Just got a nice new pool at home and suddenly developed this notion that i might do some swim training in it. I heard about this bungie rope type of thing that one can attach to the pool edge and self to swim against it without going anywhere (i.e. like the wind trainer for the bike).
thought i might try and make one up myself but didn't fancy having to do a Harry Houdini to escape it

anybody know of it's proper name and where i could get such a thing? i'm in Brisbane.

many thanks
PH

p.s. i already tried Rebel and they don't stock them. the dude there told me "you'd be better off trying one of those specialist sports stores", umm, ok mate

aquashop.com.au
under swim training equipment / stretchcordz

Gotta fly niece and nephew to entertain!!!

bewdy thanks Pyscho. i believe the EX018 might do me just fine, surely won't get in a tangle with that simple device.

I've been thinking about using these myself. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they any good?

Haha, tethered swimming. The simpsons made fun of this once.

ha ha this is a joke,right?i could just see it-hand entry,fingers,glide,boing,snatch,high elbow,rotate trunk 38 degrees,boing,counter rotational two beat kick,hand/elbow perpendicular to direction of movement,boing,boing

tethered swimming indeed. but i'll get the kids to bomb dive, pull the goggles down, sit on my back punch in the belly, etc so it simulates triathlon better. it's already a saltwater pool, and there were blow up sharks for Christmas... anyone know where i can get a wave maker, then i'll have the whole experience from the comforts of home.

I'm be interested to know how you get on with this PH. I had the kids hold onto my feet while I tried to swim, and I did not like the sensation at all. Without the movement through the water I felt like I was constantly sinking. On the plus side, I recon that after training doing stationary swiming, it would feel like you were really flying through the water. (Kinda like when you get off a treadmill for a drink of water and feel like you're on a travelator (you know, the horizonatal escalators (hey cool, three sets of nested brackets)))

Mike

P.S. I think that the real reason you are looking into this is so that you won't need to count laps any more.

I haven't heard great things about tethered swimming but I guess it would be better than nothing at all!

My husband uses one in our pool and reckons it's great. He got his from the local pool shop - didn't need to do any hunting around for it at all. He also says that it is a harder workout than swimming laps. He also has one of those 'swimp3' underwater ipod thingies as well - so rather than timing himself, he'll load up some songs with a fast beat, he'll swim hard for one song, then ease off for the next and so on.

I got mine from the local pool shop. I found it to be ok (It would have helped if we had a heated pool & it wasn't winter at the time!), but I much prefer to swim in a lap pool, then you can see how far you've actually been swimming for.

I was thinking exactly that when I started reading this post.

I have also thought of doing a bit of tethered swimming in my pool. I will check into the useful advice from here.

Wannabe

I just found this:

swimbuddy


It's only around $20, gotta include the GST. But certainly less money blown if it's not your thing.

Wannabe

Hi PH,

I train with one intermittently through the year. I found that tying the belt around my waist caused a very uncomfortable stroke (maybe it had something to do with the elevated position of the anchor placement) so I landed up tying the belt around both of my ankles and then used a pull bouy (?sp) between my legs to give them a bit of flotation.

Adding in hand paddles ups the workout even more, although I do admit that the whole thing does look a bit silly.

regards

Larry

The swim buddy I put the link in for is actually like a surfboard leash, it has two velcro cuffs, one for each ankle.

I spoke to Hubby last night and I think we're going to order one, save some $$$ on pool entry as Hubby now seems keen to do a Tri with me.

Wannabe

I'd have to agree with Mickey here.

I bought one ages ago off the internet and did not like it at all.

Without being able to glide over the top of the water.. I sank...

It was difficult to remain high in the water and keep a nice momentum.

So I'm still lapping it up in the pool,