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Cross Training: Aqua-jogging

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012 09:39 am GMT -5 · · Comments · Staff

Aqua-jogging is exactly what it sounds like:  jogging in the water.
Aqua-jogging is great for cross training because there is little impact and it provides resistance against your legs. A lot of runners use aqua-jogging as cross-training when injured. The fact that there is no impact makes it great for runners suffering from stress fractures and other impact related injuries. It’s also a great way to stay cool while getting in a workout in the hot summer months. There are a couple of different ways to aqua-jog, depending on the facilities you have available to you.

Underwater Treadmill

Elite and some collegiate runners have access to underwater treadmills to get in their aqua-jogging.  The runner enters the water and then runs on the treadmill as they would normally (albeit at a slower pace). Deena Kastor used one in her training for the 2005 Chicago Marathon after sustaining an injury. However, most runners won’t have access to this technology at their local gym. For those runners, there are a couple of alternatives.

Flotation Belt

For this form of aqua-jogging, a runner only needs a pool and special flotation belt. The belt holds you up in the water, allowing you to move your legs in a running motion to propel you through the water. With this form of aqua-jogging, there is no impact and the water is providing the resistance to make your legs work.

No gear

The simplest way to aqua-jog: all you need is a shallow pool, waist to chest high. You can either jog forward if there is room (like in a lap pool) or run in place. There is some impact because your feet are coming in contact with the bottom of the pool, but with the water supporting some of your body weight, it is minimal. Since you will be jogging in place or down a lane and back, it will be easier to base your workout on time instead of distance.

So, if you were going to run 3 miles at a 10 minute pace but decide to aqua-jog instead, you would cross-train for 30 minutes.

Posted: July 3, 2012 by

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