A standard measure for exercise prescription for aqua running.

Aqua running has been promoted as a method for cardiovascular conditioning for the injured athlete as well as for others who desire a low impact aerobic workout. Recent studies have suggested the need for an environment-specific measure of exercise intensity. Twenty healthy subjects, 10 men and 10 women, underwent a graded exercise test of aqua running to investigate the relationship between cadence and heart rate. This was done to determine the utility of cadence as a measure for exercise prescription. The graded exercise test followed a standard protocol for exercise testing in aqua running. Results demonstrated a high correlation between cadence and heart rate, both as a group as well as individually. We conclude that cadence may be used as a measure for exercise prescription for aqua running.