Hi, Paul! I'm not Cathe, but I thought I'd reprint a post I put up earlier this year. It discusses water jogging as an alternative cardio and muscle endurance workout, and it sounds like it would be right up your street if you have to be careful about weight-bearing exercise and/or impact. In case you don't know, an Aqua Jogger is a cummerbund-like vest that buckles around the trunk (round side up) and you go into the deep end of a pool, wherein the Aqua Jogger will keep your head and neck above the waterline while you do running or other lower- and upper-body drills. Let me know if you have questions. The "Resources" section will give you places to search for videos / DVDs, which can be invaluable.
I'm a water group fitness instructor (for the past 9-1/2 years) and love all things aquatic!
A-Jock
WATER JOGGING WORKOUT FORM POINTERS:
In traditional water jogging and in vertical-body drills, make sure you maintain a straight and strong trunk. Avoid hinging forward from the hips or
curving forward from the spine; also avoid hyperextending (overarching) from the low spine. Maintain a total body position about three degrees
forward from vertical.
In traditional water jogging arm motions, make sure that you do not cross the arms in front of the body and pull the elbows out to the sides; instead
make the arm motions true shoulder flexion and extension forward and back. This recruits the anterior and posterior deltoids more effectively.
In traditional water jogging arm motions as well as “double-uppercuts”, keep your hands fisted, your wrists firm and your arms in a strict 90-degree
flexion at the elbow. Also make sure to complete equal range of motion forward and back. The firmer you keep the arms the more effective the work.
To increase the workload for long-lever arm work, flatten the hands in the direction of the motion and keep the elbow and wrist joints firm.
To increase the workload for long-lever leg work, point the toes and keep the knee and ankle joints firm, using the muscles rather than locking out
the joints. (Conversely, to reduce the workload for long-lever leg work, flex the ankle, but remember to keep that position firm.)
To increase resistance for the upper body, wear resistance mitts for the hands (Speedo brand resistance mitts offer the heaviest resistance due to
increased surface area AND cloth drag resistance.) You can also wear an old, long-sleeved tee-shirt to significantly increase cloth drag resistance.
To increase resistance for the lower body, wear a pair of old athletic shoes that you no longer need for your leg work. (Note that you do NOT want to
wear these for flutter-kick drills.) You can also wear a pair of old, outsized panty-hose-style nylons or tights to significantly increase cloth drag
resistance (make sure to wear a pair at least two sizes larger than you might for regular street wear, so that circulation to the lower body isn’t
constricted).
If you wish to do your water jogging workout routine to music, select music that is between 135 and 145 bpm to start, gauge how effective your
movements are from there, and then change the music selection and bpms as desired.
For prone (face-down) flutter- and frog-kick drills, make sure the entire body from head to foot, is at the waterline; there should be no sagging at
the low back. Also make sure your neck is neutral and not hiking up; keep your chin somewhat tucked.
For seated flutter-kick drills, make sure your hips are directly underneath your shoulders; they should not be drifting forward or hiking back. (This
takes a surprising amount of core work to do!)
USE YOUR IMAGINATION WHEN DESIGNING YOUR
WATER JOGGING WORKOUTS!
WATER JOGGING WORKOUT RESOURCES:
Aqua Jogger
www.aquajogger.com
The original Aqua Jogger belt; videos; accessories
Adolph Kiefer and Associates
www.kiefer.com
“Aqua-Sizer” belt; numerous other products for general aquatic fitness
Hydrofit Aquatic Fitness Gear
www.hydrofit.com
“Wave Belt” belt; numerous other products for general aquatic fitness
Speedo USA
www.speedousa.com
“Aquatic Fitness Belt”; resistance gloves; apparel
Fitness Wholesale
www.fwonline.com
“Aqua Sun Swim Belt” and “Aqua Joggers”; wide variety of products including books / videos, accessories, heart-rate charts and music
The Aquatic Exercise Association
www.aeawave.com
Provides training and certification for aquatic instructors; also has a store of aquatic fitness products and literature.
SAMPLE WATER JOGGING WORKOUT ROUTINE:
COMPLETE CYCLES OF:
Traditional runs 12-count with standard running arms
Traditional runs 12-count with double-uppercuts:
palms in, palms up, palms out; 12 count
(Note: 4 complete runs per count, i.e. 1-2-3-4, 2-2-3-4,
3-2-3-4, 4-2-3-4)
THEN:
Runs + short-lever fisted FAST arm abductions / adductions at waterline
(pec / rear-delt flyes) 12 count
Skis + long-lever palmed arm abductions / adductions at waterline
(pec / rear-delt flyes) 24-count
Runs + flat-hand push-pulls at waterline 12 count
Power skis (long-lever legs toes pointed, long-lever arms hands flat)
24-count
Runs + short-lever fisted lateral delt raises 12 count
JACKS + long-lever flat-hand lateral delt raises
(note: raise arms as you abduct legs; abduct arms as you adduct legs)
24-count
Runs + biceps curls 12 count
Skis + long-lever shoulder flexion / extension flat hands with palms facing
back (24 count)
Runs + LONG-lever fisted FAST arm abductions / adductions at waterline
(pec / rear-delt flyes)
12 count
Skis + long-lever flat-hand abductions / adductions at waterline
(pec / rear delt flyes)
24-count
Runs + flat-hand push-pulls OR breast strokes at waterline 12 count
Power Skis (long-lever legs toes pointed, long-lever arms hands flat)
24-count
Runs with legs abducted + flat-hand upright rows 12 count
JACKS + long-lever flat-hand lateral delt raises
(note: raise arms as you abduct legs; abduct arms as you adduct legs)
24-count
Runs + flat-hand triceps extensions 12-count
Skis + long-lever shoulder flexion / extension palms UP 24-count
Traveling vertical breast strokes for 12; body vertical and static
Traveling vertical “digs back” for 12; body vertical and static
Traveling vertical “reverse breast strokes” for 12; body vertical and static
Anchored flutter / frog kick drills at wall (3 cycles of 12 each)
(Each cycle of this runs about 20 minutes)
SAMPLE WATER JOGGING WORKOUT ROUTINE (cont.):
ADDITIONAL DRILLS:
Anchored dolphin kicks at wall
Seated flutter kick drills (anchored with back to wall; or traveling backward)
Vertical flutter kick drills arms extended overhead (legs; core stabilization)
Vertical hamstring curls arms extended overhead (hams; core stabilization)
Non-traveling skis and jacks arms extended overhead (core stabilization)
Non-traveling runs arms extended overhead (core stabilization)
Runs plus fisted arm rolls (“speed-bag drills”) with the forearms and fists either breaking the surface of the water or directly underneath the
waterline
Runs plus long-arm claps at waterline, short-lever claps with elbows anchored at sides of trunk, and short-lever forearm abduction / adduction with
elbows anchored at sides of trunk (good rotator cuff work)
