Resistance swimming
Encyclopedia
Resistance swimming is a form of swimming exercise undertaken either for athletic or therapeutic purposes. In optimal circumstances, it lends itself to any stroke the swimmer wishes to perform. Resistance swimming can be carried out either against the pull of a tether or against the flow of water artificially set in motion by means of a swimming machine
.
In its most simple form, it consists of swimming while being held relatively stationary by a flexible restraining device, such as a harness or a foot restraint. This training method is used by a number of swim teams, such as the ones at Purdue University
, University of Indianapolis
, Florida State University
and the University of Florida
. Likewise, Special Forces Scuba Team members at Fort Bragg
use a commercial restraining device in their personal training for open water swimming. Users often indicate that it takes a certain amount of time to learn to compensate for the feeling of swimming against a restraint. However, for those who have familiarized themselves with these systems, tethers enable the swimmer to swim at any speed, even flat-out sprints, and to vary the speed at will.
Tethered swimming, as this method is known, has been in use since the middle of the twentieth century, and has undergone a gradual evolution. Initially the swimmers were restrained by a rope, which was eventually supplanted by interlocked bicycle
inner tubes or surgical tubing. Presently the systems in use employ either bungee cords or coiled lines to provide the shock-absorption necessary for a comfortable swim. Attachment methods also vary. Some devices restrain the swimmer by means of a belt, others wrap around the ankles, and still others connect to specially modified water shoes.
swim team in the late eighties.
Swimming machines made their appearance in the 1970s, initially in the form of jetted streams. Some of these were criticized for causing turbulence and an un-natural swimming environment. They were followed by paddle-wheel and propeller-driven machines, which were popularized by the Riverflow System. These generated a smoother stream of water. Many users find them easy to swim in.
Finally, there are exercise machines which allow a person to remain on dry land while simulating certain swimming strokes. These devices however can not compensate for the weight of the body and the limbs and thus deprive the user of the benefits of exercise in an aquatic environment.
Swimming machine
A swimming machine is a resistance swimming apparatus, often self-contained, enabling the swimmer to swim in place. This may be accomplished either by accelerating the water past the swimmer or by supporting the swimmer, either in water or on dry land...
.
Tethered swimming
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, University of Indianapolis
University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis is a university located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The shortened name it uses is UIndy...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
and the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Likewise, Special Forces Scuba Team members at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
use a commercial restraining device in their personal training for open water swimming. Users often indicate that it takes a certain amount of time to learn to compensate for the feeling of swimming against a restraint. However, for those who have familiarized themselves with these systems, tethers enable the swimmer to swim at any speed, even flat-out sprints, and to vary the speed at will.
Tethered swimming, as this method is known, has been in use since the middle of the twentieth century, and has undergone a gradual evolution. Initially the swimmers were restrained by a rope, which was eventually supplanted by interlocked bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
inner tubes or surgical tubing. Presently the systems in use employ either bungee cords or coiled lines to provide the shock-absorption necessary for a comfortable swim. Attachment methods also vary. Some devices restrain the swimmer by means of a belt, others wrap around the ankles, and still others connect to specially modified water shoes.
Hybrid systems
These swimming machines straddle the difference between traditional tethers and mechanical swimming machines. As a result they combine the advantages of both, with a couple of drawbacks. They share the self-contained aspect of counter-current swimming machines with the low cost, simplicity and freedom of movement of tether systems. They are not strictly speaking "still-water pools" since the movements of the swimmer actually induce a gentle current of water which permits a more natural swimming experience. There are no energy costs (other than the water quality system) with these machines, as they use no electricity for swimming. While they are valuable for aerobic exercise, endurance and strength training, and for stroke practice, they cannot replicate open water conditions. Thus, for competition training they have to be complemented with open-water practice.Swimming machines
Another form of resistance swimming is that in which the swimmer is unrestrained and the water is set in motion by means of mechanical devices, such as jets, propellers or paddle wheels. Such an apparatus is also known as a countercurrent swimming machine, of which a number are presently available commercially. A prototype machine was used by the Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
swim team in the late eighties.
Swimming machines made their appearance in the 1970s, initially in the form of jetted streams. Some of these were criticized for causing turbulence and an un-natural swimming environment. They were followed by paddle-wheel and propeller-driven machines, which were popularized by the Riverflow System. These generated a smoother stream of water. Many users find them easy to swim in.
Finally, there are exercise machines which allow a person to remain on dry land while simulating certain swimming strokes. These devices however can not compensate for the weight of the body and the limbs and thus deprive the user of the benefits of exercise in an aquatic environment.