Megathread I started when I bought a Vasa a few years ago.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/..._reply;so=ASC;mh=25;
To this day, it's my 'secret weapon' of triathlon. Swimming has always and will likely always be my achilles heel, but pre-Vasa I was finishing worse than 50% of the entire field, and post-Vasa, I'm finishing in the top 25-30% in national-class races, and <20% in local races . But you're still a good deal faster than me though - best HIM was high 34s (compare to 38-42 pre-Vasa), so take it with a grain of salt!
I have found without doubt that I swim faster overall when using the Vasa (hard) in conjunction with swimming. For me, it works even better than just going to the pool all the time, as the Vasa really hammers my weak link muscular endurance.
I would be confident in matching or even exceeding my swim performance with only one hourlong pool session per week and 5x/wk Vasa workouts - I actually happen to swim in the pool during lunch for 30-45 mins M-F just because it's more convenient than run/bike so I do get pool time during the week (or else I'd only swim pool 1x/wk!)
One caveat, most folks will notice that the Vasa is a lot less hard on your cardio than pool swimming, something I def notice as well. But for adding oomph to the pull, if you train hard on the Vasa, it def works, and for me works better than doing those same pulls in the pool (I'm guessing the O2 limiter slightly limits my pull compared to the Vasa where I can just let it all hang out.)
Good on you for being a AOS 30-31 min HIM swimmer. In most races, that would probably put you in the top 5% or higher, I'm guessing, which is good stuff. I can't even place that high in WTC races even in my strongest discipline (running)!
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/..._reply;so=ASC;mh=25;
To this day, it's my 'secret weapon' of triathlon. Swimming has always and will likely always be my achilles heel, but pre-Vasa I was finishing worse than 50% of the entire field, and post-Vasa, I'm finishing in the top 25-30% in national-class races, and <20% in local races . But you're still a good deal faster than me though - best HIM was high 34s (compare to 38-42 pre-Vasa), so take it with a grain of salt!
I have found without doubt that I swim faster overall when using the Vasa (hard) in conjunction with swimming. For me, it works even better than just going to the pool all the time, as the Vasa really hammers my weak link muscular endurance.
I would be confident in matching or even exceeding my swim performance with only one hourlong pool session per week and 5x/wk Vasa workouts - I actually happen to swim in the pool during lunch for 30-45 mins M-F just because it's more convenient than run/bike so I do get pool time during the week (or else I'd only swim pool 1x/wk!)
One caveat, most folks will notice that the Vasa is a lot less hard on your cardio than pool swimming, something I def notice as well. But for adding oomph to the pull, if you train hard on the Vasa, it def works, and for me works better than doing those same pulls in the pool (I'm guessing the O2 limiter slightly limits my pull compared to the Vasa where I can just let it all hang out.)
Good on you for being a AOS 30-31 min HIM swimmer. In most races, that would probably put you in the top 5% or higher, I'm guessing, which is good stuff. I can't even place that high in WTC races even in my strongest discipline (running)!