Running from Destruction

Award-winning Orthopedic Sports Surgeon Dr. Stan James treated many athletes who ran too many training miles and ended up on his operating table. Stan’s concerns about too much training of hard surfaces played a role in the interest in the development of deep water running. He saw it as a way of tapping into an athlete’s drive to increase training time, without putting them on his operating table.

Stan encouraged the Nike athletes he trained to find a balance of land running and deep water running. One that maximized their training and conditioning progress without injuries, putting them on the sidelines.

The deep water running removed impact, accessed optimal heart and lung benefits, and increased deep tissue response with its healing effect being ten times more than active recovery on land. He referred to the water running portions of the training schedule as “Running from Destruction” Something from which every athlete can benefit.