Swim training even when swimming pools are closed – Endless Pools as a home trainer to prepare for competitions 

Public swimming pools are closed and the outdoor and water temperatures invite only the bravest of people to swim in a lake.   

But swimming is your passion and you don’t want to wait any longer for public pools to open again? 

Maybe you have heard of “Endless Pools”? Imagine your own miniature swimming pool. It can be installed almost anywhere, indoors or outdoors, and may be used all year round. Equipped with a counter-current system, it’s the perfect workout place to stay fit no matter what the outside conditions are like.  

Frederick, a Powerbreather customer living in the USA, has recently fulfilled his dream of owning an Endless Pool. In the following he will tell us about his experience with the pool and using the Powerbreather.  

What exactly are Endless Pools? 

Although there are some similarities, Endless Pools are not to be confused with “conventional” swimming pools. In both types of pools, the desired water temperature can be set at will. However, Endless pools are equipped with special technical equipment and are usually smaller than traditional pools and therefore take up less space. Their chlorine requirement is significantly lower and it is easier to keep clean. The name ‘Endless Pool’ comes from the fact that in such pools a counter-current system can be installed, which allows you to swim in one spot and thus “endlessly”, so to speak. It’s essentially a treadmill for swimmers. Water resistance and speed can be freely selected. Endless pools can be used for training purposes by beginners as well as advanced swimmers without any problems.  

Endless Pools offers various training aids for installation, for example  underwater treadmills for walking, running and jogging as well as certain training devices for muscle training. The advantage is that the user’s own body weight and gravity play a much smaller role, just like in swimming, which makes training sessions gentler, particularly on the joints. Endless pools are a great option for people who want to get back into sports again after an accident or who must not put excessive strain on their body for other reasons, training in an Endless Pool can be a real alternative to training on land. Due to built-in massage jets, Endless pools can also be used as a whirlpool and are therefore perfect not only for training, but also to relax.   

Of course, purchasing such a pool means a certain investment. However, compared to conventional swimming pools, in most cases they are cheaper, there is less space required and both installation and maintenance are much less complicated.  

Triathlon training with the Endless Pool 

hen preparing for competitions, such as triathlon, you can optimize your swim training specifically and effectively with the help of an Endless Pool. Other positive side effects are that you are independent of public swimming pools and save yourself the time to get to the pool and back.  

When swimming in the Endless Pool, it is no longer necessary to perform flip turns. This is beneficial when preparing to swim in open water, as the assessment of one’s fitness is often distorted by this additional movement. It is also possible to simulate a counter-current similar to that in open waters. In addition, there is the possibility to observe yourself during training with the help of an underwater mirror. This way you can see and correct flaws in your swimming technique. For this reason, many successful triathletes have been training with an Endless Pool for years. For the professional sector, there is even a special device that can provide a very smooth flow with a top speed of less than 55 sec/100 m (the “Elite” Endless Pool from the company of the same name). 

Endless Pools and the Powerbreather – the ideal combination for your workout? 

We wanted to find out whether our Powerbreather can be integrated into swim training with Endless Pools or even improve it and have therefore conducted an extensive test with the help of Frederick, who lives in the USA and has recently fulfilled his dream of having his own Endless Pool.  

To avoid interruptions for breathing during the swim, Frederick has already tried out two different high-quality snorkels during training. Unfortunately he made the experience that his body did not get enough oxygen in the long run, which is why he had to stop training even before his muscles got tired. He then went back to classic training without a snorkel.  

Last year Frederick became aware of the Powerbreather and ordered it immediately. Since then, his training has completely changed.  

Unlike other commercially available snorkels, the Powerbreather has two air channels. Air is inhaled through these channels and exhaled into the water through the mouthpiece – this ensures a constant supply of 100 percent of fresh air. This patented technical and innovative solution makes the Powerbreather unique.  

According to Frederick, it only took him a few minutes to get used to the Powerbreather. Since he had already trained with other swimming snorkels, there was nothing that needed to be learned anew from his point of view. After three more training sessions of 15 minutes each, he almost didn’t think about breathing anymore and could fully concentrate on his swimming movements.  

The Powerbreather Sport Edition is delivered standard with the so-called SPEED VENTS easy S (“S” stands for “short”), which are suitable for all swimmers (including children) and ensure easy and natural breathing during swimming. For open water or ocean swimming in rough sea, there are SPEED VENTS easy L, which are longer and specifically designed for such conditions.  

If you want to train in an Endless Pool, the SPEED VENTS easy S are usually quite sufficient for hobby swimmers. For competitive swimmers, there are additional VENTS to increase the training effect. There are three different levels, each with increased breathing resistance – easy through medium to power. With their help, you can slowly step up your training and adjust the breathing resistance according to your form of the day or training.  

Similar methods exist in other sports – Frederick lives in the U.S., where baseball is a popular sport. There, too, it’s common for players to do their warm-up batting practice with several bats at the same time – in the actual game, of course, only one bat is allowed, but it seems much lighter to athletes after such warm-up exercises. You will have exactly the same effect if you use the Powerbreather to increase your breathing resistance during training and breathe “normally” again during the next competition – it will therefore be easier for you to perform at your best. 

Tips for using the Powerbreather 

During his training with the Powerbreather in the Endless Pool, Frederick gathered a few more practical tips for us that can also help you when training with our swim snorkel and will make using the Powerbreather even more enjoyable. These are his top five useful tips: 

1. It is usually easier to put on your swimming goggles first, otherwise the Powerbreather’s air tubes may interfere.  

1. If you find it difficult to breathe in through your mouth only, there are nose plugs that prevent water from entering through your nose when breathing underwater.  

1. It is advisable to regularly treat the connectors between the blue vents and the white tubes to which they are attached with vaseline to prevent wear and tear. Especially after training in the sea, other natural waters or a swimming pool, but also when training in the Endless Pool, vaseline should be applied from time to time.  

1. Especially for professional swimmers it is recommended to wear a swim cap for better hold of the Powerbreather – for hobby swimmers this is not absolutely necessary.  
2. If you have further questions about the use of the Powerbreather, you can always contact AMEO Support (link). 

Frederick summarizes his test as follows: “Just like the Endless Pool, the Powerbreather is ideal for swimmers of any level – whether professional or amateur – because both products can take swim training to a whole new level. When training with the Powerbreather in the Endless Pool, you don’t have to turn your head to catch your breath or do a roll turn in the pool – you just swim “endlessly” and only your own body determines when to pause or stop – for me personally, it’s the ideal combination.”  

We, too, think Endless Pools and the Powerbreather are an excellent match if you want to deliberately increase your swimming performance while enjoying absolute comfort.  

If you are interested in a Powerbreather and would like to test its health and sports benefits yourself, just take a look at our store – we offer you the possibility to test our swimming snorkel for 90 days – without any risk.