Shoes For Underwater Marathons

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In the shadow of Nike's (NKE) Oregon headquarters, startup AQx Sports is producing underwater running shoes.



Equipped with flaps poking out from the sides, the AQx Aquatic Training Shoes look a bit like fish. The "gills" catch water on the down step, increasing resistance for people who wear them during an underwater workout. I took them for a test swim as part of a series of reviews on wearable technology.



The shoes retail for $79.50 on the company's Web site and meet one qualification that never hurts footwear: They look good. Available in one color for men and three for women, they're relatively understated for any sort of modern running sneaks, let alone amphibious ones. The gills add an appealing hydrodynamism.



EXTRA BURDEN.

But the AQx shoes are not for people looking to make a fashion statement. Unlike other sports sneakers, they're not meant to double as street gear. No, these are meant for wearing mainly in the pool -- and they're for people who are serious about working out. They augment activities such as deep-water running, a cardiovascular exercise focusing on muscles from the hips down.



Deep-water runners strap a flotation device around their waists and run in place without touching the pool floor. The exercise can work as part of a training regimen or serve as a workout on its own. The primary appeal is a cardio and leg workout that doesn't involve the stress of pounding the pavement. Aquatic training shoes can also be used for similar exercises in shallow water.



Simply put, the shoes make it more difficult to move your feet underwater. They succeed, especially when the gills catch water. Like leg weights, they serve as an optional extra burden for jocks looking to push themselves in water that is already hundreds of times denser than air. I tried them out for a deep-water running class at a college a few blocks from the office.



UNCOMFORTABLE ZONE.

AQx Sports President Garry Killgore, an NCAA track coach with a doctorate in human performance, says the shoes have a wide variety of applications, from casual workouts to high levels of athletic training. He says they could benefit people with limited motion, such as pregnant women and some diabetics -- though the company advises consulting a doctor before beginning a routine.



The instructor for my class, Doug Stern, warned me ahead of time that only people in very good shape [think marathoners and triathletes] would make it through one of his classes wearing the shoes. I'm neither of those people.



Stern teaches with an amiable drill-sergeant shtick, leading the class through exercises that mimic the motions of running and cross-country skiing. "Explore your uncomfortable zone," he encouraged. Most of the class had no problem getting to that place barefoot, and it took me even less time to find the zone with the AQx shoes on.



STEELHEAD CONNECTION.

Unlike the company, Stern thinks of the shoes as a tool mainly for the athletic elite. After briefly wearing the shoes and chatting with others in the class, I'm inclined to agree. Deep-water running is enough of a workout without shoes. I split the class between wearing the shoes and going it barefoot, and both seemed to get the blood pumping. And if running barefoot isn't tough enough, you can move your legs faster. Several others in the class agreed. Had I worn the shoes the whole time, I almost certainly would not have completed the session.



According to company lore, Killgore found inspiration in the gills of steelhead trout to create the shoes. After he came up with the idea the company team, including two mechanical engineers, designed several prototypes, says AQX Sports Chief Executive Jeff Thomas.



Impressive credentials like that are sure to appeal to the serious athlete. Running near me was a triathlete recovering from an injury. She was excited to learn about the shoes, thinking they would accelerate her return to the sport. At the end of the class, when just about everyone else was wiped out, she stayed on for the next one. Along with my experience, her interest only reinforced my hunch that these shoes are best used by serious athletes, or at least athletes more serious than me.