What is Deep Water Exercise (DWE)?
Description
Deep water running or exercise is exactly what the name would imply—training
in water deep enough to avoid contact with the bottom of the pool, while
keeping your head above the water's surface.
In other words, it is like following an exercise routine while
suspended in a body of water. This unique environment gives Deep Water Exercise (DWE)
its potential to benefit elite level athletes. Because the athlete is not in contact with the
underlying surface, DWE is a completely non-weight bearing form of
exercise.
Some athletes, particularly runners, may already be familiar with deep
water running. Water Works Performance has expanded that concept to
include "Deep Water Skating", which is the training technique
employed with hockey players. The principles of DWE can be successfully
applied to a variety of sports.
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How Deep Water Exercise works
The stresses imposed by bearing our own body weight on land are
significant. For example: the impact force generated while running is
about 3 to 5 times our body weight. These stresses often result in both acute and chronic
injury.
By replicating weight-bearing exercise in the non-weight bearing environment of deep water, the
athlete may realize all the benefits of:
- Increased training loads to improve performance;
- Unloading to avoid injury;
- Maintaining training loads and performance while recovering from
injury;
- Accelerated rehabilitation during recovery from injury;
...without the stresses imposed by land based, weight bearing exercise.
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