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Swim tethers
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So it looks like the local Y is going to announce closures soon and I've been putting in a lot of work towards my swim that I don't want to lose. I have a pool at home, so I just ordered a swim tether. So my question for those of you that use them (or I'm guessing endless pools present the same struggles):

  • How do you structure your workouts? Obviously you don't have distance, so what do you do?
  • Also, how does it work with a Garmin?
  • Any tips or tricks I should know about?

Thanks!
Last edited by: jazzymusicman: Mar 16, 20 19:59
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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Structure?

Time: instead of distance

Intensity: I put markers in the floor if my pool, pulling harder Stretches the chords a little further. So, figure out what stretch corresponds to each pace.

Then, I just use the same workouts as the pool.

I put my garmin in ows mode... I think. It's been a while. I remember it recorded strokes and time... But, not distance and related metrics, obviously. I think I was able to program swim workouts into my 920, though.

Tips? It's boring as hell. I prefer dry land stretch chords workouts. If you choose to try it anyways, tie to you ankles not your waist. You will likely need to roll extra to breath (unless you overrotate already) ... Because there is no wake pocket from your head to breathe in.
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Re: Swim tethers [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton wrote:
Structure?

Time: instead of distance

Intensity: I put markers in the floor if my pool, pulling harder Stretches the chords a little further. So, figure out what stretch corresponds to each pace.

Then, I just use the same workouts as the pool.

I put my garmin in ows mode... I think. It's been a while. I remember it recorded strokes and time... But, not distance and related metrics, obviously. I think I was able to program swim workouts into my 920, though.

Tips? It's boring as hell. I prefer dry land stretch chords workouts. If you choose to try it anyways, tie to you ankles not your waist. You will likely need to roll extra to breath (unless you overrotate already) ... Because there is no wake pocket from your head to breathe in.

^^^^This.

I also find that using a pull buoy helps a lot, otherwise it's hard to keep the legs from sinking.

Just go for time at perceived effort...kinda like cycling before we had HRMs and PMs.

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Swim tethers [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Titanflexr wrote:
kinda like cycling before we had HRMs and PMs.


What did you upload to strava and training peaks? 😂
Last edited by: jazzymusicman: Mar 17, 20 5:17
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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Which one did you order? Did you do a lot of research?
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Re: Swim tethers [Sean H] [ In reply to ]
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Im also interested in what one you ordered and the reasons you picked it. We put in a pool before the winter and I am thinking about picking one up for when the weather gets nicer and I can get swimming.
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Re: Swim tethers [Sean H] [ In reply to ]
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Sean H wrote:
Which one did you order? Did you do a lot of research?

Nothing fancy, some generic thing on amazon:

https://smile.amazon.com/..._apa_i_vEmCEbPR4YR4J
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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jazzymusicman wrote:
Titanflexr wrote:
kinda like cycling before we had HRMs and PMs.


What did you upload to strava and training peaks? 😂

We used VIEPer, verbal information exchange protocol. There was a special interface created for this called the bar.

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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  • Use time and effort level. Like 5 minutes easy, 3 minutes medium hard...
  • Get a clock and put it on the side of the pool if possible. I have an ipad app that shows a big digital clock and I put it on a chair where I can see it while swimming.
  • It takes a little bit to learn to breathe while swimming stationary. Give up fighting it early, slow down and settle in, and then it'll come naturally.
  • Put items on the bottom of the pool to set as targets. I have some colored rocks. I try to get to the red rock if I'm going hard, stay over the green rock if going easy, stuff like that.
  • It takes a while to figure out a system that works. You'll be stopping a lot at first to adjust things and your expectations. That's normal.
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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When the swim was cancelled at IMCHOO two years ago, I overnighted this to my hotel https://www.swimoutlet.com/...belt-10-meter-15838/

That morning, I swam for an hour tethered to the stair railing. IT worked. No idea how far I swam, but it was miserable so I figured that meant it worked.
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Re: Swim tethers [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Did you try a snorkel? I figure I may incorporate a snorkel for a greater ratio of the swim with a tether.. haven't tried any of it yet.

KJ
Swim and Triathlon Coach
AllTerrainEndurance.com
KJ@allterrainendurance.com
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Re: Swim tethers [swim13] [ In reply to ]
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swim13 wrote:
Did you try a snorkel? I figure I may incorporate a snorkel for a greater ratio of the swim with a tether.. haven't tried any of it yet.

No. My swim bag got stolen with my snorkel in it. I gave up the tether and traded it for stretch chord work because I hated the tether before I'd replaced my snorkel.
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Re: Swim tethers [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Oh shoot, bummer. Glad I bought both stretch cords and a tether, I'm sure I'll hate both :)

KJ
Swim and Triathlon Coach
AllTerrainEndurance.com
KJ@allterrainendurance.com
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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Tether is great. I hook one up to a wide nylon belt. As others noted, workouts are by time. You can just work in some surges to add intensity. No problems doing freestyle, breast stroke and backstroke. If you're at home, it's easy enough to do some bricks off the tethered swim to the trainer or running -- I even do all three sometimes for a home-based sprint tri. Some people get bored, but if you push hard enough time goes by pretty quickly up to about 45 minutes. I haven't ever gone over 45 minutes because the tethered workouts are more demanding than lap swimming.
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Re: Swim tethers [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Titanflexr wrote:

We used VIEPer, verbal information exchange protocol. There was a special interface created for this called the bar.

I liked this one better.
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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Just bought this same model on amazon. Tethered to my community pool railing and swam for half an hour, works awesome. I thought it would be janky with constant adjusting but never had to. My pool isn't heated so used a sleeveless wetsuit. Probably helped avoid leg sinking.
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Re: Swim tethers [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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I was thinking of setting up a small kids pool and use a tether.. basically bypassing my HOA and asking for forgiveness.

Sharon van Rouwendall has done the same thing

https://www.instagram.com/...ed_video_watch_again
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