There is a thread on benefits of using snorkels in swim training. I have seen debates in the past on effectiveness of various other swim aids - fins, pull buoys, tempo trainers, etc. The list of available gear is long.
My question is - If I am using some piece of equipment as part of my training, how can I objectively determine if it is helping?
If my times improve it may be due to other factors such as more training sessions per week, better designed sets (such as specific sets instead of "garbage yards"). Again a long list of possible factors.
Love to hear some thoughts on how you determine if something is helping you. Can it be objectively determined with some reasonable method that does not require tons of measurements and equipment?
Is it good enough that you feel subjectively that it helps, and that provides more motivation to work a little harder? I don't discount that factor. Sometimes if you believe it helps then it helps.
Wondering how everyone else approaches this.
Some time ago...maybe a year or more...a similar discussion arose. Can't remember who, but someone responded that, with certain exceptions, instead of using various toys/drills that they'd rather spend that time actually swimming and perfecting/improving their stroke(s). Not that I'm an expert in these forums, but I mostly agree with that. And even if "a swimmer" does improve at certain equipment drills...it may be difficult to quantify that improvement into the full stroke...if at all. Around that same time I had started a new thread about improving my kick. (note: I don't much swim ***/fly/back. I only occasionally swim in Masters meets, and then it's only the longer freestyle events. I'm only a crawl stroker for open water/triathlon events.) My kick was/is non-existant. I mean it takes me well over a minute to kick 25 meters. I took everyone's advice from here, and coaches. For nearly a year I worked extra time with the board at every workout. Eventually yeah...my time for 25m came down about 10 seconds per 25m. But I never saw any decrease in my crawl times at any distance. So I quit the board. If there are kick sessions on the workout at my Masters group...I use that time doing breathing or stroke count sort of drills. All that being said...I will use paddles/buoy from time to time. I feel like that does improve my pull strength. BUT, if you have a kick that does affect your stroke...then kick drills are probably a value to you. Still...how do you know how to balance the amount of time kicking with the rest of the workout and quantify the results?
Dan
Some time ago...maybe a year or more...a similar discussion arose. Can't remember who, but someone responded that, with certain exceptions, instead of using various toys/drills that they'd rather spend that time actually swimming and perfecting/improving their stroke(s). Not that I'm an expert in these forums, but I mostly agree with that. And even if "a swimmer" does improve at certain equipment drills...it may be difficult to quantify that improvement into the full stroke...if at all. Around that same time I had started a new thread about improving my kick. (note: I don't much swim ***/fly/back. I only occasionally swim in Masters meets, and then it's only the longer freestyle events. I'm only a crawl stroker for open water/triathlon events.) My kick was/is non-existant. I mean it takes me well over a minute to kick 25 meters. I took everyone's advice from here, and coaches. For nearly a year I worked extra time with the board at every workout. Eventually yeah...my time for 25m came down about 10 seconds per 25m. But I never saw any decrease in my crawl times at any distance. So I quit the board. If there are kick sessions on the workout at my Masters group...I use that time doing breathing or stroke count sort of drills. All that being said...I will use paddles/buoy from time to time. I feel like that does improve my pull strength. BUT, if you have a kick that does affect your stroke...then kick drills are probably a value to you. Still...how do you know how to balance the amount of time kicking with the rest of the workout and quantify the results?
Dan
