If you do not have the luxury of living in an area where year-round outdoor training is an option, or you just hate training in the cold or snow, look beyond the normal treadmill and trainer routines to help you maintain your fitness. An important aspect of your offseason training is variety, and by including alternatives to your winter training, you can avoid the boredom often associated with training indoors. Some indoor options are: deep-water running (also known as aqua-jogging), elliptical trainers, stair-climbers, and rowing ergometers. For those athletes who are fortunate enough to have warm-weather options during the off-season, these indoor alternatives also can and should be incorporated into your winter training plan, as well as throughout your entire season.

DEEP-WATER RUNNING
Deep-water running (DWR) mimics land running with one exception: you're floating. Comparative analyses of deep-water and land-based running have concluded that water running is a satisfactory substitute for regular land-based running to maintain aerobic fitness. One study has shown that competitive runners maintained their VO2max and 5K times after 4 weeks of deep-water running. Another demonstrated that VO2max and ventilatory threshold were unchanged after 6 weeks of DWR.

To perform deep-water running properly, you should purchase a vest or belt to ensure that you can keep your head above water. The belt is the preferred choice of flotation, since it tends to fit better than a vest or lifejacket and does not restrict your natural arm movement. You could also utilize a tether cord to keep you in one place, or you can actually "run"laps back and forth across the deep end of the pool.

Often, athletes new to deep-water running feel that the flotation device restricts their breathing and that the pressure from the surrounding water further contributes to this feeling of constriction. This tightness may cause you to breathe more shallowly than usual and thus cause you to be short of breath. Be patient, as it may take a bit of time for you to adapt your new running environment, and you will need to pay close attention to your breathing to make sure that it's deep enough.

You can also complete your deep-water running workouts without a flotation device. This method requires much more strength to keep your body stable and upright. Also, your running form may be compromised, since staying afloat often becomes your primary concern. Although the absence of a constricting belt or vest may alleviate some of the tightness around the chest, it's best to start your water running exercises with a flotation device.

FORM TIPS FOR DEEP-WATER RUNNING
• The water level should hit shoulder height.
• The head should be in a neutral position, mouth out of the water, eyes looking ahead.
• The body should lean slightly forward.
• The arm motion is the same as on land, and hands should be loosely closed, slicing through the water.
• The leg motion should mimic the motion on land. A lower stride cadence may result due to the resistance from the water.

Studies have shown that responses during deep-water running are, on average, 10 to 12 beats lower than those achieved during traditional running at matched submaximal intensities; therefore, use a self-determined rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during workouts. Otherwise, duplicate in the water those running sessions scheduled on land. If your training plan calls for a 1-hour recovery run on land, do a 1-hour recovery run in the water. To duplicate track intervals on the schedule, do them in the pool at a high intensity with a high turnover rate and rest intervals of easy water jogging in between. (The rest intervals should be shorter since recovery in the water will be much faster than on land.)

Many athletes find deep-water running boring. The key to breaking up the monotony is to vary the workouts. Due to the lack of impact and reduced stress to the body, day-to-day recovery from deep-water running is faster than for traditional running. This means that athletes can deal with more frequent intensity and greater duration in the water than on the track or road.

WORKOUTS FOR DEEP-WATER RUNNING

WO R KO U T 1: Base Building Session Warm-up
10-minute easy jog
Main Set
• 2 minutes straight leg kick; driving from the hip with toes pointed down
• 10-minute steady-state run
• 2 minutes straight leg kick; driving from the hip with toes pointed down
• 10-minute steady-state run
• 2 minutes straight leg kick, driving from the hip with toes pointed down
Cool-down
10-minute easy jog
Workout Total: 46 minutes

WO R KO U T 2: Interval Session
Warm-up
10-minute easy jog
Main Set
5 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy
4 to 6 90 seconds hard, 3-minute easy rest interval
Cool-down
10-minute easy jog
Workout Total: 43-52 minutes

WO R KO U T 3: Pyramid Session
Warm-up
10-minute easy jog
Main Set
• 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy
• 2 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy
• 3 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy
• 4 minutes hard, 4 minutes easy
• 5 minutes hard
Cool-down
10-minute easy jog
Workout Total: 45 minutes
(For a longer workout, go back down the pyramid: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and cool-down.)

WO R KO U T 4: Drill Session
Warm-up
10-minute easy jog
Main Set
• 30 seconds at high turnover, quick, short strides with fast arm movement
• 3 minutes easy
• 30 seconds butt-kicks, quick flexion of knee
• 3 minutes easy
• 30 seconds high knee, driving the lead knee as high as possible with fast arm movement
• 3 minutes easy
• 30 seconds straight-leg kick; driving from the hip with toes pointed down
Cool-down
10-minute easy jog
Workout Total: 31 minutes
(For a longer workout, repeat the set and then cool-down.)