Greetings all -
Looks like it’s going to be another 6 or so weeks before the local pool opens up. I’ve got a set of Strechcordz with Paddles that I use indoors, yet I’d like to start using my backyard pool. The pool is only 27’ long so doing laps is not really fruitful, so I’d like to use a swim tether. Can anyone recommend me a good tether set-up/product to use? I’m assuming something with medium level resistance?
Thanks!
Mark
Bought this one the other day in red
http://m.swim2000.com/product/stretchcordz-safety-cord/
Haven’t used it yet so can’t comment yet
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I don’t have a horse in this race, but I have spent a good part of many years on the road. I tried some swim tethers and I can say, from having tried a few different designs, that any tether that works even half decently MUST attach to the feet and/or ankles.
Ones that attach to the waist and then go the side of the pool are essentially useless.
If I started traveling frequently again, the most promising design and idea is this one (others on this forum have tried it, and have said that it works great), and it’s essentially free:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60dmO4jVNuY
On the other hand, if you have more money than time, there is a company (no connection of any kind to us) that makes a more advanced version of this concept …
https://swimriptide.com/shop/
I don’t have a horse in this race, but I have spent a good part of many years on the road. I tried some swim tethers and I can say, from having tried a few different designs, that any tether that works even half decently MUST attach to the feet and/or ankles.
Ones that attach to the waist and then go the side of the pool are essentially useless.
If I started traveling frequently again, the most promising design and idea is this one (others on this forum have tried it, and have said that it works great), and it’s essentially free:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60dmO4jVNuY
On the other hand, if you have more money than time, there is a company (no connection of any kind to us) that makes a more advanced version of this concept …
https://swimriptide.com/shop/
Why do you say that a tether that goes around the waist is useless?
What have you felt are the differences, advantages/disadvantages between the two different ways?
Because a natural distance swim kick provides zero or very very little body position buoyancy without the normal hydrodynamic forces from moving water flowing along your body, hips, and legs. No moving water, i.e., using a swim tether = legs sink, even with a nice distance kick. And this makes it impossible to practice your swimming with anything resembling your normal stroke and body position. However, if you’re anchored by your feet, this (essentially) becomes a non issue.
So, if you have choice, go with a foot/ankle system.
I use a surf leash (cheap, easy to travel with). Even with the ankle connection, legs sinking is a real issue; but using it with a pull buoy works great.
Because a natural distance swim kick provides zero or very very little body position buoyancy without the normal hydrodynamic forces from moving water flowing along your body, hips, and legs. No moving water, i.e., using a swim tether = legs sink, even with a nice distance kick. And this makes it impossible to practice your swimming with anything resembling your normal stroke and body position. However, if you’re anchored by your feet, this (essentially) becomes a non issue.
So, if you have choice, go with a foot/ankle system.
I’ve used a waist tether a good amount. I never had a problem with abnormally sinking legs, and my stroke was exactly as it was when normal swimming. And I don’t kick at all for propulsion (minimal 2-beat.) It worked great - if I had a backyard pool, I would be using this setup all the time when possible. (It’s boring, but it def works - not sure why so few people do it - felt 100% legit to me, and I used it for at least 45 min every day over several weeks when I was at a lake house where it unfortunately wasn’t safe to swim out due to boats - I attached it to the house pier.)
It helps if your tether is attached slightly higher than the water level, which is pretty typical if you attach to something outside the pool.
I suspect any waist system would work fine - mine was a generic cheap one from Amazon, and I had zero problems with it.
I have a backyard pool with 2 pole sleeves for a volleyball net. So here ya go:
4ft stick of PVC
drill hole in one end
next take a dog leash and zip tie, run zip tie thru PVE and handle of dog leash then fasten it.
I use an old latex inner tube tied to the dog leash.
Nylon waste belt & carabiner
put PVC/dog leash/inner tube assembly in pole sleeve
use carabiner to attach nylon waste belt to inner tube, clip in and swim.
It helps if your tether is attached slightly higher than the water level, which is pretty typical if you attach to something outside the pool.
That was the issue for me. If you spend the time/effort to set up a more permanent system in your backyard pool, and you are stuck with a waist belt, it really really helps to attach yourself to something well above pool level, then maybe the tether will pull your body up.
However, l was stuck travelling and was at a new hotel pool every night. So l had to attach my portable tether temporarily to whatever l could find and often that was to some fixture at or slightly below water level. And that is where the foot/ankle attachments made all of the difference.
I use a waist swim tether from TYR, $ 25-40 on swimoutlet.com depending on sales and discounts. It took me a couple of swims to figure it out, it really forces you to focus on proper body balance, which is a BIG plus when untethered! I kick how I normally do, at home I leash to a hole I drilled in my diving board, at hotels I leash to the support rails to get out of the pool, at deck level, maybe 6 inches above water level, and have had no issues. The key is holding your entire body position high in the water. Good luck!
Found this one on Amazon. Not expensive. I attach it to a palm tree near my pool, about 3 feet up. I wear workout fins and I can stay in one place with no problem. Better than the alternative right now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FJMAQPW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
SuperStroke StrechCordz Long Belt Slider
More information: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LZLTGF8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Mj-KEb1X8SX3D
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Found this one on Amazon. Not expensive. I attach it to a palm tree near my pool, about 3 feet up. I wear workout fins and I can stay in one place with no problem. Better than the alternative right now.
I also put my Swim tether around a palm tree near my pool about 3 feet up off the ground. However, for some reason my legs sink badly without using a pull buoy. My belt attaches to waist. You really need to get used to that feeling of going backwards even though you really are not.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FJMAQPW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also put my Swim tether around a palm tree near my pool about 3 feet up off the ground. However, for some reason my legs sink badly without using a pull buoy. My belt attaches to waist. You really need to get used to that feeling of going backwards even though you really are not.
If your swim tether has any stretch or give, anytime that you decrease your swim speed, even momentarily, you ARE actually going backwards briefly. And most comfortable and best performing tethers have some stretch (intentionally) in them. When you swim harder/faster, the tether stretches a bit and you incrementally move forward. When you swim a bit easier/slower, the tether reels you in a bit and you incrementally move backward.
And that is likely going on with your legs, because ANY backward movement even more so makes your legs sink downward (even if you are kicking well for distance freestyle in regular swimming).