All About Aqua Jogging: AQX Aquatic Shoes, Underwater Mp3 Players, Speedo Belt, and a Workout!

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Recently, I've been plagued with an injury while preparing to race the Ironman World Championship of triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. The injury is called “IT Band Friction Syndrome” and requires low-impact or non-weight bearing exercise to maintain fitness until the knee is pain-free (alternative, highly non-attractive option is to run through the pain and destroy your knee forever).

We're talking about creating, non-traditional methods to maintain peak aerobic fitness without causing damage to an injury. Research has shown that non-impact water exercise offers this benefit, and this activity is utilized by quite a few pro triathletes and marathoners. Consequently, at my triathlon training and racing blog (http://bengreenfieldtri.blogspot.com), I have quite a few workout entries that include the term “Aqua Jogging”. So what exactly is aqua jogging (AKA water running)  and how do you do it?

There are two different types of aqua jogging: 1) running in a deep water where you cannot touch bottom of pool; 2) running in shallow water with feet touching bottom of pool.

The first method of aqua jogging is the “non-impact” version that I highly recommend and that I will introduce in this post. The second version is relatively low-impact when compared to running, but can still cause pain in the knees during the initial stages of something like an IT band injury.

Non-impact aqua jogging requires a few different pieces of equipment:

AQX Aquatic Training Shoes

1) Aquatic Shoes. I wear the AQX Aquatic Training shoe (pictured left). With strategically placed vents and fins,these shoes allow you to achieve 2-3x the cardiovascular intensity when compared to simply running in your bare feet. Trust me, I also tried wearing an old pair of running shoes and they were soggy, heavy, and very non-fluid. They actually hurt the knee. These shoes make it so easy to actually get your heart rate up and keep it there, which for me was one of the more frustrating aspects of water jogging before I started wearing them. In bare feet, you have to pump…and pump…and pump the legs at a very high turnover to achieve any type of training effect heart rate. The shoes fix this, and providing resistance, flow impedance, and increased muscular recruitment.

2) Flotation Belt. Some pools actually have these available, typically somewhere near to the pull buoys and kickboards. I personally use the Speedo swim belt (pictured below), which is comfortable and doesn't leave the little rubbing marks and blisters on my stomach like some of the belts at the pool. A belt is a must, since you must ensure that a part of your torso is above the water or you will spend too much energy attempting to stay afloat.

3. Tunes. In my opinion, audio is a must, since there's not much to look at while aqua jogging (although I have been tempted to bring all my aqua jogging gear to a local lake on a sunny day…). Here is what I do:

-take a small sandwich ziplock bag

-drop an mp3 player inside the bag

-thread the headphones out the top of the bag

-seal the bag

-then affix the bag to the side of my head with my goggles strap

This homemade solution works pretty well. Another option is an actual underwater mp3 player. The newest one on the market, the Nu Technology 2 GB Waterproof MP3 Player is pretty cool because you can also use it while freestyle swimming, and it doesn't actually mess with the audio quality like some of the other brands.

I would consider Nu Technology the cadillac of underwater mp3 players. But check out this link for a wide range of other waterproof/underwater mp3 players.

OK, now you've got all your gear and you're ready to aqua jog! Let's make sure your form is sound – the last thing you want to do is explain to your friends that you pulled a muscle running in the water! The AQX Aquatic Training shoes include a DVD that teaches proper form for regular deep water running, deep water cross-country skiing, and shallow water plyometrics/running drills.

Here's the basics of proper deep-water running form:

-Lean forward.

-Bring the knees up towards the chest and kick back through full range of motion, exactly as you would when running, but slightly more exaggerated. Imagine you're running up a steep hill.

-Pump the arms vigorously, but leave the fists closed.

-Avoid a straight up-and-down posture with a piston like up-and-down movement of the legs. This is more like bicycling, and won't stimulate the running muscles as much as leaning forward and kicking through the range of motion.

-And yes, for those of you wondering, you can jog in a stationary space, but it is more interesting and beneficial to actually move forward, such as down and back in a lap lane.

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Finally, let's look at a sample workout for aqua jogging. This workout offers multiple benefits – it works on running form, intensity, and muscular strength:

5 minute warm-up (i.e. 3 laps running)

1 HARD exaggerated running effort at max capacity for 1 length of the pool, then easy jog back

1 HARD “heel-to-butt” kick effort for 1 length of the pool, then easy jog back

1 HARD “high-knees-running” effort  (knees come all the way up to chest), then jog back

1 HARD “cross-country ski” effort (straight legs, straight arms), then jog back

Repeat these HARD efforts as a circuit, going 2, 3, or 4 times through. Workout time will range from 15-30 minutes, depending on how many circuits you perform. Cool-down jog for 5 minutes.

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And that's it. The beauty of aqua jogging is that it can be intense, but very forgiving on the body because of it's non-impact nature. If your form is good, you can perform hard aqua jogging workouts on consecutive days and maintain fitness, VO2 max, and lactate threshold without risk of overtraining or injury.

So get out there and hit the pool for a great winter cross-training workout!

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33 thoughts on “All About Aqua Jogging: AQX Aquatic Shoes, Underwater Mp3 Players, Speedo Belt, and a Workout!

  1. Aleksandra Włodarczyk Zumba says:

    Well written. I commonly use the aquatic boots during The Aqua aerobics, a water Zumba and water jogging.

  2. Pati says:

    Hello Ben, my nano iPod broke over a month ago, which I used while working. My plan was to replace it with the smaller version, however, I realized Apple doesn’t make them or sell them anymore. I see my only options are those huge headsets or Bluetooth. In an effort to prevent or reduce nnEMF from blasting my brain I refuse to put Bluetooth anything near my brain and those headsets like Beatz are way to bulky. What do you recommend?

    1. I know DefenderShield has headphones for this purpose… I use one of their cell-phone cases for its EMF blocking capacity: https://www.defendershield.com/headphones

  3. Howie says:

    On the question of audio, I have found the use of bluetooth to be a more than adequate solution. I place my iphone down anywhere secure on the deck of the pool and wear a bathing cap over my headset.

    Would Ben or anyone else know where one can get a bungee cord appropriate for aqua jogging/running/sprinting?

    Thanks!

    1. I went with this company: https://www.knotandrope.com/store/pc/home.asp – excellent customer service. Call them and ask for John. He'll take good care of you!

  4. LUNN says:

    Worked for me, too. For me, the download button appeared as a small icon inside the upper right corner of the album icon. The icon is a cloud with a down arrow.

  5. Erin says:

    So I’ve been Aqua jogging for the last week and a half and at first everything was going great! My heart rate was up, my glutes were getting tired just like in running and I felt like I was getting great workouts! I took one day off and then when I came back something changed and I don’t know why- now my hip flexors keep taking over and fatiguing when I try to run and I can’t even get a good workout. I have tried leaning forward to get more extension but my hips continue to fatigue. I want to get more glute activation like when I actually run. Any tips?

    Thanks!!!

    1. Turn your glutes back on. Have you read the "Core Foundation Book"? My core and glutes turn off every time I travel in cars/airplanes or sit for a long time so I do the 10 exercises in that book 3x/week. Works a charm: http://goo.gl/k2Y1IP

  6. Mary says:

    I am at a loss as to why deep water jogging is preferred over just jogging in place with feet touching. I would think that more calories are expended – maybe your core gets more of a workout – but couldn't be that much different. I can run fairly fast in chest deep water for over an hour and feel great – not tired. Have ipod music on a waterproof device. I've been doing this for years, but can't seem to find much support for this great exercise.

    1. I enjoy the same workout as you in our health club pool .I am 68 years old and for the first time in my life I enjoy exercising !!!! After 3 months of “running” 3 or 4 times a week for around an hour I feel energized, accomplished, and healthier. As I look around the pool many times I am the only one left after others have come and gone for their swimming workout !! I love running to my fast- paced playlist that I listen to on my waterproof ipod shuffle. I certainly don’t see anyone else my age attempting my workout routine !!
      You go girl…..consider me your “support sister”…..and enjoy all the benefits that this exercise brings :)

  7. Zanny Blew says:

    Looking to buy a pair of aquatic shoes – an you help?

    1. Mary says:

      Try Speedo brand – black with blue stripe – very light – rubber sole – dries quickly

  8. guest says:

    any suggestions for calming a metatarsal stress fracture, I seem to push off with my toes

    1. Deep water aqua jogging!

  9. Jessica H. says:

    PS Music? I use regular earbuds and an iPod shuffle. I wrap the wires around my head and clip the iPod into a bandana.

    Jessica H.

  10. Jessica H says:

    I am an avid shallow and deep water runner. I wear fantastic gear that increases the resistance in all directions and charges up my workout.
    www.aqualogixfitness.com

    Chlorine is my perfume!

  11. Maggie says:

    For all you older ladies out there … I got into water jogging while on a cruise and couldn't find a free treadmill, so I wrapped my iPod in a towel, hopped in the pool with iPod on the deck and jogged for an hour. Amazing results: felt fully exercised and refreshed afterward .. And the hair stayed unmussed. When I got home I found on the web H20Audio who sold waterproof iPod cases. Changed my life. Water jogging = 650 calories/hr – lost 20#s and became quite a celebrity at the health club. I stay in one place with my feet touching the bottom – water over my chest jog to the beat of the music ( you need rock I.e. "Footloose" is a good one) and just jog as fast as I can. Try it ~you'll like it.

    1. Mordayne says:

      Hi Maggie! I am older as well, I will be 52 next month. I was completely sedentary with a knee injury, and in need of a healthy lifestyle. I started aqua jogging on 6 months ago, 4 times a week for 30 minutes. This has been amazing! It is fun, relaxing, and I feel so much better. I have lost inches everywhere, my clothes are all too big on me and I have real muscles! I am stronger, happer and looking for more ways to make this even better. I started in "Deep Water" and my gym closed so the next pool only went up to 4 1/2 feet so I stay in the deep end. I think as my 6 month present, I'm going to add water shoes. I'm very excited! This changed my life. I can't say enough about Aqua Jogging, and I am so pleased to see it has a name!

      1. That's fantastic, Mordayne! Definitely add the water shoes – you deserve it :)

        1. Mordayne says:

          Thanks! I've always used the webbed gloves and those really increase resistance. I run with my hands slightly open so the gloves catch the water with each step. I really feel the difference in my arms. Thanks for bringing this to more people's attention.

  12. GINA says:

    THE TOP PART OF MY FOOT IS GETTING REALY BADLY CHAFFED TO THE POINT THAT I STOPPED WEARING THE SHOES..I RUN EVERYDAY FOR ANYWHERE FROM 45-120 MINUTES.ANY SUGGESTIONS ? I HAVE APPLIED VASOLINE…OH AND EVEN THOUGH I AM RUNNING IN A POOL AND RINSE THEM THEY SMEEL HORRIBLE. DO SPRAY FEBREEZE ON THEM.

    1. Sounds like the shoes are too tight, Gina!

  13. JSM says:

    i have some achilles tendon inflamation (100m rocky trail ultramarathon, followed three weeks later by a 50m rocky trail ultramarathon) in both legs. i wanted to explore the option of aqua jogging so that i dont lose any fitness and give my achilles time to "heel" (pun intended). i have a 100k in Jan and another 100m in Feb, so i need to maintain. what type of aqua jogging workouts would you recommend for endurance/distance runners? have you evered row (to maintain & avoid impact)? while i know you arent a doctor, what are your thoughts?

    1. I prefer quality over quantity for aqua jogging. For runners, a sample session I prescribe would be 5 minute jog warmup, 20×30 second sprints with 60 second jog recoveries, then a cooldown.

  14. Aneisha says:

    vpbwmx Cool! That’s a clever way of lkonoig at it!

  15. anonymous says:

    Okay, seriously. This is the first time I've ever heard of aqua jogging. It sounds kind of like torture to me. But, it would be funny watch.:) I mean no offense and I'm sure it's a wonderfully useful low impact activity. I'm also interested to know there are underwater m3ps.

  16. Todd Manning says:

    I'm curious as to how Aqua Jogging would be for recovering from a pretty bad (but not broken or fractured) ankle injury? I was thinking it might still be too much given the tendency for the water to push back at various angles on the ankle, but maybe not… or at least maybe at least it would be ok as a way to slowly reintroduce running once the ankle is further along, but not necessarily as a way to stay fit while the ankle is still pretty beat up?

    1. If I were in your shoes (no pun intended), I'd wrap the ankle or wear an ankle brace as you aqua jog, so that you don't have to worry about excessive ankle joint movement….

  17. Craig says:

    You say running posture should be a lean forward, while other sites say posture should be straight and avoid leaning….which way is the right way and more effective

  18. Jessi says:

    Love this info as well as the workout. Thanks! Definitely am going to try out those shoes.

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