Aqua Jogging = My New Favorite Workout Routine!
Aqua Jogging is a fitness trend you want to try. Let me show you how to make this flotation workout your new favorite.
Hurt Foot Fitness Coaching Program
One of the best parts of my comprehensive Hurt Foot Fitness course is that I get to teach people how to stay fit and positive with an injury or disability. No matter what physical challenges you face, there are SO many incredible and creative ways to get moving! Sometimes all you need is a little help. Through my course, I show people how to use injury or disability as an opportunity. We explore new ways to stay active to keep our bodies (and minds) strong.
Do you feel like you have more time on your hands because you are injured and cant run, fitness class, or yoga?? I keep my coaching students busy challenging them to discover new workouts and routines. They come out of the course with a toolbox of new ways to stay fit, positive, and be awesome in life.
Together we turn a hard physical challenge into a BLESSING. We make it an opportunity to try NEW things. One of which is Aqua Jogging!
What Is Aqua Jogging??
Aqua jogging involves running in the deep end of the pool, and it has many benefits as it closely mimics the actual running movement.
With aqua jogging, your feet don’t touch the bottom of the pool, so it is zero impact and safe for almost any type of injury, especially if you have a high risk stress fracture. In my experience, the only time to avoid aqua jogging is when you have a hip flexor injury, which can be aggravated by the increased resistance of the water as you bring your leg up. Because aqua jogging closely mimics natural running form, it provides a neuromuscular workout that, in addition to aerobic benefits, helps keep the running specific muscles active. The same can’t be said for biking and swimming.
The only disadvantage of aqua jogging is that you need a pool that is deep enough to run in without touching the bottom. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a pool of this size, aqua jogging is an incredible cross training choice while you recover from your injury.
What are the benefits of Aqua Jogging??
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- 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 an 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 musculoskeletal 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. You can learn how to how to transfer your regimen of land-based exercises and conditioning programs into this friendly no-impact environment.
What do you need to go Aqua Jogging??
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- Pool with some depth. The depth of water you need for deep water running is determined by your height. The water level should be at least up to your chin so that your feet are off the bottom of the pool once you put on your buoyancy device. This usually requires a pool depth that is at minimum about 6″ less than your height.
- Flotation belt: If you are deep water aqua jogging then you will need a flotation belt to keep your torso partially above the water while you run. The Aqua Jogger is the best product, but if you cant find one, you can substitute water weights or pool noodles. If you plan to do a lot of aqua jogging workouts, invest in an aqua jogger asap!
How Do You Learn To Aqua Jog??
Don’t hurt yourself in the aqua jogging belt! I give you coaching on how to pool run properly in my Hurt Foot Coaching Course. I include video tutorials to guide you in learning how to aqua jog with good form. I help you train like an olympian in the pool with a variety of Aqua Jogging workouts of different lengths, intensities, and styles.
I’ve tried ALL of the Aqua Jogging workouts and continue to create MORE to put into my growing Hurt Foot Fitness online program. It’s fun to see this course continue to build as a resource for students – it’s becoming an exclusive online hub of Injury recovery information! I’ve even started Aqua Jump Roping…. it’s so much fun to keep myself and my Hurt Foot Fitness coaching members challenged.
Aqua jogging is revolutionary, it works, it’s fun, and it just may be one of the most beneficial conditioning and recovery modalities available.
Have you tried Aqua Jogging? What did you think? I’d love to hear if you’ve jumped in the deep end with this fun Aqua Jogging trend below in the comments.
Now I’m off to create more uplifting workouts for my Hurt Foot Fitness Coaching members – lets see what else I can come up with in the water 😉
I hope that no matter where you are in your fitness, I can be a resource for you in staying strong and positive.
Sending you love my friends.
Caroline
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