PowerBreather snorkel
IronMike
Northern VirginiaCharter Member
Just saw this on my FB. I don't ever use snorkels, but I'm wondering what others think about this and what the benefits of using snorkels are.
http://www.powerbreather.com/en/
http://www.powerbreather.com/en/
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
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I can just imagine trying that out and getting a lung full of water due to my standard swimming breathing habit, though.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
1) The biggest one is that if you flipturn with a snorkel, the snorkel gets filled with water, so you have to clear it with air before you take your first breath out of the wall. Either use your tongue to plug your nose (bring your tongue to the upper back of your mouth and think about swallowing, and you'll see that you can block your nasal passage that way) or blow out less air out your nose, but don't blow out all your air. When you pop out, use the remaining air to clear your snorkel (which is now full of water) before you attempt to breathe again. Use a good *puff* out to blast out the water.
2) It's actually hard to NOT turn your head, if you've been turning it for years. Even after resisting, you will still wobble your head a bit. And you will feel it any time your head is not aligned; when not facing straight on, a racing snorkel will produce drag and you'll feel the pull. In fact, I believe this is the biggest benefit of a snorkel, is for alignment of the body.
3) Extending from that, if you come off the wall on a streamline with your head crooked, or turn your head weird on the flip turn, you'll notice this and be forced to correct it.
4) Your breathing pattern should be the same as if you were still turning your head. If you breathe bilateral 3, then breathe in-out-out-in-out-out as if you were turning your head but weren't. If you feel like switching to every two, then just in-out-in-out like that. Your breath may fall into your pattern anyway, but don't let it get out of sync of your arms.
5) Finally, you will from time to time get hit by a wave in the water that will cover the snorkel, and water will get in when you want to breathe. This is normal; do not panic. Either take a little extra quick breath out (say "two" really fast, and it should be staccato like that) and then breathe in. Or, you can just remove the snorkel and break stroke to get a breath, gather your thoughts, and put it back on. That's common when you start, don't be worried when it happens.
Thanks for the tips! I'll keep these in mind if I decide to get a snorkel--I have the Finis alignment kickboard and realize this might be a tool better used with a snorkel b/c taking a breath tends to throw me off any kind of rhythm, so maybe paired with a snorkel, it would work better for me.
I use the snorkel as a means of checking in with myself periodically. I might do a set of 10x50s during a workout where I focus exclusively on that left hand, and being able to see it is really helpful.
Then, when I take the snorkel off, I have committed the correct feeling to my muscle memory.
Since I can't always swim with my coaches--sigh--it's a great means of holding myself accountable.
I do agree that there is a learning curve.
I have an Arena set-up and like it quite a bit.
IMHO, the fact that breathing slows you down does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with your breathing. Breathing slows you down, even if done correctly. That's why sprinters don't breathe.
"Lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought be down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead..."