Keeping Above Water

Swimming is the ability to keep afloat – to stay above water. It is a systematic process of moving about in water, while staying buoyant. Poor swim techniques can impair your swimming progress, so learning and mastering technique is a persistent goal of serious swimmers aspiring to be Aquaman.

I advocate running in the pool if you suffer soreness of your legs, or you need a break from the hard pounding on the tarmac. It would be good to go minimalist sometimes, and run barefoot. Top-10 Ironman finisher at Kona, Hawaii last year Pete Jacobs recommends barefoot drills. He believes that it gets us connected to our proprioceptors, that is, sensory organs that alert us to the feel and texture of the ground.

If you like to experience how your proprioceptors work, and do the following drill: Stand on one leg. Look ahead and stay balanced. Now, close your eyes and attempt to achieve the same level of balance. You will discover that it is harder to stay in balance as your muscles of your foot, ankle and leg struggle to maintain the body’s centre of gravity. Your proprioception is activated in this ‘blind’ state. When you run barefooted, you will tend to land on your forefoot instead of your heel – and that is the correct and natural way for your body to absorb the shock.

As part of my preparation for marathons, I have done run intervals in chest-high, water level. My prescribed, aquatic sets are:

Warm-up jogging: 10 minutes.

1 minute, fast run (on the spot); jog 1 minute.

2 minutes fast run; jog 1 minute.

3 minutes fast run; jog 1 minute.

4 minutes fast run; jog 1 minute.

3 minutes fast run; jog 1 minute.

2 minutes fast run; jog 1 minute.

1 minute fast run; jog 1 minute.

Repeat another set.

Cool down: Jog 10-12 minutes. End of 60-minutes interval session!

Pool running still engages gravity, so it is an effective meeting that maintains bone density. Cycling and swimming can both lead to some bone loss because the effect of gravity is less compared with running; impact enhances bone development. You can work up a good sweat despite being in water and you can raise your heart rate significantly, whilst providing a cushioning support on your joints. Aquatic running combines the benefits of running and swimming. Give water running a go! 

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Leadership Lessons: How do you stay above things? How often do you get your feet wet in matters that are new? How deep do you delve into your learning?