Endless Pool Training?

John Withrow

 I actually have an Endless Pool in my basement which makes for some very convenient swimming.  I use Total-Imersion swimming so I'm reasonably efficient, but I'm not all that fast.  My longest race thus far was a Half-IM last yr and I did 40:00 mins.

My question is, has anyone used an Endless Pool (almost) exclusively for IM raining?  It will be hard to do intervals because it's much more like OW swimming with no walls and turns.  Any suggestions on modifying the training plans now that the OS is over for me and I'm gonna start swimming again?  Any suggestions on how often I should actually get into a real pool to mix in some "real" swimming?  I tried to search for some of these answers but didn't find anything.  If any of this has been discussed before, please point me to how to find the threads.

kurshing

I would count strokes as intervals...maybe 20=1 length, 40=lap. Or, out a digital clock up front to sight off of and use time as your interval mechanism. I would definitely recommend NOT just swimming aimlessly for 60 minutes each time. The intervals and sets have been designed the way they are for a reason.

Matt Samojeden

 

John – good question – To Stephens point - You need to do the intervals.  Soooo how?

 

I had been interested in an endless pool but have not made the commitment. I don’t rembemer any threads in EN on the topic. I did a quick Google on Intervals and Endless Pool and the following are a couple of the points I saw.  

 

·        Speed development - The Endless Pool can be used for speed development by setting the current to your desired pace for a specific distance. Swim intervals by stroke count for as long as you want, manipulate the speed for specific intervals, and if you flail or lose control just stand up, recover, and begin again!

 

·        The pacing you can do by varying the strength of the current. Can you figure out what setting on the dial equates to say your 100m race time, cruise time and recovery time. Make a chart of the dial settings for say 1 min = 100m, 1:10 +100m, 1:20 = 100m, 1:30 = 100m, 1:40 =100m etc.



Then go out and buy the ' Aquapacer ' learn how to operate it and you can do everything else. You can even design your whole workout on the computer, with goal times, rest periods, interval sets, stroke rates etc. Then you can download that onto the 'aquapacer', wear it on your goggle strap aand away it goes.



The audible bleep it produces will guide your stroke rate, show rest periods etc. Look for: www.aquapacer.com

 

 

 

I also think you may have the opportunity to swim to the side of the main current set to your target pace and find a spot that fits your recovery pace. Saw some posts pointing to this.

 

Lets us know how this all works for you.

 

Matt

kurshing

On the up side, John, the endless pool can benefit you kind of like a treadmill does for the run in the summer...once you set the speed you are going to do your intervals on, you have no choice but the meet that speed, or stand up. So, that should be a useful tool!

John Withrow

Thanks Guys. I actual have a digital speed adjustment and digital readout display display on the wall that "theoretically" shows my 100 yd lap pace, but it is definitely not calibrated to actual speed. For instance, in a real pool I swim at around 1:40 per 100yds, but in my Endless Pool, the display says 1:25 for what "feels" like the same pace. I tried to find the Aquapacer online, but it looks like they disappeared years ago. Finis sells a "Tempo Trainer" that looks like the same thing and I'll probably look into getting one. Finis also sells a watch called the Swimsense which tracks all of your swim data, but from what I can tell so far I don't think that will work in an Endless Pool because I think it uses "lap times" to calculate pace, etc but I still have a bit more research on this to do.

Nemo Brauch

John, The Swimovate poolmate won't help you in an Endless Pool, just the same way as it won't really help anyone in open water (other than to get total swim time and strokes). It is relies on the turns in the pool to indicate distance and thus calculate the pace.

The tempo trainer I think would help with your turnover rate, but moving your arms faster doesn't necessarily mean going faster. It's that swim golf concept thats missing from the equation.

That said- sounds like you could still do "interval" work with the digital speed adjustment. You just have to make an adjustment for your "endless" pace vs "pool" pace. Kinda the same way we all have to adjust indoor watts vs outdoor watts.

Nate Parady

John, my .02 would be this: just do your intervals based on time not distance i.e. for 100m intervals crank up the speed and do sets of what you beleive your 100meter time is. I would also think that you shouldo hit a real pool a couple times a month to confirm your making progress...

John Withrow

Tonight I actually tried cranking it way up... The readout said 1:07 per hundred, but as i said before I'm 100% sure it's not actually calibrated to real pace. Nevertheless, a comfortably fast pace for me seems to be ~1:20 give-or-take. Anyways, I cranked it up to 1:07 which seemed really fast and I did intervals of 50 strokes on, then I'd stand up for 10-15 seconds to catch my breath. The current would almost knock me over when I was standing in it. Then I'd go back at it again. These would take me about 90 seconds to complete which is about as fast as I can do a 100yd so I think that's probably about right. I was pretty tired after about 5 of those, so I slowed it down to about 1:12 pace, which doesn't sound like a big difference, but I used the slightly slower pace to do a couple sets of 100 strokes which I'm guessing is about a 200yd. Then I slowed it down to 1:15 and did one set of 200 strokes. Then I slowed it down to about 1:25 for a cool down and it really seemed like it was moving slow and easy at that speed. I was in the water for about 35 mins and it was the most tired I've been coming out of it. I may try to buy one of the devices that I can program ahead of time if I can find one to say beep after 90 seconds, then beep again after 15 seconds, then beep again after 90 seconds, etc. I think I'd rather do the intervals based on time so I don't always have to be counting stupid strokes. The thing I REALLY like about the pool is that there's a large mirror on the bottom so I get constant feedback on my stroke and can see immediately if I get lazy and cross my centerline or my position is not right.