Aquajogging: An effective way to run, even when you can’t

Courtesy of Excel Sports Science

Posted Thursday, August 13, 2020 10:14 am

By Delaney FitzPatrick

Delaney FitzPatrick competed in Division 1 track and cross country at Yale University while earning her bachelor’s in English. She went on to compete at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for her fifth year. After completing her collegiate career, she transitioned into marathon ski racing. She is the two-time champion of the Sisu Ski Fest Classic and, most recently, finished third at the 2020 American Birkebeiner in the Women’s Classic. She has been a fan and practitioner of Aquajogging and the Aquajogger since her college days.

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Contact Delaney via: Delaney.Fitzpatrick15@gmail.com

Wrapping up my high school running career, I started noticing pain in my left shin. After taking a few weeks off, I tried to run, jogging only 400 meters before severe pain forced me to stop and walk home. Several X-rays and an MRI later, my worst fear was confirmed: a stress fracture.

Most runners experience some form of injury during his or her running career. Whether the discomfort of runner’s knee, or something more serious like a stress fracture, cross training will likely be part of the training plan eventually. Depending on the type of injury, weight-bearing activities such as biking or the elliptical may not be options. Fortunately, there is a solution:

Aqua jogging

Since my first of many diagnosed stress fractures, aqua jogging has become an integral part of my training. I’ve discovered I’m prone to stress injuries, which require a minimum of six to eight weeks of cross training.

As a result, I’ve spent my fair share of time in the water. I’m fortunate to have access to a lake outside my back door; in summer, neighbors can often spy my head bobbing in the water as I slowly make my way around the lake’s perimeter.

Aqua jogging has two major benefits as a cross training method that set it apart from other alternatives. First, the movement allows you to fully simulate running, and second, aqua jogging is non-weight bearing. The combination of these factors means aqua jogging works running-specific muscles while giving your body a real opportunity to heal.

Aqua jogging serves not only as an antidote to injury, but also prevention. While I competed in cross country and track at Yale University, the entire team aqua jogged for 45 minutes every Wednesday to facilitate recovery between weekly workouts regardless of each athlete’s health status.

If you’re new to aqua jogging, or looking to vary your pool workouts, here are a few tips to get started:

Use a flotation belt

I have aqua jogged with and without a belt. Overall, I’ve found that using a specialized floatation belt, like the Excel Sports Science AquaJogger, provides the most effective workout.

The belt helps stabilize your body, allowing you to focus on form instead of worrying about staying afloat. The belt should rest on your hip bone and be as tight as possible while remaining comfortable. If the belt slides up during your workout, it’s too loose.

Aquajogging allows injured runners to still work their running form, aerobic capacity, and muscle groups while healing, and also provides unique, alternative cross-training workouts for all runners at any level. Click on images to enlarge. Photo courtesy of Excel Sports Science

Focus on form

Simulating your running form in the water is easier said than done. A highly common mistake of first-time, and sometimes experienced, aqua joggers is leaning too far forward. Keep your body in a mostly upright position.

Doing this properly means you should be moving quite slowly, and your core will feel like it’s being activated. The water should be deep enough that your feet do not touch the bottom.

Using the Aquajogger, by Excel Sports Science, keeps your head afloat so you can concentrate on form and specific workouts such as intervals. Photo courtesy of Excel Sports Science.

Pay attention to your hands and feet

The positions of your hands and feet when aqua jogging will impact the efficiency of your movement, just as they do when you run. When running normally, your hands should be relaxed; the same rule applies for aqua jogging.

One option is to keep your hands in loose fists, which will most closely mimic your running form. Personally, I like to cup my hands to help pull myself along in the water. As for your feet, you may feel tempted to point your toes, but it’s important to instead angle them up toward your shins. This action is known as dorsiflexion. Practicing dorsiflexion while aqua jogging can strengthen key leg muscles, to help prevent future injury, while also building speed and power.

Stay engaged

Lap after lap in the pool, you may feel aqua jogging turn into a tedious activity. Investing in waterproof headphones can help. Another good solution is to recruit a training partner, but follow social distancing recommendations if training with someone outside your household.

You will quickly notice that aqua jogging feels less intense than running. This can be great if your goal is active recovery. However, when aqua jogging to maintain fitness, you must make an effort to boost each workout’s intensity. The best way to do this is through interval workouts. These are similar to any standard running workout, but the intervals and rest should be on the shorter side. You should always bookend any intensity workout with a warm-up and cool-down, each lasting 10-15 minutes.

AQUAJOGGING. Photo: Excel Sports Science

I’ve found that ladder workouts—increasing then decreasing interval minutes, such as 1,2,3,4,4,3,2,1—match well with aqua jogging, with half of the preceding interval as the rest. Like a fartlek workout, your rest will be active, so you’ll continue to jog slowly in between.

Another easy workout is one minute on with 30 seconds rest, or any similar variation (e.g. two minutes on with one-minute rest). Since aqua jogging is a less taxing activity, taking a half rest in between intervals is a simple way to raise the effort level.

For those looking to ramp up intensity even more, you can raise your hands out of the water, using only your legs during intervals. In order to keep your form under control, I’d recommend using this technique for intervals lasting two minutes or less.

In a perfect world, runners would make it through their careers injury-free. No matter how hard we try, an injury finds us sooner or later.

Aqua jogging provides an effective way to maintain fitness and promote recovery when our bodies need a break from traditional running.

Aqua jogging can be used by runners of every level. However, it’s important to find ways to increase intensity and practice correct form so that when the time finally comes to slip those running shoes back on, you’ll be ready.