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 🙂
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.
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 news:[email hidden]...
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 🙂
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.
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?!
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.
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.
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.
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 🙂
