Subject: RE: AQUA JOGGING-Looking for Feedback,Plans from those who have experience Two years ago a had to take 10 weeks off due to a stress fracture and spent my time doing deep water running. Pete Pfitzinger has a 9 week program (just do a google search ) that I followed and while its about as exciting as watching paint dry, I stayed in shape. Within three months of being able to run on land I ran an excellent half marathon and 5 months after that PRed in a marathon.
The hardest part is actually working hard while you are doing it. Your heart rate will stay fairly low but if you focus on doing hard intervals you can really feel the workout. Its very easy to stop paying attention to your stride and find yourself really not putting effort in, intervals of 90 seconds to 5 minuts make that more tolerable. Try to keep your motion very similar to running, and use your arms too. Hold your core pretty tight and remain upright, its also easy to start leaning forward.
I found that while some people can stay in one place, I end up moving forward and had to use the deeper lanes or the only the deep part of the lane (depended on the pool I was in ). I used a floatation belt but not the shoe/bootie things.
In general I found it to be an adequate substitute and don't think I lost a great deal of fitness, but I did this 5 days a week for at least an hour each time, with once a week acting as a "long run" of nearly 2 hours. If nothing else, your mental toughness will increase!! |