Just a thought - if it seems interesting and possible ----- In masters swim coaching, when I use drag chutes; tethered swimming against a stretch type cord; speed assisted swimming with a longer stretch type cord etc... the response is usually positive with an occasional ah-ha, as the swimmer felt something and learned something - usually about body line, air exchange, holding onto or slipping and failing to anchor in the water. some even say they had not done that since age group or college swimming. consider some variety in practices. you can buy training tools but you can also make some home made swim tools rather simply and on a shoe string budget. be well. be safe. stay fit.
some other low cost ideas: tennis balls in hands; golf balls in hands; a make shift water polo set up; tennis balls in a mesh bag on a leash connected to a belt for horizontal drag; kicking or swimming duals with a common stretch cord or rope connected to belts worn by each swimmer; sculling or even swimming with paddles but with no straps at all (must gently grab the paddles on an out or the water recovery action). How about speed assisted streamlining underwater to really feel a clean or perhaps a not so clean line slip in and through the water. if a coach or teammate pulls the cord, the speed is awesome.
have fun. be well. be safe. stay fit.
As my fellow Vision Quest friends know - it is not the 6 minutes but what we do with the 6 minutes that matters. believe and enjoy.
coach kopie
I think these are good ideas.
But I also think masters swimmers are not as "lemming-like" as most age-groupers. When a coach gives an unfamiliar drill or exercise, they will be most engaged if they understand what they are supposed to be gaining from it.
My first experience coaching masters I expected them to be more interested in doing "boring" sets. I was completely wrong, just like swimmers of every level they crave interesting and fun workouts. Implementing equipment the ways you are suggesting is absolutely great.
I once saw a team empty out their equipment bags and put them over there head and arms to use as resistance while doing streamlined dolphin kick. Funny looking, but creative and cheap/free since many swimmers already own a mesh equipment bag.
I firmly believe that when a swimmer is enjoying themselves they work harder without realizing it.
