Swimming | Evolving Consumer

Nekdoodle No Wet Noodle

Last week’s 2011 International Aquatic Fitness Conference saw the arrival of the Nekdoodle, a head and neck support for use in water fitness, recreation and relaxation. While some water floatation aids are about as effective as a wet noodle, the Aquatic Exercise Association and the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute (ATRI) tested the Nekdoodle and gave it a solid “thumbs up.”

The Nekdoodle was demonstrated during the Open Pool time during Conference, which was hosted by the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA), and which drew some of the best presenters in the world from Spain, USA, Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Russia, Germany, Trinidad and Portugal and over 800 participants from 37 countries and 48 states. Continue reading Nekdoodle No Wet Noodle

Polar USA Rolls Out Suite of Technology Accessories With New Computer

There is no denying that training computers have typically had very specific uses. What is good in the water isn’t so good on the bike, but Polar USA looks to change the way the game is tracked with its new RCX5 training computer. It builds on the company’s decades of experience, and this new device combines Polar heart rate tracking accuracy with features that make it ideal in the water, on the bike and even on the pavement as you pound out each and every step.

The device, which is now available in “smart black” and will available in “striking red” later this year, is includes sport profiles that are essential for multisport and triathletes. It allows users to quickly switch between sports during training, so no time or training data is lost between swims, rides or runs.

“Triathlons are one of the fastest-growing sport segments in the United States, and we understand better than anyone in the market that multisport athletes demand data, whether they are training for their first regional event or chasing a lifelong professional pursuit,” said Jeff Padovan, President, Polar USA. “The Polar brand has been an established name among elite athletes for more than 30 years, and we are proud of the loyalty and knowledge we’ve built within the ‘tri’ market specifically. The RCX5 is the realization of everything we’ve been hearing that ‘tri’ users require to get to that next level, packaged in a new, sleek design.”

The RCX5 features a ZoneOptimizer that adjusts to personal heart rate zones based on the user’s current physiological condition to optimize just the right level of training intensity; plus Race Pace that lets the wearer set a target time for certain distances to see how far ahead or behind on a course the user is at a given time; and even a Training Load feature to let a wearer known when he or she has recovered enough for the next session.

The RCX5 is available in multiple product sets for running, cycling and multi-sport use. There is even a WearLink+ Hybrid transmitter that can ensure transmission in the water via a comfortable, fabric chest transmitter that transfers data both in 5 kHz and 2.4 GHz.

Training may never be the same again.

Polar RCX5 Official Website

Flex Goggles Let Swimmers Become Predator in the Water

While much of the United States is being hammered with snow, down under is another story. Despite some floods and a terrible cyclone, summer is in full swing and thus time to get in some swimming before the coming of fall. This week keen swimmers were offered a way to improve their stroke techniques and help their level of performance with two products from Zoggs.

The 4 Flexpoint Predator Flex Goggles are designed for use in pools as well as open swimming, and these feature enhanced frame styling, along with Fogbuster impregnated anti-fog lenses. The goggles offer quick adjust straps that can make for easy adjustments while swimming, plus 180 degrees of undistorted peripheral vision from the Curve Lens Technology. There are even mirrored lens to suit a variety of light conditions.

The Four-Stoke Positive Drive Fins can help users with all strokes. These training fins feature an offset foot pocket, which promotes natural supination in the kick turning for positive drive, while the ellipsoidal shaped blade provides ideal thrust in all the main four kick cycles. There is also an ergonomic foot pocket that is designed to provide greater comfort for training. The fins come in sizes 2/3 to 13/14.

Both products should help you feel like a big fish in a small pond, and more importantly a much faster fish at that. Let’s hope these products catch the current to North America this year.

Zoggs Official Website

Swimsense Tracks Performance in Pool

We’ve seen no shortage of devices for tracking your progress whilst running or cycling, but what about those in the pool? In fact, we’ve often heard from various heart rate makers that it is actually difficult to track an athlete while they’re in the water. But someone has had the sense to find a way around that, and now FINIS has introduced the Swinsense (powered by SportsSense).

This groundbreaking training tool can actually capture critical performance data. It is worn much like a wrist watch and it uses an accelerometer, magnetometers and proprietary algorithms to help users identify how they swim. Out of the pool users can analyze their performance on the dive with pace times, distance (calculated in meters/yards or even laps), stroke count, stroke rate, distance-per-stroke and of course calories burned across all four major strokes.

User cans further take the performance data and have it uploaded to the FINIS Swimsense training log for additional analysis, and keep a running log with historical review. The Swimsense Performance Monitor will be available this holiday (MSRP: $199.99). Think of it as your sixth sense for your swim training.

FINIS Swimsense Performance Monitor

Computer Differentiates Swim Strokes, Laps

This little computer likes to get wet. Some swimmers already wear a heart rate monitor in the pool to track exertion and calories burned, but that’s only part of the picture. Swimsense from Finis records the number of laps swum, total distance, calories burned, lap time, pace, and stroke count. It can even differentiate between backstroke, breastroke, butterfly and freestyle as you’re putting in those laps. Go home and sync the Swimsense with your computer to log how many laps you swim in a week, and your training progress.

If there’s anything disappointing about this watersport watch, it’s that there’s not an optional heart rate monitor for those who don’t mind wearing a strap on their chest in the pool. It makes the calories burned measure more accurate, and helps swimmers better pace themselves.

The Swimsense Performance Monitor will be available for the holidays, and just in time for swimmers making New Year’s resolutions to up their number of laps and keep at it. The monitor is expected to retail for about $199.

Finis Swimsense product page

New Performance Fabrics Processed with Plasma

It’s the gas in your TV. And now it’s the gas that created the surface of your clothes. Plasma is a gas created by applying electrical fields to pure gas or gas mixtures in a vacuum chamber. A Swiss company called Eschler is using plasma to cause systematic surface modifications to fabrics. Translation: A process that creates water-resistant, water-absorbing and dirt-repellent fabrics through the use of electricity and an ionic gas rather than the use of chemicals or excessive water. Plasma changes the surface of the fabric to grant these properties through particular textures whether they’re smooth or mottled. The process has traditionally been achieved through the use of wet processing with chemicals and lots and lots of water. The chemical process often makes the fabric too stiff, and wears away with repeated washing.

Continue reading New Performance Fabrics Processed with Plasma

Poseidon in the Pool

The Greek God Poseidon ruled over the water, and now technology bearing his name is being used in some YMCA pools to help monitor swimmers. CBS42.com is reporting that this technology utilizes three cameras in each corner of the pool, along with software to detect when there is no motion. This is used in conjunction with actual lifeguards.

The computer-aided drowning detection system is being called a lifeguard’s third eye that never blinks. It can analyze activity in the pool, and in water that is less than nine feet deep can work simply with overhead cameras. It can also aid lifeguards to a simmer in trouble. It uses a network of small, digital cameras that can quickly identify situations that could be life-threatening, such as when a person is motionless underwater.

Poseidon Official Site
[Via CBS42.com: Poseidon of the Pool]

Tap Your Way Through Your Next Ironman

Whether you’re going the distance in an Ironman or just want to use the various logs while working out, the Timex Ironman Sleek 150-lap watch will allow you to see the results – and get through the various screens by just taping.

This TapScreen technology allows athletes to tap the face while swimming, cycling or running instead of having to locate and push buttons. This means you can spend more time looking at the results and less time trying to get there. This watch is also water resistant up to 100 meters – not that you’ll likely need to go to those depths, but as they say, “it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” Or in this case it takes a licking and stills gives you the key facts in a digital readout, which includes large digits that offer information for 24-hour time, month, day and date display, and two time zones.

It offers a night-light with night-mode, target time pacer, dated training log with best lap, average lap and total time, 100-hour chronograph with lap and split times, 150-lap memory recall, 199-lap counter and on-the-fly lap or split recall. There are also alarms for hydration and nutrition so you don’t let those important details slip your mind. So next time you go for a training run, or are in a competition you can get all you need to know just by tapping away.

Timex Ironman Sleek 150-lap Watch

TYR These Goggles on for Size

Seeing isn’t merely believing, seeing is what allows you go from competitor to winner – at least when it comes to swimming.

And whether you’re hitting the pool, or getting wet and wild in a triathlon, the TYR Sports Nest Pro Nano will let you see clearly.

These performance goggles are inspired by the unique bird nest architectural design of Beijing’s main stadium that was used in the 2008 Olympics, and this nest design provides intertwined support to give a more open field of vision. That can be good in a pool or in open water. The Nano also features a nice and compact frame, along with smaller gaskets so it is ideal for smaller faces and children. And at $24 these goggles are affordable enough as well, allowing you to see your way to victory.

TYR Sports Online Store: Nest Pro Nano