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ASK FLASH: Deep Water Running 101

Posted May 30th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Joshua Flash Gordon

Section: Columns, Ask Flash

Need advice? Injured? Confused? Overwhelmed? Bored? ASK FLASH!
ASK FLASH is a free advice column to help you with all of your running, fitness and nutrition inquiries. To ASK FLASH — simply fill out the form at the conclusion of the column.

aqua_jogger_girl Q. I notice from your log that you do a lot of pool running…maybe we should call you ‘Splash’? Seriously, can you tell me more about pool running and any equipment that might be helpful or other tips? Thanks, man!!!
~ Jules in Pooles Crossroad, Alabama

A. It is true - I am a huge fan of deep water running. I believe it to be an ideal injury rehabilitation tool. Furthermore, I use it as a regular part of my training to prevent injuries, receive an inexpensive massage, and increase ‘mileage’ without the risk of overdoing it on the roads. I vary between a ‘running stride’ and a ‘XC ski stride’ and also mix in steady effort and interval effort work. I cannot over stress the value of using pool running as part of your training (or, be adventures and find a pond!)

As for equipment, you can do water running as a minimalist with nothing more than a bathing suit and a deep end of a pool. However, I have found the equipment to be very helpful in keeping cadence and heart rate more similar to running and to make the experience a lot more enjoyable.

My ideal set-up is the AQX Zero Gravity Water Running Suit, Webbed Water Gloves, and AQX Sports Aquatic Shoe. I find that this combination provides optimal flotation, resistance, and comfort and all last a long time (warning: my running suit turned pink with the daily chlorine of the YMCA swimming pool but works fine…but, yes…PINK!). You can also replace the Zero Gravity running suit with an Aquajogger Belt and get a more than acceptable buoyancy (just a bit less running specific and not as well dispersed). Click here to see some videos about form.

(Note: Much of the following information comes from Aqua-Jogger and AQX-Sports resources. )

Why deep water running?

Depending on your specific injury, you may be able to cycle, row, or use a cross country skiing simulator. If you can do these activities without interfering with your recovery, then by all means include them in your cross training program. Unfortunately, a number of running injuries are aggravated by these other types of exercise. Fortunately, with most running injuries, you can safely run in the water. Deep water running with a flotation vest provides an excellent training stimulus, and more closely simulates land running than most other cross training options. Running in the water is a total body exercise that works your legs, trunk, and arms, and positively stresses your cardiovascular system.

deep water runner Several studies have verified that deep water running can be used by runners to maintain fitness. Investigators from Florida State University coerced a group of trained male runners to run in the water while another group continued regular training. The runners were tested for VO2 max, lactate threshold, and running economy before and after 6 weeks of water running. The water running group fully maintained their aerobic fitness over the 6 weeks.

Similarly, a study by Ed Eyestone (yes that Ed Eyestone) and colleagues at Brigham Young University found no change in 2 mile run time after runners trained in the water for 6 weeks. Additional support for the fitness benefits of water running is provided by a study from the exercise physiology lab at the University of Toledo, in which trained runners ran in the water 5 to 6 days per week for 4 weeks. These runners had no change in 5 km performance time, VO2 max, lactate threshold, or running economy after 4 weeks of water running. So, there is little question that water running is an effective method for runners to stay fit.

What’s so special about water?

Although various forms of water exercise have been used for centuries, space age research now documents more reasons than ever to take training and recovery programs into the water.

No impact running. Your body weighs about 10% of its land weight when up to your neck in water. If you weigh 200 lbs. when standing on land, you weigh only 20 lbs. in water. With the addition of a buoyancy belt like the AquaJogger®, you can run with your head comfortably out of water, breathe normally, and accomplish most of the same workouts you perform on land. In the water your musculo-skeletal system is no longer bearing weight, so it can be recovering from all the pounding of your land based programs while you focus your conditioning on the cardio-pulmonary system. No pounding…no impact.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning. A decade of research by a variety of sources has shown that the training effect of water running can be equal or greater than the same level of effort on land. Improve your cardio-pulmonary conditioning while giving your weight-bearing joints and muscles a day off.
Resistance. Water creates resistance to movement in all directions through a full range of motion. Increase or decrease the intensity by changing the speed of your movements. Being submerged in water is like having an adjustable weight machine surrounding your body.
Massage. Water massages your muscles with every movement of your arms and legs. This action increases circulation, promotes relaxation, and helps remove stress and tension.
Up to your neck. Being up to your neck in water produces physiological changes in your body that help remove metabolic waste, improve cardiac function, lower blood pressure, and assist the body in tissue healing. Start thinking about how you can use these changes to accelerate your recovery from competition, training sessions, and injuries.
Conditioning program. Much of what you know about land-based conditioning and fitness programs applies to water exercise.

Water running technique

Water running technique is an area of some debate. Some coaches insist that you try to simulate land running form as closely as possible. While that is a nice ideal, I believe that the most important consideration is to maintain your training intensity to the degree possible, and if your form needs improvement, so be it. Regardless of your running form, your stride rate will be slower during water running due to the increased resistance of moving your legs through water. If you try to simulate land running too closely, your stride rate will be even slower. For that reason, don’t worry if your leg isn’t brought behind the body to the same degree as in land running-find a happy compromise with decent form and a reasonable rate of leg turnover.

Deep Water Running-resized Some athletes move forward while running in the water, and actually do laps during their workouts. Whether you move forward or remain relatively still depends on subtle changes in body position. I recommend a relatively upright posture during water running which will work your trunk muscles and result in only a slight tendency to move forward through the water.

Deep-Water Running (Cross Country Style): The cross-country style of DWR looks qualitatively more like land-based running due primarily to the increased horizontal displacement (position) of the ankle. This increased movement of the ankle allows for a greater range of motion to be achieved and thus maintains the normally elliptical appearing gait pattern found in land-based running and increase the muscular benefit. The AQx was specifically designed to be used with this style of DWR.

Key points:

1. The water should be at shoulder level below the chin with the head held in a neutral position facing forward.
2. The body leans slightly forward of a vertical position. This is important because if you lean too far backwards your knees will come up too high in the front and you will be practicing the high-knee version of DWR (which looks more like stair-stepping).
3. The arm carriage should be relaxed and identical to land-based running. Your arms will primarily move from the shoulder joint (relatively stable) with elbows flexed at approximately 90º.
4. The hands are held in a slightly clenched-fist position with your thumb resting lightly on your forefinger to decrease the likelihood of using a dog-paddling- type motion.
5. The legs will actually follow a pattern that is VERY similar to a faster type running motion like interval training where:
a) The knee comes up toward the surface of the water until the hip reaches a position of approximately 60-80º (hip flexion), followed by full extension (not hyperextension) of the leg toward the bottom of the pool.
b) The foot moves from approximately 0º dorsiflexion at full hip flexion (imagine your foot in the same position as if you were standing on the ground in a normal position) to approximately 50-70º of plantarflexion (toes pointed slightly at the bottom of the pool) when the leg is fully extended. A good thing to imagine is to think of your foot touching the bottom of the pool when your leg is fully extended, then moving your foot back toward the edge of the pool as far as possible without rotating your hips, then the foot moves under your butt, and finally lifting the knee up to allow the foot to continuously move through the gait pattern.
c) The major differences between the high-knee and cross-country styles of DWR are that the high-knee style leg action is primarily in a vertical plane with the legs moving straight up and down in a piston-like movement pattern with very little horizontal displacement present (imagine marching or stair-stepping) while the cross country style has a much greater range of motion which elicits more muscular involvement.

Deep-Water Cross (X) Country Ski-like motion: The X country style of skiing in deep-water looks qualitatively very similar to its’ land (snow)-based counterpart. This is an excellent complimentary activity for runners, but also works very well for anyone interested in an alternative exercise that will benefit the whole body.Key points:
1. The water should be at shoulder level below the chin with the head held in a neutral position facing forward (just like in DWR).
2. The body leans slightly forward of a vertical position, but you might notice that you don’t have to lean forward as much as in DWR.
3. The arm carriage should be relaxed and relatively straight swinging from the shoulders with your hands extended to increase drag (resistance).
4. The legs will stay relatively straight with knees slightly bent. Focus on moving the leg backwards until you feel the gluteals (butt) contract and then simply swing the leg forward until your foot starts to lift toward the surface.
5. The feet will stay in somewhat of a neutral position (imagine your self standing on the ground again). You will not need to point your toes toward the bottom of the pool like in DWR (Cross Country skiers don’t point their toes either). This is the best position to take advantage of the AQx’s increase in resistance, particularly while moving the foot backwards (pay attention to the gluteals and hamstrings during this part of the motion).

Gauging your effort

You will not be able to achieve as high a heart rate running in the water as running on land. A study from the famed Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that heart rate is 8-11 beats per minute lower for the same oxygen uptake when running in the water compared to normal running. This study also found maximal heart rate on average to be 16 beats per minute lower during all-out water running compared to land running. Lower heart rates during water running are primarily due to the pressure of water on the body which makes more blood return to the heart so more blood is pumped with each heart beat.

A useful rule of thumb is that heart rates during water running are about 10% lower than during land running. If you get your heart rate up to 140 beats per minute in the water, that is roughly equal to 154 beats per minute during normal running. The temperature of the water affects your heart rate during deep water running. Your heart rate will be lower in cool water and higher in warm water. In addition, two studies have found that women have slightly lower heart rates and oxygen consumption than men during deep water running. This is thought to be due to women’s generally higher bodyfat content and resultant greater buoyancy than men.

The Karolinska study found that perceived exertion is higher during water running for a given heart rate or level of oxygen consumption. So, in order to get a beneficial workout in the water, you will feel that you are working harder than during land running. For this reason, the 9-week schedule emphasizes interval workouts in the water. If you just do steady water running sessions your effort won’t be high enough to maintain your fitness. A study on water running by former 800 meter runner Tim Quinn, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of New Hampshire concluded that for runners to maintain fitness during water running it is necessary to include intervals, tempo, and/or fartlek training.

Anyway, get in the water and run! Feel free to contact me with follow-up questions.

Gotta go…

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Joshua Flash Gordon Joshua ‘Flash’ Gordon is a runner who is never shy to give his opinion. Flash has been running competitively since 1989 and can be found training hard on the roads and trails of Boston. Flash continues to compete in distances from 5k to the Marathon as part of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA).

Sometimes Flash runs fast. Sometimes Flash runs slow. But neither rain nor snow nor heat nor gloom of night can keep Flash from the swift completion of his training regimen.

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