 minutes at a perceived exertion of 8 (hard, not very hard), aqua run for 4 minutes at a p.e. of 8.) The best form for very hard, short intervals (100s, 200s) is the piston form with feet together (leg version 1) and hands out of the water (hand version 3). NOTE: if you are running due to injury only in the water, speed workouts can be done more frequently in water than on land. You can do speed in the pool every other day-- i.e. 3 to 4 X’s per week. Depending on your age and level of fitness, if you now run two speed workouts a week on land, you can increase your fitness by adding a third speed workout in the water to your weekly training.
Post-workout stretches: Every on-land stretch can be performed in the pool – more easily and in a greater range of motion because gravity is not involved.
AQUA RUNNING FORMS
Note: practice all forms in a pencil position. Keep your shoulders over your hips and avoid leaning forward and a sitting position.
Form 1: Traditional aqua form. Opposite arm/leg move forward at same time. Imagine you are running.
Form 2: Pistons (imagine like stomping on cardboard boxes!). You can incorporate two versions for the legs and three for the arms. There are two versions for pistons, one with feet apart (strengthens adductors) and one with feet together (strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes).
Hand version 1: running arm movement as above in Form 1.
Hand version 2: hands on hips (arms don’t move) – harder than hand version 1.
Hand version 3: hands out of the water (wave “hi!”) – hardest.
Form 3: Cross Country Skiing or "Scissor Form" (straight arms and legs).
Form 4: Hurdles. One leg moves at a time, mimicking the lead leg striding over a hurdle.
AQUA WORKOUTS
These are based on perceived exertion (scale of 1-10).
5 is your average pace (pace that corresponds to your ‘smile time” runs).
1 would be a ‘marathon shuffle’.
10 is your finish after sprinting a mile – or an all-out effort. None of the workouts call for a p.e. of 10.
WORKOUT 1 – 50 minutes total
warm-up = 5 mins. of forward running (f.r.), then 5 mins. of backward running (b.r.)-- all at p.e. of 5
body of workout = 10 X this unit: 1 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 9 followed by 2 mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 5 and then
5 X this unit: 1 min. of piston running (p.r. or “tires” shown above) at a p.e. of 9, (hands on hips or in air) followed by 1 minute f.r. at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT 2 – 55 minutes total
warm-up = 10 mins. of forward running (f.r.) at p.e. of 5
body of workout = 5 X this 5 minute unit: 3 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 8.5 (hard) followed by 2 mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 5 and then
5 X this 2 minute unit: 1 min. of piston running (p.r. or “tires” shown above) at a p.e. of 9, (hands on hips or in air) followed by 1 minute f.r. at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT 3 – 60 minutes total
same warm-up as above
body of workout = 8 X this unit: 4. mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 7.5 followed by 1 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT 4 –About 1.5 hours (86 minutes)
warm-up = 5 mins. of forward running (f.r.), then 5 mins. of backward running (b.r.)-- all at p.e. of 5
body of workout = 6 X this unit: 7 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 7 followed by 2 mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 5 and then 4 X this unit: 1 min. of piston running (p.r.) at a p.e. of 9 ( hands on hips or in air) followed by 2 mins of f.r.at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT WITH FORWARD AND BACKWARD RUNNING (# of minutes is up to your discretion)
Here’s a terrific strengthening workout. There’s variety and you can tailor it to the length of your water training just by choosing how many sets you want to do.
First, some reminders and “definitions” of terms used below.
WORKOUT:
- 2 units of forward jogging (the “refrain”)
- 1 unit of backward jogging
- 2 units of forward jogging
- 1 unit of forward piston running
- 2 units of forward jogging
- 1 unit of backward piston running
- Repeat the set above
Copyright Cathy Utzschneider, Ed.D., Physiology and Performance
Certified in Levels 1, 2, and 3 Burdenko Water Training
Aqua running is not just effective crosstraining for all sports – running in particular. It’s also contributes to performance by adding volume and speed to your weekly workouts whether or not you are injured. Aquarunning has helped Olympic Trials runners I’ve coached reach the finals of the 800, mile, 5K, and 10K. The advantage of water, aside from no impact, is that it offers 13 Xs the resistance of air.
You can build many kinds of workouts in the water – and wear waterproof headphones for fun! The trick is to get over driving to the pool and getting in the water.
You may choose to wear a belt – or not. You should wear a belt if you cannot hold a vertical position without it. The best hand gear is the glove (see below) as it adds resistance while allowing economy of motion which barbells don’t. The glove can be purchased at http://www.aquajogger.com, among other places.
There are three basic forms of aqua running. You can practice these at slow, medium, and fast paces. Applying the principles of perceived exertion is effective. If “1” is equivalent to a marathon shuffle, “5” is your average smile time” pace and “10” is how you feel after sprinting a mile. (Don’t train higher than at a perceived exertion of “9.5”).
Note that your body should be as vertical (like a pencil). Keep your shoulders and neck back and relaxed.
WORKOUTS: If you want to equivalent workout of a 4 mile run, aqua run for 40 minutes. Ten minutes of aqua running in terms of effort (even if it doesn’t feel like it) equals a mile of running. If you want to incorporate speed, 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. (If 800s take you 4 minutes at a perceived exertion of 8 (hard, not very hard), aqua run for 4 minutes at a p.e. of 8.) The best form for very hard, short intervals (100s, 200s) is the piston form with feet together (leg version 1) and hands out of the water (hand version 3). NOTE: if you are running due to injury only in the water, speed workouts can be done more frequently in water than on land. You can do speed in the pool every other day-- i.e. 3 to 4 X’s per week. Depending on your age and level of fitness, if you now run two speed workouts a week on land, you can increase your fitness by adding a third speed workout in the water to your weekly training.
Post-workout stretches: Every on-land stretch can be performed in the pool – more easily and in a greater range of motion because gravity is not involved.
AQUA RUNNING FORMS
Note: practice all forms in a pencil position. Keep your shoulders over your hips and avoid leaning forward and a sitting position.
Form 1: Traditional aqua form. Opposite arm/leg move forward at same time. Imagine you are running.
Form 2: Pistons (imagine like stomping on cardboard boxes!). You can incorporate two versions for the legs and three for the arms. There are two versions for pistons, one with feet apart (strengthens adductors) and one with feet together (strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes).
Hand version 1: running arm movement as above in Form 1.
Hand version 2: hands on hips (arms don’t move) – harder than hand version 1.
Hand version 3: hands out of the water (wave “hi!”) – hardest.
Form 3: Cross Country Skiing or "Scissor Form" (straight arms and legs).
Form 4: Hurdles. One leg moves at a time, mimicking the lead leg striding over a hurdle.
AQUA WORKOUTS
These are based on perceived exertion (scale of 1-10).
5 is your average pace (pace that corresponds to your ‘smile time” runs).
1 would be a ‘marathon shuffle’.
10 is your finish after sprinting a mile – or an all-out effort. None of the workouts call for a p.e. of 10.
WORKOUT 1 – 50 minutes total
warm-up = 5 mins. of forward running (f.r.), then 5 mins. of backward running (b.r.)-- all at p.e. of 5
body of workout = 10 X this unit: 1 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 9 followed by 2 mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 5 and then
5 X this unit: 1 min. of piston running (p.r. or “tires” shown above) at a p.e. of 9, (hands on hips or in air) followed by 1 minute f.r. at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT 2 – 55 minutes total
warm-up = 10 mins. of forward running (f.r.) at p.e. of 5
body of workout = 5 X this 5 minute unit: 3 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 8.5 (hard) followed by 2 mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 5 and then
5 X this 2 minute unit: 1 min. of piston running (p.r. or “tires” shown above) at a p.e. of 9, (hands on hips or in air) followed by 1 minute f.r. at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT 3 – 60 minutes total
same warm-up as above
body of workout = 8 X this unit: 4. mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 7.5 followed by 1 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT 4 –About 1.5 hours (86 minutes)
warm-up = 5 mins. of forward running (f.r.), then 5 mins. of backward running (b.r.)-- all at p.e. of 5
body of workout = 6 X this unit: 7 min. f.r. at a p.e. of 7 followed by 2 mins. f.r. at a p.e. of 5 and then 4 X this unit: 1 min. of piston running (p.r.) at a p.e. of 9 ( hands on hips or in air) followed by 2 mins of f.r.at a p.e. of 5
warm-down = same as warm-up
WORKOUT WITH FORWARD AND BACKWARD RUNNING (# of minutes is up to your discretion)
Here’s a terrific strengthening workout. There’s variety and you can tailor it to the length of your water training just by choosing how many sets you want to do.
First, some reminders and “definitions” of terms used below.
- With this routine, keep your torso as upright as possible. You’ll work harder (maximize water resistance!) than if you lean forward.
- 1 unit = 1 length of a pool, 1 min., 2 mins., or whatever unit you decide on.
- Jogging means you use your arms and legs just as you do on land. There is forward jogging and backward jogging. Backward jogging is twice as demanding for most people (takes twice as long) as forward jogging.
- When backward jogging, stress the downward motion of the leg behind you and the upward motion of the arms. Doing so will help you move backwards.
- Piston running (see “tires” above) is the same as jogging – you can go forwards and backwards -- except that you don’t use your arms and your legs move like pistons. There are two levels of piston running. The first, an easier level, is one where ou hold your hands on your hips. The second, obviously the harder level, is one where you hold your hands above the water. Like backward jogging, backward piston running is harder than forward piston running.
WORKOUT:
- 2 units of forward jogging (the “refrain”)
- 1 unit of backward jogging
- 2 units of forward jogging
- 1 unit of forward piston running
- 2 units of forward jogging
- 1 unit of backward piston running
- Repeat the set above