go swim in the lake if it's warm enough in the winter. you're much more likely to get hit and die while riding your bike than die swimming while wearing a wetsuit.

buy a Vasa Trainer. I worked out on it all winter (2x per week) while I skipped the pool and I was so strong when I reentered the water. Sure my form need refining but my arms/shoulders were never tired. The best money I have spent in a long time.

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Doug in Michigan

Damn.. I wish I had won that Vasa Trainer they had posted on this forum a few weeks back for ONE Lucky Winner...

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Or make your own generic Vasa...like this:

http://www.nordicskiracer.com/...ning/rollerboard.asp

I made one of these two weeks ago (~$40 total) and have been using it 3X week...been fairly sore swimming on the days inbetween so I know it's targeting the right muscles. I've built per the plan which is essentially like double-pole skiing...really lets me concentrate on keeping a high elbow without having to worry about breathing, rolling, kicking, etc.

I'm going to modify it shortly by adding some more pulleys to simulate the freestyle swim set-up the Vasa allows (alternating arms while your torse stays in place).

"buy a Vasa Trainer. I worked out on it all winter (2x per week) while I skipped the pool and I was so strong when I reentered the water. "

Wow. Except for the angle, it could be my Bowflex...

I bet I can get my Bowflex to do the same thing. They already created a Pilates workout on it, which works with the same resistance principles.

Ultimately, resistance is resistance -- as Doug in Michigan said, his swimming form needed refining but his shoulders (and back) were trained.

Hmm...

Lauren

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Lauren Muney
certified physical fitness trainer
certified health coach
wellcoach
http://www.physicalmind.com

There is no escape from your life... solve the problems and get on with it.

"Just tell her you love her and you think she kicks ass" ~AndrewinNH

"I'm moving [Lauren] to guru status" ~Last Tri in 83

I have a generic home gym thing with an overhead pulldown. I use the triceps rope to do triceps press, do pulldowns with the bar, and also use the triceps rope to do the "towelpull." The towelpull basically you stand back from the gym, put one foot forward, learn forward and grab the triceps rope. Your hands are above your head approximately parallel with your body. Pull the triceps rope down and towards you in a motion similar to the crawl arm motion. With all of that and some dips thrown in every once in a while, I lose nothing over the winter and typically jump in the pool once or twice in the month before a race. And I casually do ~38 mins in a half at low effort. My brother hates me because he struggles to keep up with me in the water, and he is in the pool at least once a week.

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"Pull the triceps rope down and towards you in a motion similar to the crawl arm motion."

This description seems like this movement:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBStraightArmPulldown.html

Good resisted pull for the back... anyone can recreate this exercise. This is what that VASA does also, with varied arm widths.

I can't swim well (1 lap, anyone?) but I watch my multisport-training BF do 2000m and he gets his genetic-freak lats solely from swimming; and he's quite strong doing it.

Lauren

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Lauren Muney
certified physical fitness trainer
certified health coach
wellcoach
http://www.physicalmind.com

There is no escape from your life... solve the problems and get on with it.

"Just tell her you love her and you think she kicks ass" ~AndrewinNH

"I'm moving [Lauren] to guru status" ~Last Tri in 83

In the theme of good, better, best here are some solutions

http://www.nzmfg.com StrechCordz with Paddles Price $44.95
http://www.vasatrainer.com Vasa Ergometer $1799
http://www.endlesspools.com Fast lane at $5999
http://www.endlesspools.com Endless pool stock at $17999