Another reason to cross train – Land Meets Water…

Water is magical - buoyancy unloads the body, and impact decreases with increasing depth of immersion.

Athletes and other fitness enthusiasts who participate in land based activities that include a significant amount of ‘landing’ run the risk of developing a condition called foot-strike hemolysis. This may result in rupturing of red blood cells affecting the ability of the body to maintain the iron needed to carry oxygen.

Runners have been found to develop hemolysis, whereas long distance cyclists have not. Schumacher et al, 2002 suggested that repeated foot strikes associated with running destroy red blood cells.

Water Works!

A young man suffering from a serious back injury came to the pool with his child. He kept a close eye on the exercises the instructor was doing with client. He asked can you make me walk, the doctors said I would never walk. I’ve been in the wheelchair for 4 years now. No promises the instructor said but if you want to try we can work together. After 1.5years a miracle happened. Up to then the instructor move the man’s legs. One day he said, I want to do it myself. With total commitment he started to move his legs himself. With time the instructor would tell him the exercise and he would do them. When he went to the doctor, the doctor noticed major changes. He asked what he was doing. The man said exercising in the water. When he told the doctor the exercises he was able to do, the doctor said it is not possible, your movements are spontaneous muscle contractions. There is no way you will ever be able to control your movements. The man said to the doctor, the instructor tells me the exercise and I do them. The instructors mixes up the movements so I have no idea what they are going to make me do. How can this be spontaneous muscle movement. The long story short is, he now walks with braces and has returned to work.