Maximal physiological responses to deep and shallow water running

Abstract

The maximal physiological responses to treadmill running (TMR), shallow water running (SWR) and deep water running (DWR) while wearing a buoyancy vest were compared in 15 trained male runners. Measurements included oxygen consumption (VO2max), respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and heart rate (HR). Treadmill running elicited VO2max and HRmax, which were higher than the peaks attained in both water tests (p < 0.01). VO2max averaged 83.7 and 75.3% of VO2max peak for SWR and DWR respectively. Peak HR for SWR and DWR were 94.1 and 87.2% of the HRmax reached in the TMR. RER responses were similar between the three modalities. The observations suggest that the training stimulus provided by water is still adequate for supplementary training. While SWR is potentially an efficient method of maintaining cardiovascular fitness, it needs to be investigated further to establish if it is a viable technique for the injured athlete to employ.

Keywords:

• Heat-out Water Immersion Deep Water Running Heart Rate Aerobic Capacity Ventilation