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Very little is necessary to enjoy the great sport of swimming. In fact, that’s
one of the best things about this sport. But if you’re the type who likes to
purchase as much equipment as possible, there are a variety of items that can
improve and enhance workouts. Here’s a run-down of these pool tools and what they
can do for you.
Training Fins
Fins extend your foot and leg, making your kick more efficient and faster. They
also help increase ankle flexibility, increase leg strength, and activate more
muscle mass. Most are made of natural rubber, although some are made of high-density,
heat-treated polyurethane and will last forever. You might want a pair of short
training fins (blade length of one or two inches) and another pair of normal-sized
training fins (blade is roughly the same length as your foot). Avoid rigid fins,
blades wider than one and one-half times the width of your foot, and blades longer
than your foot.
Hand Paddles
Properly used, hand paddles help you learn what it feels like to hold on to one spot
in the water. In much the same way flippers enlarge your effective kicking surface,
paddles enlarge your effective pulling surface. Paddles with large holes for water
to pass through allow you to still feel water pressure on your palms. But beware,
paddles that are more than slightly larger than your hands can be rough on
your shoulders.
Kickboard
Kickboards are rigid foam boards that support your upper body so you can work on
kicking only. Most kickboards today are designed to hold your upper body and head
at or higher than the surface while you are kicking with your legs, forcing you
to kick “uphill” to some extent.
Pace Clock, Training Watch, Goggle Clock
Most workouts are organized in an interval training format that requires a visible
timing device. If the pool you frequent does not have a pace clock, you’ll want
to get your own timer. The ideal is a portable 15-inch analog pace clock with sweep
second hand and minute hand. The face is numbered from 5 to 60 in five-second jumps
with small tick marks for each second in between.
An alternative to a pace clock is a sports timer watch. Look for one with multiple
stopwatch functions, including lap split memory with countdown and countup interval
timer. Two drawbacks to using a watch are that you can’t see it while you are
swimming, and recording lap splits requires you to reach over with your other hand
and press a button, thereby slowing you down. However, you can’t beat the portability
of a watch.
There is a miniature stopwatch called a Time-Window (about $30) that attaches to
the front of your goggles, so your elapsed time is always in your field of view
without interfering with your distance vision. Simply pressing the Time-Window case
starts, stops, or resets the device.
Heart Rate Monitor
A monitor with a watch-style display and sensor that straps around your chest is
the most accurate, but many people find this type of monitor uncomfortable for
extended use. Before investing in any heart rate monitor, borrow one to see if it
suits you.
Electronic Stroke Monitor
A stroke monitor is a sports watch that senses and counts each stroke as you take it;
keeps track of time; calculates swimming speed, distance per stroke, and cycling
rate; and has a stroke efficiency index. If you want swimming efficiency, but you
hate counting strokes, you’re going to end up owning an electronic
stroke monitor.
Antichlorine Chemicals
Modern science has spawned a variety of antichlorine shampoos, soaps, and body washes
that work surprisingly well to remove chlorine from your hair and skin.
Warm Clothes
During all but the fairest weather, most avid swimmers bring warm clothing to the
pool. Pullovers and parkas or big, thick, thirsty towels fit the bill here.
Equipment Bag
So, you took this article to the local swim shop and said, “I’ll have one of each,
two of some.” Well, you now have a pile of stuff to schlep back and forth. Invest
your last couple of sawbucks in two good swim bags. First, get a nylon mesh
drawstring bag for the wet pool toys (kickboard, flippers and paddles). Also get a
conventional workout bag for the usual locker-room stuff. It should have one or
two external mesh pockets for damp suits and goggles and a waterproof compartment
for wet towels. A waterproof bottom also comes in handy around constantly wet
pool decks.
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