Mel On...This Week's Deep Water Running Class

Today is THURSDAY!  I love Thursdays because Thursdays mean hiking or deep water running with my girl, Bri.  Since we did hiking last week we really didn't want to miss deep water running today.  The class was super-packed (I'm assuming because it was the first class of the new year everyone was hitting the gym to knock off their resolutions), which is great...but a little annoying when we kept bumping into people trying to balance on a noodle....

Hopefully, they will open up some more lanes next week if the class is going to continue to grow.  If you can't make it to a class or don't have one in your area...or don't want to be knocked off your noodle... I am posting the workout below!

All you need is the deep end of a pool, an aqua jogger, pool noodle, and water barbells...and thick skin when people laugh at you because you will look ridiculous....

60 Minute Deep Water Running Routine

1x = 1 pool lane lap (there and back)

• 2x Jogging -- light jog concentrating on form and motion (try to keep your body straight up with your shoulders back and head forward)
• 3x Mountain Climbers -- same as on land, float on your stomach and bring your right knee to your right elbow and straighten as bring your left knee to your left elbow and straighten...and try not to drown
• 2x Hurdles -- reaching out opposite hand to foot, "hurdle" yourself down and back swinging your other arm straight back as you go
• 2x Cycling -- sit on noodle for balance and move your legs in a cycling motion to propel yourself forward (only your legs should be moving) 
• 10 Pullouts -- facing the pool wall, place your hands shoulder-length apart on the deck of the pool and pull your upper body out of the water keeping your elbows high, slowly lower yourself back in and repeat 
• 1x Narrow Push-Ups -- using two water barbells in each hand, float on your stomach and push the weights straight down through the water in a push-up position (keep elbows close to your body), kicking your feet to propel you through the water
• 10 Dips -- from a sitting position at the edge of the pool, slide your body down into the water until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle, slowly raise your body back up until your elbows straighten out (keeping your back and legs along the pool wall)
• 1x Wide Push-Ups -- using two water barbells in each hand, float on your stomach and hold the barbells out in a wide-angle position (wider than shoulder width), push straight down and back up, kicking your feet to propel you through the water
• 2x Standing Balance -- standing with both feet shoulder-length apart on a pool noodle, move your arms in a short, fast forward motion to propel you to the end of the pool lane (use only your arms), at the end of the lane begin moving your arms in a short, fast backward motion to reverse yourself back to your starting point
• 2x Abs -- facing the pool wall, hold one water barbell with both hands shoulder-length apart under water, bend at the waist with your feet in front of you and kick gently to propel you backwards to the end of the lane, turn-around and repeat to starting point (the lower you hold the barbell underwater the more you will feel it in your lower abs, remember to breathe, and again, don't drown)
• 2x Sprints -- sprint as fast as you can to the end of the lane and back with a focus on form and control (don't paddle your hands, try to keep them in a loose semi-open fist)
• 1x Jog -- light cool down jog, great job!

What is your favorite cross-training routine?