Stationary swimming: swim belt

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prairiepinecone
prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone use a swim belt to tie themselves off to "lap" swim in a small pool? What belt did you go with, is it comfortable, do you keep full range of motion, any problems with rubbing, etc?
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Replies

  • Alisonswim46
    Alisonswim46 Posts: 208 Member
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    Just find a pool that is standard length and swim laps.
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    Joenali wrote: »
    Just find a pool that is standard length and swim laps.

    My closest pool is 25 miles away. I'm not willing to drive 50 miles round trip to swim laps when I can tie myself to the tree next to my pool.

    That's why I asked for opinions on belts.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,261 Member
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    You shouldn't be moving around the pool. It's normal as you start, but eventually, your form (due to a wicked strong core) should keep you in place. My instructor always reminds us "ears over shoulders over hips." That means you're NOT pitched forward. You will actually feel like you are leaning back a little bit. You won't need to tie yourself off, but a flotation belt is helpful so that you aren't struggling to stay afloat. As you work harder and become winded, it will (should) become increasingly difficult. Look on youtube. Perhaps there are videos that will show proper form. It's extremely challenging. I found it much more challenging (AND BORING) than running on land, but it kept my fitness up while an injury healed.
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
    edited June 2017
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    girlwithcurls2 wrote: »
    You shouldn't be moving around the pool. It's normal as you start, but eventually, your form (due to a wicked strong core) should keep you in place. My instructor always reminds us "ears over shoulders over hips." That means you're NOT pitched forward. You will actually feel like you are leaning back a little bit. You won't need to tie yourself off, but a flotation belt is helpful so that you aren't struggling to stay afloat. As you work harder and become winded, it will (should) become increasingly difficult. Look on youtube. Perhaps there are videos that will show proper form. It's extremely challenging. I found it much more challenging (AND BORING) than running on land, but it kept my fitness up while an injury healed.

    Thank you for the reply, but I'm a little confused. With proper form a body should move forward in the water. The belt around your hips is tied to the pool (or tree, fence, etc) behind you to hold you in place on forward motion. I'm assuming you were thinking side to side motion, these belts don't stop that.


    *Edit* @girlwithcurls2 I was looking to lap swim, not tread water. If that's what you meant. Thanks again for the reply. :)


    A little background on me...
    I am an avid swimmer. I have been swimming my entire life and swam competitively in high school. I worked as a lifeguard for 5 years and taught swimming lessons for 3 years. I am still a very good swimmer, just slower.
    I use to swim in the lake 15 miles from my house, but boat traffic makes it too dangerous now.

    I'm looking for opinions from people who use these belts. I looked at reviews on amazon for a couple belts but was thinking that there are probably better belts out there than what amazon was giving me.

    Here is an example of a stationary swim belt...
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=5o1DiOlFt24
  • Susanna5781
    Susanna5781 Posts: 10 Member
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    girlswithcurls2 - I'm curious what you are talking about, is it treading water?, I live on a lake and would like a different option than swimming.

    Thanks!
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    @Susanna5781 I bet that's it. Now girlwithcurls2's comment makes sense. I was so confused lol

    Susanna5781 wrote: »
    I live on a lake and would like a different option than swimming.

    Do you kayak or SUP? I really enjoy both of those lake activities. :)
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    I use this one: StretchCordz Stationary Swim Trainer, Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LZLTSLK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2uzqzbVZHNCZW

    It's ok. I have full range of motion and it's reasonably comfortable and doesn't move around, but it does pull you down into the water a bit so it's not quite the same. But, all in all, it gets the job done for me. I don't know if the pulling down into the water is specific to this design or universal to all swim belts.
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    I use this one: StretchCordz Stationary Swim Trainer, Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LZLTSLK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2uzqzbVZHNCZW

    It's ok. I have full range of motion and it's reasonably comfortable and doesn't move around, but it does pull you down into the water a bit so it's not quite the same. But, all in all, it gets the job done for me. I don't know if the pulling down into the water is specific to this design or universal to all swim belts.

    I never thought about it pulling down. Interesting. Thanks for the review. :)
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    I have no recommendations, but I'm watching, because I'm fascinated. We have a typical backyard, kidney-shaped pool, which I love, but is just awful for swimming laps. I had no idea that stationary swim thingies were out there, but maybe I want one.

    The one @Duck_Puddle posted wouldn't work for me, since we don't have lane lines like that in our recreational pool.
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    I have no recommendations, but I'm watching, because I'm fascinated. We have a typical backyard, kidney-shaped pool, which I love, but is just awful for swimming laps. I had no idea that stationary swim thingies were out there, but maybe I want one.

    The one @Duck_Puddle posted wouldn't work for me, since we don't have lane lines like that in our recreational pool.

    @JeepHair77 I have an 18ft round and had no idea either. I googled it on a whim! lol
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    jenniferfiedler88 wrote: »
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    I have no recommendations, but I'm watching, because I'm fascinated. We have a typical backyard, kidney-shaped pool, which I love, but is just awful for swimming laps. I had no idea that stationary swim thingies were out there, but maybe I want one.

    The one @Duck_Puddle posted wouldn't work for me, since we don't have lane lines like that in our recreational pool.

    @JeepHair77 I have an 18ft round and had no idea either. I googled it on a whim! lol

    Mine is set up in an 18ft round. The bungee/cord thingies are attached to the wall at roughly the same angle as if they were attached to lane markers. I'm kind of in the middle of the pool when I'm swimming-just not going anywhere.

  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    jenniferfiedler88 wrote: »
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    I have no recommendations, but I'm watching, because I'm fascinated. We have a typical backyard, kidney-shaped pool, which I love, but is just awful for swimming laps. I had no idea that stationary swim thingies were out there, but maybe I want one.

    The one @Duck_Puddle posted wouldn't work for me, since we don't have lane lines like that in our recreational pool.

    @JeepHair77 I have an 18ft round and had no idea either. I googled it on a whim! lol

    Mine is set up in an 18ft round. The bungee/cord thingies are attached to the wall at roughly the same angle as if they were attached to lane markers. I'm kind of in the middle of the pool when I'm swimming-just not going anywhere.

    Do you like having two bungies? Most I have been looking at have one. I could see one cord getting in the way of the kick.
  • dmkoenig
    dmkoenig Posts: 299 Member
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    I travel a lot for my job and I had to train for a 70.3 Ironman race so I didn't have much choice but to find places on the road to swim which were usually small hotel pools. I picked up a swim tether by Aquasphere that attaches at the ankles instead of the waist (1 cord for each ankle). It was cheap (< $20) and once I got used to it worked reasonably well. I had to make sure I attached it to the ladder rung right above the surface or my legs would get dragged down. The straps are elasticized so the harder you swim the tauter the straps get. I mostly counted strokes to get a rough estimate of yardage and would alter my stroke intensity to try to keep focus and interest. Other than being incredibly dull it works in the sense that you can get a decent workout.

    Most of the people I know have used swim tethers use waist attachment versions but I haven't so I can't compare it the ankle version. Here are a couple of links to the different products with some reviews to peruse...

    https://www.triathletesports.com/aqua-sphere-stationary-swimmer-2017

    https://www.swimoutlet.com/p/lane-gainer-sports-swim-belt-3-meter-15839/

  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    @dmkoenig Thanks for the review :)
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    jenniferfiedler88 wrote: »
    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    jenniferfiedler88 wrote: »
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    I have no recommendations, but I'm watching, because I'm fascinated. We have a typical backyard, kidney-shaped pool, which I love, but is just awful for swimming laps. I had no idea that stationary swim thingies were out there, but maybe I want one.

    The one @Duck_Puddle posted wouldn't work for me, since we don't have lane lines like that in our recreational pool.

    @JeepHair77 I have an 18ft round and had no idea either. I googled it on a whim! lol

    Mine is set up in an 18ft round. The bungee/cord thingies are attached to the wall at roughly the same angle as if they were attached to lane markers. I'm kind of in the middle of the pool when I'm swimming-just not going anywhere.

    Do you like having two bungies? Most I have been looking at have one. I could see one cord getting in the way of the kick.

    I haven't tried one with just one bungee, but I do like having two. With the angle, they really don't impede any movement and I feel like it helps keep me "straight." Sounds silly since you're not really going anywhere, but in an 18' pool, if you drift to the side at all, it's not long before you're going to run out of room and that's not something I want to worry about since it seems correcting for that would be difficult with no forward motion. I could be imagining that though and maybe it's not an issue at all. But this is the only belt I've used and it serves the purpose. I can't really compare to anything.
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    jenniferfiedler88 wrote: »
    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    jenniferfiedler88 wrote: »
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    I have no recommendations, but I'm watching, because I'm fascinated. We have a typical backyard, kidney-shaped pool, which I love, but is just awful for swimming laps. I had no idea that stationary swim thingies were out there, but maybe I want one.

    The one @Duck_Puddle posted wouldn't work for me, since we don't have lane lines like that in our recreational pool.

    @JeepHair77 I have an 18ft round and had no idea either. I googled it on a whim! lol

    Mine is set up in an 18ft round. The bungee/cord thingies are attached to the wall at roughly the same angle as if they were attached to lane markers. I'm kind of in the middle of the pool when I'm swimming-just not going anywhere.

    Do you like having two bungies? Most I have been looking at have one. I could see one cord getting in the way of the kick.

    I haven't tried one with just one bungee, but I do like having two. With the angle, they really don't impede any movement and I feel like it helps keep me "straight." Sounds silly since you're not really going anywhere, but in an 18' pool, if you drift to the side at all, it's not long before you're going to run out of room and that's not something I want to worry about since it seems correcting for that would be difficult with no forward motion. I could be imagining that though and maybe it's not an issue at all. But this is the only belt I've used and it serves the purpose. I can't really compare to anything.

    Thanks for the insight. :)
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    I ended up buying the TYR brand belt with a single bungie on amazon.

    With extra rope, i tied it to the tree next to my pool about 12 feet off the ground.

    When i first used it, i had the belt around my hips. My feet did pull down. So, I moved the belt around the small of my waist and that seems to have fixed the problem. I haven't had any issue of being pulled to the side as of yet. But, I've only been out 3 times (daytime temps have been in the low 60's).

    I kind of enjoy the bungie. When i finish a set, I let it pull me back to the wall. It's a nice feeling on my tired arms. :smiley:
  • Charlene_1985
    Charlene_1985 Posts: 122 Member
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    Does anyone have a recommendation for one that can be attached to a pool ladder? Or can the one above that attaches to the lanes be used on a ladder? Thx.
  • prairiepinecone
    prairiepinecone Posts: 125 Member
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    @Charlene_Marie_723 what kind of ladder do you have? Is it mounted in concrete or a light two sided pool kit ladder?
  • Charlene_1985
    Charlene_1985 Posts: 122 Member
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    Here is a photo. It sits in holes on the pool deck.

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