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The
following is a list of the most commonly used equipment at WSU Masters.
There are certainly other types of swimming equipment available
for purchase, and it is suggested that you consult with a WSU Masters
coach before you purchase equipment unnecessarily.
Suits
For
the women: Most will want to wear a one piece, racing
style suit usually made out of lycra material. Racing suits are made by a number of manufacturers,
though each manufacturer has a different cut and feel. It is suggested
that you become aware of the size, style, and manufacturer that
you feel most comfortable wearing.
For the men: Most will want to wear a racing style
suit though it is not required. For men who are not familiar with
racing style suits, they can improve performance better than baggier
trunks. Racing suits are made by a number of manufacturers, though
each manufacturer has a different cut and feel. It is suggested
that you become aware of the size, style, and manufacturer that
you feel most comfortable wearing. Men who have not worn a racing
style suit will need a period of time to adjust to wearing the more
revealing cut, but will soon appreciate its more sleek, streamline
feel once in the water.
There are a number of styles of racing/workout suits for men, the most common is the brief which is the most revealing cut. For men who prefer a more modest cut it is suggested they consider a square cut or a jammer suit which looks like bike shorts. When considering material most briefs and jammer suits come in only a lycra material and with repeated use will last between six and 18 months. Some of the square cut an/or drag suits are made out of either nylon or polyester. It is suggested to spend the few extra dollars for the polyester as they tend to with stand the wear and tear of weekly workouts better than the nylon suits. Nylon suits usually don't last much longer than a year, where as the polyester suits can last as long as two years.
WSU Masters has an informal agreement with SwimOulet.com. By ordering your suits and other equipment through this online retailer, you help WSU Masters earn dollars for club equipment and functions. For details on placing and order with Swim Outlet, please visit the Books and Apparel section.
Goggles
Goggles are not required equipment, but are highly recommended.
Goggles not only help you see better underwater, but also protect
your eyes from the chlorinated water. If you wear contact lenses,
you may wear your contacts under the goggles in order to aid your
vision. Goggles are made by a number of manufacturers, and like
suits, you should remember what manufacturer and style best fit
you. It is not necessary to spend a large sum of money on goggles;
usually a $6 pair will work just as well as the $30 pair.
Flippers/Fins
Fins, as they are referred to at WSU Masters, come in a variety
of shapes and sizes. They can aid beginning swimmers in learning
proper body position and speed up your kick dramatically. Because
we ocassionally do entire sets with the fins, swimming as well as
kicking, fins are strongly encouraged. The Hydo Finz noted at the
right are the style that we recommend. The cost is $40, but they
will last you years and are a good investment in your swimming.
Caps
Though not required, swim caps are an excellent way to help prevent
hair damage from pool chemistry. WSU Masters often has swim caps
available for purchase, or you can purchase one through a local
retailer or by mail order. Latex caps usually do not last much longer
than a year, but are the best in protecting your hair from damage.
Lycra caps allow water to flow through and do little to protect
the hair. Caps also help decrease drag in addition to keeping hair
out of the eyes.
Water
Bottles
WSU Masters strongly suggests that you bring a water bottle along
with you to every practice. Though you are surrounded by water,
most swimmers do not drink enough water to keep adequately hydrated
(you should not drink pool water). We encourage to you bring water
or other sports drinks in plastic containers only.
Pull
Buoys
Pull buoys come in a variety of shapes the most common shapes are
two cylindrical foam shapes tied together with a rope of some type.
The purpose of these buoys is to raise the legs, preventing them
from sinking, and allowing you to work the upper body. The problem
with pull buoys is they artificially do what you need to teach your
body to do. Some coaches refer to pull buoys as "swim diapers."
WSU Masters occasionally uses the pull buoys for sets, but in general
we work our upper bodies in other ways and concentrate on good body
position—something the pull buoy allows you to cheat on.
Hand
Paddles
Hand paddles are used to create more surface area for resistence
in the pull phase of the stroke. Again, paddles come in a variety
of shapes and sizes, and WSU Masters does use paddles in its training
on ocassion. Some of the advantages to using paddles include: allowing
a more powerful pull phase and cutting down on the number of strokes
per length, assisting in learning how to do bi-lateral breathing, learning
to follow through with the stroke. Some of the disadvantages to
using the paddles include: giving you more power than you'll ever
receive while swimming without the paddles and stress on the shoulder
possibly creating pain in the shoulders and arms. Though WSU Masters
occasionally does use paddles in its workouts, they are not required.
Fist
Gloves
A wonderful piece of equipment that keeps your hand in a fist. These
gloves are great for feeling the water on your forearm while you
are swimming. WSU Masters does not have a supply of these items,
but does utilize the concept in some of our workouts.
Kick
Boards
Kick boards also come in a variety of shapes and densities, and
look like minature surfboards. Unfortunately, doing lots of kick
sets using the board creates bad body position, and therefore WSU
Masters does a minimum amount of kicking with the board. Many times
kick sets with the board will be given after long sets, allowing
you to keep your head above the water, and to socialize with the
people around you (often referred to by the coach as social kicking).
Heart
Rate Monitors
Heart rate monitors are often used by athletes to gather heart rate
(HR) information during workouts. Inexpensive monitors provide a
real time HR readout on a watch that is worn by the athlete. More
expensive monitors also allow saved HR information to be downloaded
from the watch to a computer (search for Polar Heart Rate Monitors
in Google for examples).
HR monitors consist of a transmitter strap (that is worn around
the chest) and a watch. The electrodes on the strap pick up the
electrical signals created as the heart beats. The HR information
is then sent via radio waves to the watch. A value of HR in beats
per minute is then displayed on the watch.
Each heart is very different and has it's own beating rate during
exercise. When athletes wear heart rate monitors, they can observe
the various heart rates their own heart exhibits at different intensities
of exercise (and rest). After wearing the HR monitor repeatedly,
athletes will also be able to observe a range their heart displays
at rest, low, medium and high intensities of exercise. The amount
of rest, hydration, difficulty of workout, etc an athlete experiences
from day-to-day will all cause the heart to work at slightly different
levels in the observed ranges of heart rate.
Many heart rate monitors will work in the pool, however getting the strap to stay in place while swimming has proved problematic for many men. Sometime women have better luck with these devices due to the nature of their swim suit.
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WSU Masters Swimming Home | Site Map
Contact us: WSU Masters Swimming,
509-332-1621 (before 9 p.m. PST please)
Mail to: WSU Masters Swimming, PO Box 641227, Washington State University,
Pullman, WA 99164-1227 USA • Copyright 2006 WSU Masters Swimming
• No part of this site may be reproduced for any means without prior
permission.
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