Aqua Jogging Question

I don't have an answer, but I would be interested in hearing what other people thought.

OK first, stop calling it aqua jogging. You're running in the water. My guess is your stride frequency is too low, or you're not upright enough in the water. You wanna keep your arm swing down near your hips, as much as possible the stride should feel like land. This is not a high knee drill experience. Your objective is to push water back behind you, moving very slowly forward. If you are having trouble, get a flotation belt so you can learn to work the stride properly.

It doesn't really matter what your resting heart rate is. Your heart rate will be ~10% lower in the pool and the effort will feel a bit more like light weight work than light running.

did you use an aquabelt?

I used to do a lot of deep-water running. Initially, I did it with a water-ski jacket; later, I usually did it without any flotation device. I tried various "running" styles to try to find the most effective cross-training effect for running. I also experimented with various stride frequencies, intensities, and durations of workouts.

Regarding heart rate, expect it to be lower than it would be for a similar perceived effort during running on land. That's O.K. But I don't think that you're getting the most out of the workout if you're just going through the motions and not working hard. My deep-water workouts were usually VERY intense -- usually very hard interval sessions, sometimes more sustained hard efforts. The beauty of deep-water running, at least for me, was that it didn't get me injured, whereas running on land at similar intensities for similar durations and work volumes would have shredded my connective tissue.

I haven't done a deep-water running session in almost twenty years, so my memory is a little bit hazy, but I believe my stride frequency without a flotation device was somewhere around 145-150 strides per minute -- perhaps 25 strides per minute fewer than comparable efforts on land. Trying to increase stride frequency in the water, in an effort to more closely mimic land-running, can be counterproductive, so don't get too hung up on that. The key, for me, seemed to be intensity. Take the opportunity to get in some great resistance work at a hard effort.

Avocado's Number has it right. I do a lot of my recovery work in the pool. When I do workouts, it is usually fartlek or short intervals with short rests.

One danger in trying too hard to go too fast is that you lose form. Focus on staying smooth at whatever pace you go.

If you use water bells, you'll get a nice arm workout (especially at 45 minutes +)

For workouts, check out LR poster Darkwave (womens' thread). She goes nuts in the water and I am saying that in the most complimentary way.

There is a brief technique/learning curve. I've seen various running form in the water. I don't use a floatation belt any longer. I've seen some people use a 'noodle' like they were riding a horse.

It's my 'go to' when I'm paranoid that I may have a little too much pounding on my legs. 2nd would be elliptical and 3rd bike.

I've never checked my heart rate but I doubt that I can push it to the same level as running.

ps the fatties and blue hairs bobbing around doing water 'aerobics' will glare at you.

I do a lot of aqua-jogging. I use a floatation belt to keep me buoyant and it enables me to stay in the water for longer. Without a belt I can tread water for only about 20min.

As an easy workout I keep the tempo pretty relaxed and go for about 30min. Yes, your HR will be about 20bpm lower in the pool than a similar level running because the water pressure on your body lowers your blood pressure and hence your heart rate. As a recovery workout pool running is excellent: gets your HR up a tad, gives your muscles some stimulation but without the stress of gravity on joints and tendons.

For a more intense LT type workout I will do 20-30 X 2min hard and 1min easy. Maintaining concentration in the pool is tough so doing these workouts with a buddy keeps them a little more lively. Unlike some posters I don't worry too much about using correct "running" form. In fact I like to use an exaggerated arm and knee action almost like I'm sprinting. When I get out of the pool after 75min my legs are like jelly and I can hardly lift my arms to put on my shirt.

And yes the pool will be filled with fat older men shaped like the letter D and round old ladies, all glaring at you and drifting like huge jellyfish into your path.