Wonder if Poseidon Was a Runner

Treadmills. We've all used them. They're great for when it's too cold, too hot, or just simply when there's no good or safe place to run. If you're creative you can get in a great workout on a treadmill be it a regular run, sprint intervals, a tempo run, or even hill work. Whether you use the treadmill at the gym or you've invested in a quality home treadmill, it can be a lifesaver for a runner, especially one who is in training.

Recently I was introduced to an entirely different approach to the treadmill—the water treadmill. Yep, that's right, a water treadmill. Water therapy has been used for decades for rehabilitation. The use of a physical therapy pool is very beneficial in the recovery of muscle injuries. The support of the water provides resistance and muscle activation without the impact.

The people at HydroWorx have created the best of both worlds with their HydroWorx X80 portable underwater treadmill and jet machine. This unique underwater treadmill turns any static pool into a highly functional rehab and fitness experience. The portable underwater treadmill offers low impact cardio and also comes with an integrated resistance jet for enhanced rehabilitation and conditioning. By attaching a massage hose to the fully adjustable resistance jet, you can soothe aching joints and muscles with a deep tissue massage.

The water treadmill is not just for physical therapy rehab centers. Fitness centers and universities are starting to see the benefits of water training and are equipping their pools with water treadmills for fitness training. UO, NCSU, OSU, KU, UK, and MSU are just a few of the universities across the country using water treadmills.  The really cool thing is that you can do entirely different workouts on the water treadmill, because there's not the concern of falling off and hurting yourself.

So, is there going to be an Atlantis Marathon? Don't know, but if you ever have a chance to test out a water treadmill, you might be pleasantly surprised. I know I'm heading to NCSU for a test run. Wonder if I have to put baggies over my running shoes? ;-)