I don't like the Vasa trainer; however, that's cheap enough to be enticing to mock up a "swim" version... It's always been in the back of my head to create a cheaper vasa alternative. I think it would sell.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Weirdly enough, I suspect the indiegogo machine will work BETTER as a Vasa erg swim simulator rather than their main target market which seems to be the rower market.

The rowing motion like on a Concept2 erg, requires a lot of back, leg, back engagment, with a LOT more power demands on the machine for heat dumping. I could see the lack of enough resistance being a real problem for serious rowers.

The swim erg motion a la Vasa erg, doesn't have any leg/back engagement, and thus you're rarely putting out more than 100 watts so heat dumping should be much less of an issue. Could be a good market for them if they come it at <$1000.

If it works as advertised, I'd be glad to buy one in addition to my Vasa erg, to use for portability (possibly keep in my work office for lunch break!)

I am a mediocre swimmer. Average about 1:50 per 100m. Bought a used VASA Erg on Kijiji a couple of years ago. For me, I think it does help. It has improved my neuromuscular memory. My lats and posterior deltoids are stronger. Of course it doesn’t help body position, so we have to be realistic with expectations. The workouts are boring AF also, but it’s better than nothing. Even without pool closures, it’s nice to have when you don’t want to drive to a pool during a snow storm (or insert your local problem here) to get a workout in.

I ended up getting one. I found a swim erg model with power on Facebook marketplace for $600 so I jumped on it. At ~$10/swim, and not having to drive 25 minutes each way, this will pay for itself in a year if I only swim once a week.

It will be an interesting experiment. A couple of notes- with the pandemic I've been swimming very infrequently. At most 1x/week, sometimes with a month or more off between. Since March, I've swum 15 times. That being said, I can comfortably hold about 1:15/100 yards. I did 8x100 on 1:15 this week and was about 1:10-1:12 on all of them. I know I am in race ready shape when I can do 8x300 on 3:30 or so. Obviously considerably faster than what I really need to be able to do, but it doesn't take a lot for me to get there- usually 3 swims a week for two months.

Swimming with the vasa, it says my pace is ~1:50/100 meters, which is obviously much slower. I am not too concerned with matching pace, but if it can keep me in my existing shape or even improve it a little, it will be money well spent. My plan is to do it ~3x a week for 30 minutes and see what happens.

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Good luck - hopefully it'll work for you. There is an acclimation phase, took me about 6 wks to get really in the groove, likely shorter for you since you're a way better swimmer than me.

Since you're pretty fast already, def do hard intervals on the erg to keep your speed up. You can actually pull harder than you do in the pool because cardio is not really a limiter on the erg since legs aren't involved. Pull until your arms drop off on the hard stuff and you'll feel the gains in the pool for sure! (100 on / 100 off for 1000-2000 is a killer!)

i think you answered your own complaint there. it is a niche market, so sales volume will be relatively low. those of us that buy one will pay a bigger price because the company isnt selling them at walmart. its the same with high end "halo" bicycles, expensive sports cars... etc. the less of something there is generally the more its gonna cost.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

I have found that the ERG to be invaluable. I haven't touched the water since March and my fitness has continued to improve based on CSS.

In order to move at your swim pace in the water with your power on the org, your core strength and kick must be on point, so maintaining/improving fitness on the ERG should be a breeze. It is certainly a workout and hopefully it will work out for you. Please keep us posted.

Not sure what others are doing, but my standard workout is 44 minutes, 22 x100 on the 2:00. I do all my work on DD3. Some days I'm coming in at 1:36 other days at 1:42(depends on fatigue, but I started over 2:00 on the ERG). I throw in an Ironman swim (3860m) every few weeks and it has continued to improve.

I keep a TV on in the background and Zwift is what I use to capture my power data. I just don't have one bad thing to say about the ERG. It is money well spent and you got a deal!

Good luck to you.

Agree on the acclimatization period, mine was about 4 weeks. My sessions were 10 min at first, total. even with broken sets, it felt like EVERYTHING I had.

I had taken 8 months off swimming due to lockdowns.

Now, 1500-2500m vasa sessions (about 7 weeks into owning the erg).

Haven’t been in the water yet. But it makes it pretty obvious when your catch is setting correctly and you are pulling with your lats vs whatever flopping I usually did in the water.

Visible difference in shoulders, chest and back since vasa training. I can’t see how it could make me a worse swimmer— I do it 4/5 days a week.

I plaN to get back in the water 1 or 2 days a week as things open up this spring. Will let this group know how swim time compares.

I got lucky and found a used ERG (without ant+) for sale just after getting my TrumpBUX$$ earlier this year. So, I snagged it. Haven't been in the pool since March. I'm usually not a great swimming 33:XX usually for a HIM distance swim (1.2 miles). When my local pool opens again, I'll know if the time has been helpful.

I first spent a lot of time working on form (I guess). Making sure I was pulling as if I were in the water (use the paddles, not a bar - rotate elbow first, then pull back). I feel that the catch part of my stroke on the vasa is equivalent to in the water, but I have never swam in the water after using the Vasa.

I have the ERG, and for me I think it works pretty well. I think the answer is it depends your goals. As others have pointed out, if you hope it will make you a FOP swimmer, you'll likely be disappointed.

In my case, pool access is very limited. I purchased the VASA as a way to try to maintain some swim fitness given limited pool time. I'm a MOP swimmer, don't aspire to much more, but really didn't want to go backwards either. I found the VASA very helpful for building strength and fitness, Even though I was getting the pool less than in the past, my paces and training volume could stay consistent. So I was happy about that.

Downsides: it's expensive, takes up a lot of room and laying on your chest is slightly uncomfortable after 30 minutes or so. Upside: for me it seems to provide an alternative to the pool and/or incremental workout. I suppose it's like everything else in life, you get out what you put in.

A lot of the comments on this thread compare VASA with the pool. Of course it can't be a substitute, whether it can be a complement it's debatable (I think so). But take my situation in the UK they have now closed the pools for another two months. The thing is a godsend, I have basically had to do zero alterations to my typical training plan, it syncs my sessions with TP automatically, I have actually even increased swim frequency. There is no way I could do the same with swim bands, usually anything above 15-20 mins session with bands and I am done, can't do aerobic/threshold pace sets like on the vasa. The question of whether I'll be 5 sec faster or slower than before the lockdown is pointless, I'll certainly be in a far better position having used it than not having used it or having used bands. Still prefer the pool, but I am fortunate to be able to afford a vasa and have the space during lockdown, and in my view it will mean my 2021 racing season (if we get one) will be as successful as in any "normal" year.

Why not a ski erg? Half the price, more versatile, easier to move, works your legs if done properly, takes up way less space.

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"The person on top of the mountain didn't fall there." - unkown

also rule 5