Deep water running

When your training should land you in deep water

At its simplest deep water running (DWR), or 'aquajogging', mimics its land-based equivalent, except that it is performed in water deep enough to stop your feet making contact with the bottom of the pool. In recent years this technique has become increasingly popular with coaches and practitioners from a variety of sporting disciplines (1). As well as being a rehabilitative method that allows participants to avoid the negative effects of detraining, it can also be used as an adjunct to normal training, reducing the risk of injury because of the much more 'forgiving' environment that water provides. However, despite its current popularity, DWR is often poorly understood and incorrectly used.


I feel that the key factors influencing DWR prescription are as follows:
1. Familiarity;
2. The accuracy with which a performer's water technique reflects his land based running style;
3. The athlete's aerobic development.
At sub-maximal intensities, research shows that experienced performers achieve similar rate of perceived exertion (RPE) values to those associated with treadmill running (10), although this does not appear to apply to 'unfit' or inexperienced DWR performers(8). Consequently, I prescribe active recovery DWR sessions only when I am completely satisfied that the athlete is able to replicate his or her land-based running style, so making HR monitoring a viable method of monitoring the exercise. The sessions I prescribe mirror land based workouts (2) with the performers instructed to work at the upper end of their HR intensity zones.
Whatever prescription is used, it is worth remembering that, as with any 'new' training stimulus, the risk of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is increased, so the prescription needs to be gradual.

Why recovery is shorter
Recoveries between DWR sessions can be shorter than for land-based running. My own empirical studies show that once athletes are proficient in the technique and the stimulus has been progressive, they can cope with greater intensities and longer durations yet experience fatigue levels associated with much less intense land-based sessions. This must be due primarily to the lack of impact and the consequent reduced stress on the body. Other contributory factors may be the reduced eccentric contraction in the 'landing' phase of the running stride (remember that the knees are lower than
in normal running) and increased thermal dispersion in the surrounding water.
As mentioned above, the use of flotation devices may give deep water runners a sense that their breathing is restricted; this feeling can be amplified by water pressure, causing some performers to breathe only with the upper portion of their lungs. As performers become familiar with DWR techniques, they need encouragement from their trainers to increase use of the lower portion of their lungs, or they may become short of breath.
Returning to 'normal' training from a total DWR programme required a careful approach. Some athletes feel sluggish and slow when they return to land, a problem which can be overcome to some extent by incorporating more advanced techniques into pool sessions during the final phases of pool-based rehab. These include:
1. 'High tempo' - moving as fast as possible, with short strides landing behind the body's centre of gravity and a sprinting-style arm action;
2. 'Bum flicks' - keeping upper leg still while flexing the lower leg (moving backwards is allowed for this one);
3. 'High knees' - a slight forward lean, driving the lead leg up as high as possible, little emphasis on the trailing leg and very active arms.
It is important to ensure that the basic technique has been mastered before these variations are attempted, as this allows for correction of faults and optimises the effectiveness.
In summary, with minimal equipment and properly-designed workouts, DWR can be a valuable adjunct to the training of both fit and injured athletes - even if they do have to constantly explain to a bemused general public what they are doing!
DWR offers an effective means of continuing training during rehabilitation. Maintaining a rapid leg turnover and co-ordinated movements between arms and legs facilitates the speediest return to full training. However, athletes and coaches should not wait until injury strikes before considering DWR. As an alternative to the repetitive strain of hard training, it has been shown to preserve performance variables such as VO2max, ventilatory threshold and running economy. And using this low-stress alternative as part of your periodisation plan may help to prevent injury in the first place.