REF-922 · Wilber et al., 1996 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Vol. · Paper · PubMed

Influence of water run training on the maintenance of aerobic performance

Blimited evidenceMeasured on trained to highly trained athletesWritten before October 2026, being re-checked

Sixteen trained male runners were assigned, matched by VO2max, to treadmill running or deep water running for 6 wk. Both groups did the same programme: 30 min at 90-100% VO2max and 60 min at 70-75% VO2max, alternated daily, 5 d per week.

After 6 wk there were no significant differences within or between groups in treadmill VO2max, ventilatory threshold or running economy, nor in maximal blood glucose, blood lactate, plasma norepinephrine or body composition.

The authors conclude that deep water running may serve as an effective training alternative to land-based running for the maintenance of aerobic performance for up to 6 wk in trained endurance athletes.

Participants

Sixteen trained male runners, VO2max 58.6 ± 3.6 ml/kg/min, in two groups matched by VO2max: treadmill run (R) and water run (WR). Group sizes and ages are not given in the abstract.

Protocol

6 wk, 5 d per week, two workouts alternated daily: a) 30 min at 90-100% VO2max; b) 60 min at 70-75% VO2max.
R did them on the treadmill, WR as deep water running.
Before and after: treadmill VO2max, ventilatory threshold, running economy at 255 m/min; blood glucose, blood lactate, plasma norepinephrine; body composition.

Key Results

ml/kg/minR preR postWR preWR post
Treadmill VO2max58.4 ± 2.360.1 ± 3.658.7 ± 4.759.6 ± 5.4
Ventilatory threshold47.5 ± 1.848.2 ± 3.346.5 ± 6.447.4 ± 6.7
Running economy at 255 m/min48.4 ± 2.348.9 ± 2.051.8 ± 2.048.9 ± 2.2
No significant intra- or intergroup differences for treadmill VO2max; ventilatory threshold was unaltered; no changes in running economy.
No significant differences within or between groups for maximal blood glucose, blood lactate, plasma norepinephrine or body composition.

Practical Application

In sixteen trained male runners matched by VO2max, 6 wk of deep water running — 30 min at 90-100% VO2max alternated daily with 60 min at 70-75% VO2max, 5 d a week — kept treadmill VO2max (58.7 → 59.6 ml/kg/min), ventilatory threshold and running economy as well as the same programme on a treadmill did. To "will I lose my fitness if I can only run in the pool?": not over 6 wk on this evidence, provided the water sessions carry the same duration and intensity as the runs they replace.
The condition is the dose. The water group trained hard and long, five days a week; easy floating in the pool was not tested.
Inference, not tested here: the study measured laboratory markers, not a race; a companion study that did measure a 5-km run is REF-923.
Not from this paper; the base's own practice: an injured runner uses deep water running only if the injury tolerates it and a clinician has not ruled it out; the substitution rules are in SYNTH-73.

Limitations

Small sample, men only; group sizes are not given and randomisation is not stated in the abstract.
No performance test (race or time trial); maintenance is shown for laboratory markers.
Healthy runners; the injured runner for whom the method is usually wanted was not studied.
The abstract does not say how intensity was controlled in the water.
Written from the abstract and record metadata only (full text not read).
How this entry was checked and changed
Why this level

parallel two-group trial with n=16, assignment by matching (randomisation not stated in the abstract)