I am very lucky the micro-gym in town has this pool. Swimming in it is torturous, but getting to a real pool means at least 2 more hours driving and far exceeds my one-day bicycle commute distance. For a few weeks, swimming was the only exercise I could do and it is still on the schedule once or twice a week.
I’m thinking the name, Endless Pool, does not actually refer to the fact that one does not have to turn, but that swimming in it gives one a sense that their workout will never end. Nothing really compares to swimming-in-place in this pool; not running treadmills or stationary bikes. There is no feedback about speed or distance. The current creates “waves” that probably don’t equal the confusion of a mass-start triathlon, but exceed anything one experiences even during crowded lap swimming. Combine that with the tendency of the current to pull one’s feet down and you’ll get an idea of why I call it the “drown-in-place pool”.
I was surprised to see that in the photo the business end of this thing looks a little barbaric; like a monster about to bite a swimmer’s head off. Hmmm.
I really should have taken a photo with the motor on.
While I’m pretty certain the Endless Pool people will not be contacting me for an endorsement, it does have some benefits over a real lap pool. I’ve not ever been knocked in the head by a floaty toy and it is private; nice for those days when I am not feeling so great about the fit of my swimsuit. It gives one immediate feedback about whether a stroke change is producing additional speed or just using extra energy. The number one benefit: swimming in this “torture device” has made me a stronger swimmer and more confident about attempting open-water swims.
Thanks to IHateToast for inspiring this post.
Hi Cathy, it’s funny I should read this post today as I just went lap swimming and got prodded and bumped and jabbed by people on the complete other side of the lane buoy! Argh! And my hour truly dragged on endlessly. However the strange inertia type feeling of the endless pool torture chamber would probably make my workout seem like nirvana in comparison. Kudos to you for gettin’ ‘er done!
Wow, this is cool that you wrote this up. I’ve actually always wondered about endless pools. I’ve heard they are great… but I’ve only heard that from the professional triathlete spokespeople who were paid to say they love it. ;)
I’ve always wondered about the lack of feedback, and I’ve wondered about the “how do I know if I’m swimming fast enough other than not being kicked to the back of the pool” phenomena.
I wonder how much is related to poor setup, or just a lame product? They seem like they could perform very differently if set up incorrectly, or sub optimally.
To be fair, if you are considering an Endless Pool you should swim in one several times; preferably one that has all the options you’d want. The Endless Pool I use at the gym does not have the optional Digital Swim Meter and I think it has the lower power motor. It does not have a deep area for running. It does have a current gauge that provides a general comparison from day-to-day.
The gym pool has been in service about 4 years and gets 4-8 hours of use a day. The motor seems to need maintenance. I am about a 2min/100 swimmer on long swims. After the motor has been running for 10-15 minutes it cannot generate enough power for me to do sprints. I can always do my 2min/100 pace.
Even without the swim meter, I know whether or not I’m swimming well. For me not knowing how virtually fast or far I’ve gone is anti-motivational. It is difficult for me to work hard when an easy swim gets me to the same place in the same amount of time. I have this same problem on my bike right now. Since adding aero bars to train for Furnace Creek I cannot get a good HR reading and speed and cadence.
One tip for swimming in an Endless Pool that has been helpful for me is to set the current a little faster than you want to go then you can swim a little to the side to make it easier and back into the current if you’ve moved too close to the front.
For more information check out their website.
http://www.endlesspools.com/main.html
The How to Swim – how to guide for triathletes in the download section has some good information.
this is new to me. unheard of. i thought a bungee cord around the waist and a palm tree was all you needed.
pools here can’t be topped up with town water anymore (level 5 restrictions), so if we had one, it’d be full of grey water.
now i want to try one. can they make them with a screen saver pool bottom so i can feel i’m going someplace?
A screensaver pool bottom, or some kind of video, would be cool! I know they have mirrors, but I think the last thing I want to look at while I am swimming is me.