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Swimming with your iPod

I'm in my 3rd year of triathlon and just moving into week 24 of my 30 week training program for Ironman UK 2007 (Following Don Fink beIRONfit). This is my first Ironman (I've done two half Ironman events) and I've stuck to the plan better than I expected. During the long training my iPod has kept me company on the bike and on the run. I've just started with a company that sells iPod accessories and they do a waterproof system so you can swim with your iPod! If anyone is interested check out www.mp3additions.co.uk and go to "waterproofs".

Comments

  • LuckyLucky Posts: 137
    I've got the H20Audio case for the first gen shuffle along with the headphones, makes swimming training a lot better I have to say...
  • DiggerDigger Posts: 3
    Don’t you have to have sepcial earphones also?
  • ironmanironman Posts: 7
    Yes Digger, they sell those to go with the waterproof cases
  • mini__Cmini__C Posts: 44
    To be honest in my opinion swimming with music is not a good idea, cause think about it, when you swim your always tring to improve one your strokes, and with music in the way it just makes you lose focus on what your doing.

    And also, you usually pace yourself by listening to your body, hints like breathing rythems and how your body feels gives you an indication on how you pace yourself, but if your listening to say a rock song with a bpm of 120, its bound to mess up with your head.



    The same goes with both cycling and running of course..

    Chris

  • hound doghound dog Posts: 293
    Couldnt agree more with you mini_c, I found myself running to the pace of the music and most of that was house stuff! Found it ok on the bike (and enjoyed the run really) but can imagine it would mess up your stroke on the swim.
  • rpopper65rpopper65 Posts: 171
    Yeah, I have to agree with mini C and hound dog on that. The only time I ever find that music helps and isn't too much of a distraction is when I am on the turbo trainer. And even then, I'm paying much more attention to the cycle computer, the cadence, the speed, the timing on my counter, etc, and the music is very much a secondary focus. Otherwise, I prefer to concentrate on breathing and rhythm. I also think it is just plain dangerous to listen to anything on headphones when you're on your cycle out on the road. But that's just MHO.



    But, I have seen a lot of people who like to run with headphones and a few people who swim with headphones and, ultimately, if that is what it takes to get them out there working out and enjoying themselves, then more power to them. As long as it's not getting in anyone else's way or posing a safety threat (to themselves in the form of making them want to swim/run to a 120 bpm track and have a heart attack, or to others in the form of making them not pay attention and go crashing into other people), then I have no problems.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Surely if the music is messing up your stroke and concentration then you are using the wrong sort,try a talking book or learn to speak another language there is more to mp3 than just music (sorry for the rant but I am just a grumpy old man).I use a swiMP3 and find no problems with it it.
  • rpopper65rpopper65 Posts: 171
    I prefer to listen to the sound of my breathing and the sound of the water.
  • mini__Cmini__C Posts: 44
    But Swimming requires your upmost attension, because if you do something even the slightest wrong, your going to slow yourself down, its like trying to remember a bunch of words with loud rock music in the background its HARD and not very effective, if you think swimming with music is fine..GO Ahead I'm not stopping you. Just Remember that swimming needs you to be focused all the time, Form is the most important factor to speed, not fitness.
  • rpopper65rpopper65 Posts: 171
    mini__C wrote:


    Just Remember that swimming needs you to be focused all the time, Form is the most important factor to speed, not fitness.



    Can I get an "Amen"?!



    Amen!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Mini-c you are quite right that swimming requires your utmost attention but so does driving a car guess you don't listen to the radio/cd player if you are driving.Using music should allow you to operate beyond your conscious self and into a state of mind wanting to absorb the movement of your body thro' the water.I am old enough to remember my 'music and movement' class at primary school.
  • peejaypeejay Posts: 4
    I'm new to all this, triathlon and forums, my first post. The London triathlon will be my first, and hopefully not my last, but I've found the best training aid, for me a novice. is the Swimp3 player. http://www.finisinc.com/products-swimp3.shtml , its goggles with an mp3 player in the back, the headphones dont sit in your ears but on the side of your face, sounds weird but it definitely works. its fantastic for my swims, I cant imagine spending so much time with my own thoughts, I'd go mad!!! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m10.gif[/image]
  • rpopper65rpopper65 Posts: 171
    peejay wrote:


    I cant imagine spending so much time with my own thoughts, I'd go mad!!! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m10.gif[/image]



    Well, going mad is what most people call doing a triathlon. Sounds like you might just have what it takes to do an Ironman some day (insanity is at the top of the race check list, from what they tell me).



    Maybe, though, you wouldn't go mad if you turned off the music. Maybe you'd get used to listening to your breathing, feeling every part of your stroke and developing a smoother technique.

  • Hi

    I've recently had a bad experience and wanted to share with as many people as possible so they don't get caught out. There is a company trading as [color=#0000ff]www.swimmer.co.uk[/color] who are prominent in web searches for the Finis SWIMP3. I recently bought one from them which turned out to be faulty. UK Law states that the retailer has to exchange the goods and that the consumer must not go back to the manufacturer. However this company have a policy that you have to send it to the manufacturer in the US, insured, at your cost. On top of that instead of the UK legal 1 year warranty, being a US product you only get 90 days.

    What is worse though is that they don't respond to e-mails (sent three so far including one to tell them that isf they didn't respond they left me no other choice than legal action), and the contact number is an unobtainable mobile phone. So I'm now going to have to resort to small claims court to recover my costs.

    Be aware and consider these facts before purchasing, it's a lot of money to chuck away. I'd search around and use a reputable dealer. I've also let the manufacturers know so that they can consider removing their association with this company. On a good note Finis themselves have been very helpful.

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