Have you ever been injured, are injured or think you possibly cannot train for a race because of a nagging injury?
Let me tell you about a lethal weapon I have used, as well as many of the world's top tier runners. Pool Running.
Have you ever considered this? Think about how much stress you put on our body when you run. The majority of us train on pavement and concrete. No wonder we have so many injuries. I have used pool running several times over the years to train for races with great results. It was the best option I had when dealing with injuries.
Think about long you would have ride your bike to equal a 5 mile run, probably around an hour. Think about it. Your heart rate is lower even while riding hard on a stationary bike as compared to running. What is the next best option. Pool Running. You are placing no stress whatsoever on your ligaments and joints. You are getting a fantastic workout and there are many variations you can use to set up a great workout in the pool.
According to livestrong.com, a 2003 report in the Journal of Sports Science states that running in the pool can assist you in keeping your aerobic fitness for up to 6 weeks. I have used this method countless times with great results. So what are some of the benefits of running in the deep end of the pool?
PROS
- It is much easier to get your heart rate up towards a ‘on-land' run while running in the deep end of the pool than going for a 30 minute bike ride.
- Great substitution workout for severe inclement weather conditions
- Very similar to ground running, without the impact on your joints
- The world's top runners utilize this training option
- Greater upper body workout than ground running due to range of motion being challenged from water
- Closely mimics the same movements as ground running.
CONS
- Training in the pool is very boring.
- You are stationary in one place and your body, initially, will let you know that it is not used to this new activity (totally normal)
- Harder to get up heart rate as compared to ground running
- Sharing space with other people who may be swimming in or near your lane
I have suffered from various injuries over the years.
I have had a ruptured plantaris tendon, three orthoscopic knee surgeries (torn cartilage that had to be removed), plantar fasciatis, patellar tendinitis, shin splints (fortunately, only once).
Have you had similar injuries? What do they call have in common? Well, am sure if you have had any of these injuries the thought of the word ‘impact' probably made you cringe. This is down-to-earth advice that I hope will give you an option that you may have not considered.
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