Now that my kiddos are at an age where, apparently, their energy is never ending, I am thankful they can swim about with their floaties (by my side, of course) on the deep end of the pool. I take advantage of this time to do some pool running and have them chase after me. We are all exhausted at the end, and best of all, when they go down for bedtime, they sleep straight through the night til morning (insert evil Mommy laugh!).
If you don´t know why Pool Running is good for you, read this article. I’ve been doing the following workouts for the past few weeks and I can already notice improvement in my form and length of time I can actually pool run.
Pool running can be added to training as part of your pool workout; you can first start with a swimming routine then go on to your pool running routine. For triathletes this is a good combination not just for convenience, but because it also simulates the swimming to bike/run transition without actually getting out of the water. Super refreshing during summertime. Even more so if you end the workout with these summer smoothies!
If you are new to pool running I recommend you go to the deep end of the pool and you purchase a flotation belt or vest. Optional equipment includes water running shoes (there IS such a thing!) and some waterproof mp3 player. The most important thing you can do is maintain good form. As with any workout, form is key. Maintain your body upright and move your arms and legs just as if you were running on land. Please do not, and I repeat, DO NOT swerve your legs off to the sides as this can put unwanted strain on your knees and muscles. Speed is not key here, it is completely irrelevant. Moving forward is not the goal either, running form is your goal.
You will see in some of the workouts below that I tell you to “sprint”, by that I mean that the effort should be hard and you should be pumping your arms. The equivalent of what you are doing on land, but in water. In some cases you are doing distance, as you get used to doing pool runs, you will improve your vertical motion in water. It is a bit tricky at first!
Here are a couple of pool run workouts I’ve been doing the last few weeks. Note that some include a prior swim routine while others are simply pool runs. I try to rotate the workouts, although I admit I look forward to doing Pool Run Workout 1 the most. I find it fun, and I like the challenge of time more so than going the distance.
As with any exercise, I´m a huge fan of streching before and after my workouts, so give some of these a try.
Exercise Disclaimer In the interest of your safety, it is important to check with your physician before beginning any exercise program and to exercise according to your fitness level and capabilities. If you have any questions, please seek the guidance of a health professional.
So there you have some of my favorite swim and pool run workouts that I will continue to do this summer. Give them a try! Make sure you are working hard, even if you´re in the water and feeling oh-so-refreshed, you should come out sweating and feeling tired. These are great as a cross training alternative, if you have a running (on land) injury or simply want to change it up.
Don´t forget to stretch, and of course, fuel up with a protein shake after your workout!
Ana is an integrative nutrition health coach, personal trainer, group fitness instructor and bikini world champion. In her free time she is also a mom to a 3 & 4 year old and an agent to celebrity and Michelin-star chefs. She loves to eat and cook and you will often see her posting pictures of food on her twitter and instagram accounts.... Read More
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