Is Vasa Ergometer worth $1700.00 ???
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If you can get your ass to NCY, there was a dude selling his for ~$400.
I actually think its one of the best triathlon buys there is. I have hours more free time per week because I don’t have to waste 15-minutes getting to the pool and parking, etc., 15-minutes getting changed, and 15 more minutes getting home in order to do a swim workout. Instead I go to basement and work out on the Vasa for anywhere from 5 to 45-minutes. When I actually do swim in water, I’m faster. I also do lots of interesting workouts like swim - bike bricks and mini triathlon simulations in my basement. I think if I had to choose, I would pick my vasa over my computrainer as a valuable training tool.
Thank you
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It really depends on what is important to you. If you want a color display with animation like the computrainer, then no.
If you want a reliable power analysis of your stroke, then it’s a good buy. Compare it to a powertap ($1000+) + a bike ($1000+) + an indoor trainer ($200+). That’s over $2000.
I have been very happy with my VASA Ergometer. I can do about three 45 minute workouts on the VASA in the same time it takes for me to do one pool swim (when I count the time to commute to and from the pool). My pool times have been steadily improving even though I am now hitting the pool only once a week. I have also found intervals on the VASA to be more effective than intervals in the pool, and therefore, all my interval training is now done on the VASA. My once a week pool swim is a long steady endurance swim.
I’ll echo what Scott_B said in particular, and the others in general. I also only go to the pool once a week, for a long swim. All other workouts are on the Vasa, and I am faster when I train for swimming like this than when I only use the pool.
I would have to believe that IF time were not an issue, I would swim better by only swimming in the pool. But time IS a limiter, and given a fixed amount of time, and the overhead of travel time to/from the pool, I get much more actual workout time on the Vasa.
Note: I do not have the ergometer. I have the trainer, but I have it stacked on top of a Concept 2 rower. I have a cord attached to the bench, through a pulley at the back of the trainer, that then attaches to the rower handle. This system gives a feel that is much more “water” like than the standard trainer. I use this system because I bought my trainer 10 years ago, shortly after got the rower at a yard sale for $75, and came up with this setup long before Vasa came out with the ergometer.
At some point I may just upgrade, because I do have to stroke both arms at the same time, and I like the idea of more closely matching the freestyle stroke, which is possible on the ergometer but not my setup.
Paul
…I have it stacked on top of a Concept 2 rower. I have a cord attached to the bench, through a pulley at the back of the trainer, that then attaches to the rower handle. This system gives a feel that is much more “water” like than the standard trainer.
That’s being resourceful. The Vasa company is very close to the C2 company in Vermont. They got a lot of technical advice from the C2 people when they designed the Vasa erg.
What kind of Watts are you able to generate? It should be a lot lower than rowing.
WOW that is amazing. I never thought they would be even close to the same as swimming. I have to drive 50 miles at 5 AM to get a swim in.
Maybe I should get one of these.
Yes, the watts are much, much lower. About 30-35 watts for a 30-40 minute “swim”. Part of this is that not all the watts are recorded, as the rower computer does not know that I am also raising my body on the incline with each stroke. I do use a mild incline, only to help assist the return to the bottom on the “recovery” stroke.
It actually works quite well. The feel is much better than the standard trainer, in that you can catch with a little power, and then really power through the stroke where you have the muscles to do it. The extra power just causes more resistance, without accelerating the bench so much as on the trainer only setup.
Paul
I have to concur, that the Vasa Ergometer is worth every penny. With the increased focus and research related to enhanced athletic performance through power training the Vasa Ergometer meets that need for the swimmer. The time saved training on the Ergometer vs. the time lost traveling to and from the pool, waiting for open pool times, family and work commitments makes it a great tool. The monitor displays pace/100m, average watts, and stroke rate as well as a multitude of other features. At the Vasa website, you can order a DVD copy of Triathlon Coach Al Lymann’s presentation from a USAT clinic which was held in Boston back in March (http://www.vasatrainer.com/index.php?page=TriSwimTraining). He did a fabulous presentation on his and his athletes use with Vasa Ergometer.
I have been training on my ERG for over a year and I haven’t missed a training session. I highly recommend it.
Thank you very much this help me a lot.