Anyone got / use an Endless pool?
Discussion
Sorry if this has already been covered.. P.H. search function is down.
Just wondering if any swimmers out there have an Endless Pool?
My wife loves to swim and has done many triathlons - she's working up to half-ironman and full iron-man next year and the year after, respectively. I'm just getting back into fitness training after a couple of knee ops, so swimming is a good choice to place lower stress on the tendons as they recover. Must admit, I'm really starting to enjoy swimming once again and we're tempted by the idea of sticking an endless pool (or similar) in the garage so we can train all year round.
Would like to know if anyone else out there has one and whether or not they'd recommend it.
Thanks in advance!
Just wondering if any swimmers out there have an Endless Pool?
My wife loves to swim and has done many triathlons - she's working up to half-ironman and full iron-man next year and the year after, respectively. I'm just getting back into fitness training after a couple of knee ops, so swimming is a good choice to place lower stress on the tendons as they recover. Must admit, I'm really starting to enjoy swimming once again and we're tempted by the idea of sticking an endless pool (or similar) in the garage so we can train all year round.
Would like to know if anyone else out there has one and whether or not they'd recommend it.
Thanks in advance!
Used to be a competitive swimmer and have used one for training before,
They are pretty weird and hard to get used to, like swimming in a big river rather than a nice pool
Take BS for example, you have two propulsions with you pull and kick, but in the glide phase you just slow to a dead/move backwards.,..
They are pretty weird and hard to get used to, like swimming in a big river rather than a nice pool
Take BS for example, you have two propulsions with you pull and kick, but in the glide phase you just slow to a dead/move backwards.,..
Although I'm certainly not a "proper" swimmer (swim for triathlon), I've used one a few times and thought they were very good.
As mentioned they're a bit difficult to get used to, but like any training aid that's situated at home, one would make the job of training a great deal easier (rather than an x mile drive to your nearest pool every time you wanted a swim sesh).
The one I've used had a mirror along the bottom, which was exceptionally good at showing me just how inefficient my pull through was!!!
All in all, I'd like one, but it would really depend on how much you could pick one up for . . .
As mentioned they're a bit difficult to get used to, but like any training aid that's situated at home, one would make the job of training a great deal easier (rather than an x mile drive to your nearest pool every time you wanted a swim sesh).
The one I've used had a mirror along the bottom, which was exceptionally good at showing me just how inefficient my pull through was!!!
All in all, I'd like one, but it would really depend on how much you could pick one up for . . .
Well, tried this yesterday and must say I was pretty impressed. Good strong current generated and easy to get into a nice rhythm, no real turbulence from the flow so feels quite natural after a couple of minutes swimming. The floor based mirror is excellent, allowing you to see how good (or not in my case) your stroke is. Easy to adjust the flow rate and therefore swimming speed with a small (hopefully waterproof!) remote control. Certainly noticed not having to stop after every 25m and push off for another length as per a normal pool - I was kn******d after a few minutes constant swimming!! I reckon we'll be getting the garage dry-lined and insulated and could well end up with one of these… I'll keep you posted 
For swimming freestyle (and backstroke to some extent) at a constant rate or trying to maintain a constant rate they are good, ie. increasing endurance. However there are issues for real technical analysis and other strokes if your really trying to get scientific that you may need to be aware off.
Basically swimming against the flow is different to swimming in open or pool water, the fluid dynamics act differently so the body position and stroke you develop in an endless pool is not optimal for still or placid water.
But the differences only really matter when you really are looking for every minute increase in performance.
Specifically for Breastroke and Butterfly, the speed of travel varies significantly through out the whole stroke cycle so it is very difficult to stay central unless you have a massive pool. Otherwise you have to slow down or go at 100% which leads to decreased benefits.
Basically swimming against the flow is different to swimming in open or pool water, the fluid dynamics act differently so the body position and stroke you develop in an endless pool is not optimal for still or placid water.
But the differences only really matter when you really are looking for every minute increase in performance.
Specifically for Breastroke and Butterfly, the speed of travel varies significantly through out the whole stroke cycle so it is very difficult to stay central unless you have a massive pool. Otherwise you have to slow down or go at 100% which leads to decreased benefits.
Edited by OneDs on Friday 19th August 13:48
OneDs - excellent reply, many thanks. I'm no olympic swimmer, so rather than concentrating on taking a few seconds / minutes off my time I'm looking just to improve my endurance in the pool. I'll be using it for freestyle, so will avoid the issues of the bs and bf techniques in this environment. My hope is that using this on a regular basis for 30 mins a day or so should really help improve the swimming stamina without stressing my newly re-built knees! (Another good reason for not doing the breast-stroke!)
We've just ordered it today, so should have it operational by mid-September!
We've just ordered it today, so should have it operational by mid-September!
drgav2005 said:
OneDs - excellent reply, many thanks. I'm no olympic swimmer, so rather than concentrating on taking a few seconds / minutes off my time I'm looking just to improve my endurance in the pool. I'll be using it for freestyle, so will avoid the issues of the bs and bf techniques in this environment. My hope is that using this on a regular basis for 30 mins a day or so should really help improve the swimming stamina without stressing my newly re-built knees! (Another good reason for not doing the breast-stroke!)
We've just ordered it today, so should have it operational by mid-September!
They were very new when I swam competitively up to '95, but for your & your other half's use they make perfect sense, no one wants to do open water training for 9 months of the year in this country and if you have ever trained or raced for significant periods in a 50m pool you realise how easy/fast good turns can make swimming in 25m pool by comparison. Good move hope you get the benefits from it.We've just ordered it today, so should have it operational by mid-September!
Thanks OneDs!
Leeb - hang on to your hat… they're not desperately cheap, but compared against building / maintaining your own pool they are, let's say more 'cost effective'! Given we don't have space for a pool (well, without building a £50k extension to put it in) and want to use it all year round (i.e. not outdoors) then this is really the most viable option.
They were running a special offer at the London Triathlon: Endless Fastlane pool (10' x 14'6", 3'8" deep), solar cover, pump, filter and heater, 5hp Fastlane swim machine, electric heater, floor mirror, swim pace display for £9600… That's not too far shy on how much I lost in depreciation in 8 months on an a4 cab and significantly less than I lost over the last year on the current X5 ;-0
Leeb - hang on to your hat… they're not desperately cheap, but compared against building / maintaining your own pool they are, let's say more 'cost effective'! Given we don't have space for a pool (well, without building a £50k extension to put it in) and want to use it all year round (i.e. not outdoors) then this is really the most viable option.
They were running a special offer at the London Triathlon: Endless Fastlane pool (10' x 14'6", 3'8" deep), solar cover, pump, filter and heater, 5hp Fastlane swim machine, electric heater, floor mirror, swim pace display for £9600… That's not too far shy on how much I lost in depreciation in 8 months on an a4 cab and significantly less than I lost over the last year on the current X5 ;-0
Right, garage insulated and and plaster boarded, new ceiling in place and loft void insulated, frame made up with 90mm insulation for pool to sit on, pool has arrived in is in 24 boxes scattered through house. Place is a tip - tripping over stuff which should be in the garage! But not long to go… should have the pool up and running in the next couple of days - I'll post pics once it is done… Problem is, I'll be too knackered to swim in it for a while 
rrc - ended up buying the 14'6"x10' fast lane pool with heater(!), 5 h.p. pump, floor mirror, uv sanitizer and security cover. Garage is now ready so I'll be building up the frame next week and tiling round the pool. Hopefully this time next week I'll have swum in it - if I've got any energy left after getting it ready ;-)
Well, we're almost there with our installation…
Started off by stripping everything out of the garage:
Then insulated all walls, ceiling and built an insulated base for the pool to sit on:
Tiled surround to pool:
Built frame around pool, insulated between pool liner and timber (trying to minimise heat loss as much as possible to reduce running costs) and installed security cover:
Plumbing connected and pool filled:
Thankfully my measurements worked out and we can still squeeze in 2 cars (well, once pool ladder is made up and the Aluminium ladder is hung on the outside wall) - phew!!!
Sparky is coming around tomorrow and we'll be able to turn on the pool and get it heated… it's at a rather perky 12C at present! Will update once I've actually swum in it ;-)
Started off by stripping everything out of the garage:
Then insulated all walls, ceiling and built an insulated base for the pool to sit on:
Tiled surround to pool:
Built frame around pool, insulated between pool liner and timber (trying to minimise heat loss as much as possible to reduce running costs) and installed security cover:
Plumbing connected and pool filled:
Thankfully my measurements worked out and we can still squeeze in 2 cars (well, once pool ladder is made up and the Aluminium ladder is hung on the outside wall) - phew!!!
Sparky is coming around tomorrow and we'll be able to turn on the pool and get it heated… it's at a rather perky 12C at present! Will update once I've actually swum in it ;-)
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