1. Feel the Resistance
Resistance swimming is a form of exercise that helps to improve a swimmer's technique and improve his athletic ability. Resistance swimming uses a device to provide more resistance than just the actual water that the athlete is swimming in. This can be a tether, which forces the swimmer to stay in one place, or a countercurrent swimming pool, in which the rapidly flowing water provides resistance. In addition to helping an athlete to improve technique, resistance swimming also helps to build upper body strength.
2. Stay in One Place
Tethered swimming is a form of resistance swimming that allows the athlete to remain in one place. There are all different types of tethers that are available, and they are specifically designed to allow the swimmer to stay in one area without a bumpy ride. Many college and professional swim teams use tethers to help their athletes build upper body strength and perfect their strokes. The tethers come in all shapes and sizes and attach to the swimmer by a strap that is connected to the ankles or waist or to custom water shoes.
3. Watch That Water Move
Countercurrent swimming machines allow people to practice resistance swimming. These machines use jets, propellers or paddle wheels to produce a strong current in the water, which provides resistance to the swimmer. These machines allow swimmers to get a good resistance workout in a small area. However, they are criticized for being noisy and expensive.
4. Best of Both Worlds?
There are several hybrid systems that combine some aspects of countercurrent swimming machines and tethering. The Swimergy Swim System is a hybrid device. It is a small pool that a person can swim in using a tethering device--in this case an elastic cord that attaches to the swimmer's water shoes. The manufacturers of these pools claim that swimmers can practice resistance swimming in these small areas because they have found a way to make sure that the water does not build up in these small areas and cause waves. They argue that these systems are superior to countercurrent swimming pools because they use very little space and less energy.
5. Strengthen Your Swimming Stroke
Resistance swimming makes it even easier for coaches to analyze a swimmer's stroke because they are staying in one place. For this reason, many coaches use tethering devices to analyze a swimmer's stroke and suggest improvements. Although strength is important in swimming, stroke and body positioning are most important in making the swimmer more efficient and fast.
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