I just finished reading Cecil Colwin's book, "Breakthrough Swimming" (very good book). In his chapter on stroke technique, he states that swimming with a weight belt is an effective means for a swimmer to learn how he or she can best exert maximum leverage in the water, and thus generate greater propulsion. Has anyone tried this? If so, how much weight did you use, and what kind of sets did you do? Did you find it beneficial?
Thanks,
Dan
Drag (resistance) swimming and weighted swimming have 2 distinct training purposes. The weight belt is not used as a drag. I don’t have Colwin’s book with me, so I can’t respond to his comments. However in general weighted swimming forces the swimmer to exert more power (specifically in the kick) to maintain proper body position.
Typically sprinters will do this more than distance swimmers and this is usually not a drill for swimmers who are trying to develop streamline swimming. Weighted swimming can be grueling, depending on how sadistic the coach is and how much weight you are saddled with. The concept of swimming with a weight belt is similar to the concept of kicking with a cinder block (al la Gary Jr.).
Drag (resistance) swimming and weighted swimming have 2 distinct training purposes. The weight belt is not used as a drag. I don’t have Colwin’s book with me, so I can’t respond to his comments. However in general weighted swimming forces the swimmer to exert more power (specifically in the kick) to maintain proper body position.
Typically sprinters will do this more than distance swimmers and this is usually not a drill for swimmers who are trying to develop streamline swimming. Weighted swimming can be grueling, depending on how sadistic the coach is and how much weight you are saddled with. The concept of swimming with a weight belt is similar to the concept of kicking with a cinder block (al la Gary Jr.).
