swim snorkel

ekurth said:

Anybody use the Finis swim snorkel to improve their stroke?

In theory, it seems like a pretty good idea. In particular I'm wondering
if it can be used to develop more of a high elbow catch. That's because
you can view your stroke underwater better, and also eliminate breathing
which should make the process a little bit incremental. That is, trying
to breath while going for a high elbow catch is pretty tough on your
shoulder. Maybe with a snorkel, you can slowly get the elbow higher as
you develop more strength and flexibility, and then add the breathing
later. Another potential benefit would be that you can look at the bottom
of the pool a lot more. Your brain is a great computer - with feedback
about your speed by looking at the tiles on the bottom, your stroke will
naturally gravitate towards the best technique that gives you maximum
speed and also keeps your momentum going.

On the other hand, if I show up with that tool/toy, I know I'm going to
get hammered by my swim group 🙂

Eric

I've used one though the skills/drills in mind at the time were more head
position related. It certainly was nice for that and, with many things, if
the head is in the right position the rest of the body is likely to follow.

That being said they were a bugger for breathing. Def makes you think
twice about your respiratory rate. Flip turns in particular, while
possible, leave one gasping a bit.

--Mike

Check with the pool you use too. We don't allow snorkels in our pool unless
it's the Scuba club! Too many issues with breathing difficulties and
rescues. We don't allow the masks either for the same reasons.

Charlie.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Anybody use the Finis swim snorkel to improve their stroke?

In theory, it seems like a pretty good idea. In particular I'm
wondering if it can be used to develop more of a high elbow catch.
That's because you can view your stroke underwater better, and also
eliminate breathing which should make the process a little bit
incremental. That is, trying to breath while going for a high elbow
catch is pretty tough on your shoulder. Maybe with a snorkel, you can
slowly get the elbow higher as you develop more strength and
flexibility, and then add the breathing later. Another potential
benefit would be that you can look at the bottom of the pool a lot
more. Your brain is a great computer - with feedback about your speed
by looking at the tiles on the bottom, your stroke will naturally
gravitate towards the best technique that gives you maximum speed and
also keeps your momentum going.

On the other hand, if I show up with that tool/toy, I know I'm going to
get hammered by my swim group 🙂

Eric

The Finis snorkel is a great product! Our entire club team uses them.
Like one of the other replies says, it fixes your head position, and
the rest of your body follows. I recommend it strongly.

Ryan
http://icoachswimming.com

I'm not a big believer in head position as a big issue in swimming.
I've seen too many videos of elites looking at the end of the pool, and
not the bottom, to believe otherwise. I buy into the Weisenthal Lumbar
Arch.

However, I was in the swim store the other day and saw an interesting
product. It's a pair of swim goggles which are meant to force your
head into a lower position. The bottom of the lenses are "frosted" so
you can't see out of them. So with a high head position, you will not
be able see below you at all. I had to buy a pair, but haven't tried
them yet.

Poor Terry Laughlin. This is a product he should have developed, being
one of the chief proponents of head position being the end-all of
swimming. However, none other than Bob Bowman and Michael Phelps will
be making money off of these. Must have been that Speedo contract.

Anyways, the inventiveness of the species never ceases to amaze me.
Certainly head position can be influenced by controlling vision - why
didn't I think of that?!

Eric

could you elaborate on how you use it?

Do you use it everyday? Even with your more advanced swimmers. Or
more with the beginners.

One of the things that could be considered bad about the snorkel is
that it will promote symmetry from side to side. I know that's
considered a good thing in general, but once again, I consider a
wrong-headed usa-swimming paradigm. Very few elites swim that way.

Rather than "roll to the air", they seem to "surge to the air", using
asymetric arm and kick patterns that we have discussed here a great
deal to compensate for having to breath on one side but not the other.

Thanks
Eric

That wasn't what I said though. I said check with the pool that you intend
to use it at because they might not allow you to train with it. I agree
with you though, it looks like a good product.

Charlie.

"Coach_Ryan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Finis snorkel is a great product! Our entire club team uses them.
Like one of the other replies says, it fixes your head position, and
the rest of your body follows. I recommend it strongly.

Ryan
http://icoachswimming.com

but then you dont rotate as much if at all like total immer wants you to
because of snorkel

"Charlie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That wasn't what I said though. I said check with the pool that you

intend

Quoted message said:

to use it at because they might not allow you to train with it. I agree
with you though, it looks like a good product.

Charlie.

"Coach_Ryan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Finis snorkel is a great product! Our entire club team uses them.
Like one of the other replies says, it fixes your head position, and
the rest of your body follows. I recommend it strongly.

Ryan
http://icoachswimming.com

With a neck that turns only a few degrees I find that swimming with a
snorkel is a real help. I have a Finis snorkel but prefer to use a
standard one turned so the intake is pretty well over the centre of my back.

Rob

Quoted message said:

Anybody use the Finis swim snorkel to improve their stroke?

In theory, it seems like a pretty good idea. In particular I'm
wondering if it can be used to develop more of a high elbow catch.
That's because you can view your stroke underwater better, and also
eliminate breathing which should make the process a little bit
incremental. That is, trying to breath while going for a high elbow
catch is pretty tough on your shoulder. Maybe with a snorkel, you can
slowly get the elbow higher as you develop more strength and
flexibility, and then add the breathing later. Another potential
benefit would be that you can look at the bottom of the pool a lot
more. Your brain is a great computer - with feedback about your speed
by looking at the tiles on the bottom, your stroke will naturally
gravitate towards the best technique that gives you maximum speed and
also keeps your momentum going.

On the other hand, if I show up with that tool/toy, I know I'm going to
get hammered by my swim group 🙂

Eric