Coach Amy's Deep Water Running Tips for Injured Endurance Athletes
"The pool is a graveyard where injured runners go to die," grumbled one of my patients. Running in the water instead of on the road is a depressing notion for most endurance athletes. When I suggest it to my patients, the typical response is a blank stare, cringe, or outright disgust. But before you protest, hear me out! The benefits far outweigh the inconvenience, and the workout regimen can and should be challenging.
Benefits of Deep Water Running
The benefits of deep water running are numerous.
The buoyancy of the water decreases weight-bearing forces on injured joints, ligaments, and tendons.
The viscosity of the water provides resistance and strengthens muscles.
Hard and fast interval segments maintain and even improve run-specific cardiovascular fitness.
Correct water running form can help maintain neuromuscular movement patterns specific to the sport that will stick with you when you return to the road.
How to Deep Water Run
You will need two things for success: a water belt and access to the deep end of a pool. Check with your pool or gym to see if they have water belts for members. If not, consider investing in one. My favorite brand is Aquajogger. Maintaining proper form is essential, and it isn't easy to do so without a water belt.
Correct Water Running Form
You will move and translate forward when you are running in the water. To prevent injury and to maximize effectiveness, follow these tips:
Position your pelvis and spine in a neutral position, not tilted forward or backward.
Use a quick turnover of 180 strides per minute. That means one foot is pushing down 90 times in one minute.
Use a short stride. Do not overreach.
Hold hands at chest height and drive elbows back as you do when you run on the road.
Drive your foot down and back like you would if you were pushing a bike pedal down.
Troubleshooting Tips
Water running should not cause pain. If you experience pain with water running, please check with your physical therapist or healthcare professional before continuing.
If you experience hamstring (back of thigh) pain: check your stride. It is likely too long. A short and quick stride is best.
If you feel back pain, check your pelvis position and make sure to engage your abs. Avoid slouching or arching the back.
Crack the Boredom
The biggest complaint I hear from patients is that water running is boring. It is much more engaging when running at a high intensity and with variable workouts like those described above. Avoid trying to complete the equivalent of a long run in the pool. Wear waterproof earbuds and listen to some fast-paced tunes that help you maintain 180 bpm cadence. Consider water running with a friend; it isn't just for the injured!
Deep Water Running Workouts
Your imagination is the limit when it comes to the variations in workouts. Your speedwork sessions on the track or road can translate to the pool by converting the distance to time. Keep in mind that you need to prepare properly with a dynamic warm-up poolside. Always start with a warm-up before commencing tempo and interval segments.
Water Running Key
Warm-ups (wu) and Warm-downs (wd):
10 min easy. A comfortable pace that you feel like you can maintain for a long time.
Tempo Segments:
3-5 minutes at a moderate intensity where you feel you can still talk but are breathless.
Hard Interval Segments:
1-4 minutes at a hard intensity where you feel like you could grunt in response to questions and can only keep the pace up for a short period. Recover between segments with a more manageable pace for 1-2 minutes.
Workouts from Coach Amy
Below are three workouts to try. See how you respond to Workout 1 before your try the others. I recommend at least one day of recovery between workouts.
Workout 1: Test the Waters (30 min)
10 min wu
10 x 1 min hard on (1 min easy between each)
10 min wd
Workout 2: Ladder Drills (approx 40 min)
10 min wu
Ladder Up: hard 1 min, 2 min, and 3 min (1 min easy between each)
Ladder Down: hard 3 min., 2 min, and 1 min (1 min easy between each)
10 min wd
Workout 3: Tempo with Intervals (approx 1 hour)
10 min wu
Repeat three times through:
Hard 5 x 1 min (1 min easy between each)
Tempo 5 minutes
2 min easy
10 min wd
Water running is a viable, challenging substitute for running and it need not be awful. One of my patients with a plantar plate tear is water running twice per week. She reports, "Once I got going in the pool, I felt great. I like Aqua jogging. Can I continue this even when I get back to running again?" My answer was a resounding, "Yes!" Water running is a great tool to improve speed while taking the load off your joints.
If you are injured, seek evaluation and treatment from a physical therapist before water running. An experienced physical therapist specializing in treating endurance athletes can help you create a tailored program specifically for your goals.