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News Register Special on AQx Sports

Published by
AQx Sports   Apr 7th 2009, 3:49am
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As he lingers by the pool, Garry Killgore watches his college athletes weave through the water.


But Killgore’s not a swimming coach and his athletes aren’t there for swim lessons. He’s a track and cross country coach and his athletes are there for deep water running.


In 2001, Killgore, the head track and cross country coach at Linfield College, founded AQx Sports – a company that designs and sells aqua shoes and buoyancy suits.


The shoes make it harder to perform the running motion in the water by adding resistance to the user’s stride. This resistance forces leg muscles to work harder, giving them the burning feeling that they get from running on land. And it all comes without the running impact on the athlete’s body.


“The biggest benefit of deep water running is that it is less stressful on joints and ligaments than running on land,” said Killgore, 48. “It’s a great form of alternative training.”


The dark blue AQx shoes have sock-like insoles made of neoprene, an elastic substance that makes the shoes fit feet snuggly. The outer layer of the shoes is a light mesh material, and there are mini scoop-like gills on the shoes that add the resistance.


Killgore is constantly testing his products and making alterations to their design.


“We’ve probably gone through at least a dozen versions of the shoes,” he said. “We’re always trying to perfect it by reacting to feedback that we get.”


He’s also done several design changes to the zip-up buoyancy suit, which keeps people upright and in running position while in the water.


“I like using a suit while I’m in the pool. They keep me warm and force me to use good form when I’m running,” said Michelle Harteloo, a senior track and cross country athlete at Linfield. “They help me get in a good workout.”


Several professional sports teams are using the shoes. Portland Trailblazer center Greg Oden, for example, first used the AQx shoes in the pool after his 2007 knee surgery.


“I went up to Portland and met the Blazers and helped them get started with deep water running,” Killgore said. “We had to custom make shoes for Oden, because we didn’t have any big enough for him. He wears size 19.”


Though high-profile athletes have turned to deep water running, AQx Sports has been difficult financially for Killgore, who is an exercise science professor at Linfield College.


“When we first started, it was a big financial investment for me. I didn’t have a lot of money to put in,” he said.


Fortunately for Killgore, his investors includes former professional baseball player and Linfield alum Scott Brosius.


“Garry talked to me about what they were doing (with AQx shoes) and had me try it out myself,” Brosius said. “I was pretty immediately sold on it and became invested.”


Brosius, who played for the New York Yankees and Oakland A’s, is the head baseball coach at Linfield. Many of his athletes use deep water running.


“I don’t directly integrate the pool into my program, but it’s valuable for all kinds of athletes,” Brosius said. “There are a lot of uses for it – whether it is to train through injuries or for workouts. I think it’s something more people should try.”



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