Cheap endless pool

Kurt Godel

I was looking online to buy a splash pool for the kids, when I came across this vid... the guy anchors himself and goes for a swim. Seems like a too-good-to-be-true idea! An endless pool in your backyard for €100, or what am I missing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkZgWJG3zvs

miller82

brilliant

Kurt Godel

A little bit of research this morning- Finis and TYR make stationary hip or ankle belts, or people make their own. The biggest differences in stationary swimming are a) absence of a bow wave for breathing, and b) fundamentally different fluid dynamics, meaning you won't generate as much lift as you would with forward momentum. In practice this seems to mean a greater workout as you work to keep the legs higher.

Anyway, pool bought, looking forward to a summer of daily swims, the kids will have to make do with splashing in a bucket.

percy212

Where did you buy the pool OP? Interested in getting one myself.

Kurt Godel

percy212 wrote: »

Where did you buy the pool OP? Interested in getting one myself.

12ftx30" pool

It's only 30" deep, hopefully this will be enough for clearance (if not, the single-lane covered endless pool goes back on the wish-list;))

Arciphel

For these pools make sure you buy a solar cover as well to keep the temperature some bit above freezing, for a pool that size should only cost €20 or so but keeps the water clean of debris and its safer too if there is kids around.

percy212

Looks good OP.

Solar cover? I like the sound of that!

mloc123

I am going home to measure my garage now... seriously

Arciphel

The solar cover is just a sheet if heavy duty bubble wrap that you lay on the water surface when the pool is not in use. It stops heat and water loss from evaporation, and stops kids and leaves and stuff falling into the pool too. Pretty much essential if you are going to have one of these set up, even if only during the summer. Smyths toys sell the Intec covers very cheap ;-)

mloc123

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-RECTANGULAR-FAMILY-GARDEN-SWIMMING-PADDLING-POOL-BLUE-FRAME-5-SIZE-AVAILABLE-/151033788077?pt=UK_Swimming_Pools_Hot_Tubs&var=&hash=item232a50b6ad

The largest size here looks good..

kingQuez

That's so cool.. I want one! I wonder if the odd body position/breathing is because of the belt+rope positioning, or just the swimmer.

joey100

Looks good. When we train on Thursday mornings the high performance squad use these a bit. Look a bit strange and they seem to be working pretty hard against them. The main difference between the ones they use and the one in the vid is that there's seem to be anchored from higher. Looks like it would stop the strap getting caught in your feet when kicking, one in the video looks pretty low and could end up hitting your feet.

miller82

i have to get one of these....................................and move out of my apartment

RacoonQueen

Yeah, I was going to comment on his technique, wonder if it's poor technique or difficult to rotate with the yokey attached.

I've a big back garden...hmm...

Solobally8

Our local pool is closing for three months in August. I was looking for an alternative...

Gringo78

What about a Vasa Ergometer

http://www.xtri.com/swim-tech/detail/284-itemId.511710872.html

Expensive but maybe affordable in comparison to the money paid for bikes. Useful in the winter I'd say and a great time saver.

Chartsengrafs

Ideally this sort of setup could be matched with a turbo and treadmill so you'd never need to leave the house at all.

mrbungle

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I was looking online to buy a splash pool for the kids, when I came across this vid... the guy anchors himself and goes for a swim. Seems like a too-good-to-be-true idea! An endless pool in your backyard for €100, or what am I missing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkZgWJG3zvs

Stick a bar out from a wall or suspend the anchor point and you wouldn't have any kick interference with the wire.

Oryx

Before you invest bring a tether to your local pool, tie yourself to the ladder and see what it's like to swim that way. You'll see if its a close enough approximation to a 'normal' swim.

mloc123

Oryx wrote: »

Before you invest bring a tether to your local pool, tie yourself to the ladder and see what it's like to swim that way. You'll see if its a close enough approximation to a 'normal' swim.

This is my thinking too

griffin100

Oryx wrote: »

Before you invest bring a tether to your local pool, tie yourself to the ladder and see what it's like to swim that way. You'll see if its a close enough approximation to a 'normal' swim.

That'd go down well at the pool......excuse me Ms Teenage lifeguard, could you please tie this old bald man up please, I want to eh, check out how I swim when I'm tied up

Oryx

griffin100 wrote: »

That'd go down well at the pool......excuse me Ms Teenage lifeguard, could you please tie this old bald man up please, I want to eh, check out how I swim when I'm tied up

I did think that but lifeguards need a giggle too. We might read about it in the cries of retail thread. "You'll never guess what this bat-**** crazy dude tried in the pool today..."

Kurt Godel

Oryx wrote: »

Before you invest bring a tether to your local pool, tie yourself to the ladder and see what it's like to swim that way. You'll see if its a close enough approximation to a 'normal' swim.

I'll be a guinea pig for this, I have the pool ordered for the kids anyway, a tether has been ordered for science duty, I spent the day today excavating a flat 12' circle in my back yard. Feedback should be available next week, and as far as 18-year-old lifeguard babes know, I shave my head for streamline reasons.

shotgunmcos

Sounds like a cool plan with obvious benefits to endurance and just getting work done. My 2 main concerns would be 1) affect on technique over thousands of strokes in this environment and more significantly 2) the chord pulling on the lower back over thousands of reps

Very interested to hear some feedback

ted1

My brother has solar tubes on his roof to provide hot water and a tap out back.

He also harvests rain water via a 3500litre tank under the patio.

Anyway I was over in his place the other day and he filled the paddling pool with water from it and it was like a hot tub, it was brilliant.

Point of story is he gets free hot water even when water is metered and could keep onevifvthese out his back with water kept at a good temp, so I must get him to get one if these pools.

okane1

I often use these tethers in the pool (the resistance ones). I find the best way to use them is with a centre snorkel, for me it keeps me more balanced in the water.

peter kern

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Sounds like a cool plan with obvious benefits to endurance and just getting work done. My 2 main concerns would be 1) affect on technique over thousands of strokes in this environment and more significantly 2) the chord pulling on the lower back over thousands of reps

Very interested to hear some feedback

1 you still get a feeling for the water and pool swimming is not wetsuit swimming either if it does increase swim frequency its good

2 i used tether ( to be honest bike tubes) quite a lot when i cycled through the centre and west of australia and 2 x 1 week of 10 k a day in those 4 month I lost hardly nothing of my swim I used a neopren belt motor cyclists use to protect the kidneys and it worked very well.
it cant replace normal swimming but if thats the only way to get swim 2 3 or 4 a week in great.
in my opinion much better than a vasa bench.

shotgunmcos

Did a bit of surfing on this. In short if bungees are good enough for the elites... Still looking forward to Kurt's report

Kurt Godel

Pool (12' x 30") is up, its been taking ages to fill:) I excavated into a slope, and there is now only about 5cm difference between the high and low points. The pool itself goes up very quickly, and seems sturdy enough. I used interlocking foam panels as a base. I got in just to test it now - its not quite full (about 10cm to go), so my fingers were scraping the base if I didn't bend enough at the elbow. Tried a rudimentary tether for a couple of minutes (running belt, dog leash, and bungy cord), and stayed in the same place no bother. My initial thoughts are that breathing is a lot harder, and that you work harder to stay level. Feet drop was quite evident. I'll know more over the next couple of days, but my first thoughts are that A) this will work, and it will give a very hard workout for the time spent.

[IMG]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bNb6ftbnA5s/Ucw78J1drzI/AAAAAAAAA6E/1QF_lXtjLXM/s640/SAM_0528.JPG" height="427" width="640"[/IMG]

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I have to say Paul loving these build updates. Interested to see how it goes when it is fully setup.

Oryx

Nice view.

catweazle

Can you take a picture of the tree that is causing all the problems!

username123

Looks great! Could be a lucrative business opportunity here, you could rent it by the hour to like minded individuals......

mloc123

Do you think an 8ft pool would work? At full stretch I cannot touch a ceiling...

username123

mloc123 wrote: »

Do you think an 8ft pool would work? At full stretch I cannot touch a ceiling...

How deep? Id say that would work. Im only 5ft - no need for a 12 ft pool for me either.

Oryx

Bet its gonna be cold a lot of the time...

Good swimmers are usuallyl nicknamed fish, but after this, KG, youll be goldfish!

peter kern

great job.

I think you would be best off building a water shield around the top edge ( which is leaning inwards) to prevent too much water loss.

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Pool (12' x 30") is up, its been taking ages to fill:) I excavated into a slope, and there is now only about 5cm difference between the high and low points. The pool itself goes up very quickly, and seems sturdy enough. I used interlocking foam panels as a base. I got in just to test it now - its not quite full (about 10cm to go), so my fingers were scraping the base if I didn't bend enough at the elbow. Tried a rudimentary tether for a couple of minutes (running belt, dog leash, and bungy cord), and stayed in the same place no bother. My initial thoughts are that breathing is a lot harder, and that you work harder to stay level. Feet drop was quite evident. I'll know more over the next couple of days, but my first thoughts are that A) this will work, and it will give a very hard workout for the time spent.

[IMG]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bNb6ftbnA5s/Ucw78J1drzI/AAAAAAAAA6E/1QF_lXtjLXM/s640/SAM_0528.JPG" height="427" width="640"[/IMG]

griffin100

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Tried a rudimentary tether for a couple of minutes (running belt, dog leash, and bungy cord), and stayed in the same place no bother.

Any photos or better still footage of this?

My initial thoughts are that breathing is a lot harder, and that you work harder to stay level. Feet drop was quite evident.

Maybe wear a wetsuit?

mloc123

username123 wrote: »

How deep? Id say that would work. Im only 5ft - no need for a 12 ft pool for me either.

It is possible to get a 8ft x 30inch one on ebay... which would fit nicely in my garage.

username123

mloc123 wrote: »

It is possible to get a 8ft x 30inch one on ebay... which would fit nicely in my garage.

I cant see why it wouldnt, even if you drift a bit off centre, if you are as short as me then there would still be some play.

Sounds weird but why not chalk out an 8 ft diameter circle in your garage and lie in it in swim positions, and drift a bit to each side and have someone photograph or film to see how much play you have? Once you had your tether the right length to keep you centred I cant see a problem tbh.

Bambaata

username123 wrote: »

I cant see why it wouldnt, even if you drift a bit off centre, if you are as short as me then there would still be some play.

Sounds weird but why not chalk out an 8 ft diameter circle in your garage and lie in it in swim positions, and drift a bit to each side and have someone photograph or film to see how much play you have? Once you had your tether the right length to keep you centred I cant see a problem tbh.

....and show us the video just so we can analyse your stroke!

Kurt when you get this going please put a thread on Slowtwitch asking for advise on your swim technique

Kurt Godel

mloc123 wrote: »

Do you think an 8ft pool would work? At full stretch I cannot touch a ceiling...

I just looked at my son tethered and swimming- he wasn't going forward at all. So I'd imagine you could do something useful in an 8ft pool.

username123 wrote: »

How deep? Id say that would work. Im only 5ft - no need for a 12 ft pool for me either.

I'm 6'2", with quite a long reach. The pool is 30" deep and my hands are glancing the bottom at times. That's also because of lift- if I swim harder, with better form, my stroke and reach are fine.

Oryx wrote: »

Bet its gonna be cold a lot of the time...

Good swimmers are usuallyl nicknamed fish, but after this, KG, youll be goldfish!

Godelfish? Yes, Its quite cold! I've tried it twice now, with wetsuit and without.

peter kern wrote: »

I think you would be best off building a water shield around the top edge ( which is leaning inwards) to prevent too much water loss.

Good idea, I'll look into this.

griffin100 wrote: »

Any photos or better still footage of this?

Maybe wear a wetsuit?

I'll get a video over the next couple of days. I've tried a wetsuit, legs were a bit higher all right.

Overall I haven't used the pool enough to form a proper opinion, but from first impressions I'd say build a tether yourself using bungee cords etc (stupidly I have one ordered), maybe as okane says this is best used with a snorkel (leg position is hard enough without lifting the head higher to breath), and any work done will complement rather than substitute for pool/OW swimming. Its a lot harder to swim tethered than without, I'd say this will be great resistance training.

username123

Sounds great KG!

What tether did you order?

Oryx

If you want to borrow a snorkel I can loan you one to try next week.

Kurt Godel

username123 wrote: »

Sounds great KG!

What tether did you order?

Finis heavy cord, but to be honest my home made job worked perfectly; because you're in fluid there is little "pull" noticed around the waist.

mloc123

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Bestway-Steel-Pro-Rectangular-Frame-Pool-With-Pump-113-x-73-x-39-5-56248-/170988844202?hash=item27cfbab4aa

Pricier but good dimensions... would leave me room for bike storage and a turbo too

sconhome

Was thinking about this during the week but away from the PC to post.

Use a pull buoy to neutralise your leg position while tethered that way your feet wont fight the tether.

The big thing I was thinking about and maybe any of the engineers might be able to help prove or disprove my theory.

Tethered in a static pool has got to be a far better workout for you as a swimmer than the idea of swimming in a moving body of water which just allows you to hold your position. Similar to the idea of running on a treadmill vs the real thing ?

Love the ingenuity of it all.

tunney

vasa trainers? Given the feel for water and position is going to be all off anyways.

AFAIK even the proper endless pools "aren't right" feel wise

shotgunmcos

tunney wrote: »

vasa trainers? Given the feel for water and position is going to be all off anyways.

AFAIK even the proper endless pools "aren't right" feel wise

You will never really get feel right. Nothing substitutes the real thing. In rowing a similar but more pronounced difference between ergo and water. I've seen technical whippets beating machine animals on the water where it counts. However the ergo is part of the training for every rower at every level. At least this treadmill type solution is closer to the natural environment than an ergo although more brutal without immediate data feedback..

Kurt Godel

Tether is a little short so I was too close to the wall when kicking, but otherwise this works a treat! Hard on the arms, a lot more intense effort then regular swimming:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK8DZsKsEIc

hardCopy

Brilliant