TYR Aquatic Resistance Belt

The more I use the Tyr swim belt, the more I appreciate the benefits that it provides to my swimming technique, endurance, and power. At first I found the backward pull of the bungee cord to be awkward and a bit discouraging. But I was able to adjust to that new kind of resistance after the first few workouts, by improving and maintaining my posture and technique in the water--i.e., by lying straight and fully extended in the water, by reaching forward from the ribs and waist belt area and not just from the shoulders, by relaxing my core and lower back area but maintaining an overall firmness, by keeping my neck and head relaxed and low in the water, aligned with my entire body from head to toe, by kicking from the hips and not from the knees, feet close together, and by maintaining a relaxed and steady rotation from the downward-and-forward movement of the hips with each stroke. In short, the resistance of the bungee cord has actually improved my overall technique by forcing me to be much more attentive to all of its aspects, in order to work with the resistance cord and maintain a long extension forward and an efficient technique in the pool for the entire duration of my swim. The swim belt has also improved my overall swim-specific strength and upper-body musculature, allowing me to swim with greater ease, endurance, and speed in open water. (It's equivalent to the strength and improved technique I develop from running on soft, grassy, and hilly terrain in a park, which makes for a much faster and easier run on flat, hard pavement.)I just wanted to share some key insights that I've learned through trial and error: (1) it really helps to tie the end piece of the cord at a high position, on a pole or tree trunk near the pool. I extended the cord by attaching a long piece of thick clothes-line rope to the end of the cord, and then tying the clothes line several feet high on a tree near the deep end of my pool, at about my full height (5'6"). Otherwise, the bungee cord will start pulling your legs and hips down and causing you to struggle to remain high and flat on the water, adding to drag and unnecessary exertion. (2) I find that the swim belt should be just slightly loose around my waist area, so it rests just above the hips but doesn't constrict my gut area. If the waist belt is too tight, it will cause discomfort to your intestines and feel like it's knocking the wind out of you a bit, especially as you extend further forward in the pool. But if the waist belt is too loose, it will sit too low on the hips and constrict your hip flexors as you try to maintain a steady and relaxed kick. (3) Above all, relax! I can't emphasize this enough. When I first used the swim belt, my immediate instinct was to "fight" the new sensation of the bungee cord and struggle against it, which caused me to swim poorly, with thrashing, choppy strokes and jerky movements. I find that when I let my body relax and work with the resistance, I start extending further forward in the pool during the course of the swim and maintaining that long extension throughout the swim. That always reassures me that I'm doing something right.

I am so pleased with this harness. I attach the cord to my pool fence, put the belt around my waist and swim and swim in my tiny pool. I don’t worry about bumping into the wall or needing to turn - just swim. Great exercise and super relaxing. Note: I extended the cord with a rope so it could reach from fence to pool - you may need to do the same.

I've never been much for water sports but a leg injury left me with no other options... I bought some Swimming Goggles with FREE Stylish Case - Ear Plugs & Nose Clip - Anti-Fog Mirror Color Lens - 100% UV Protected - Adjustable Silicone Head Strap - Leak proof Seal - Expert Unisex Adult Swim Goggles and Adult Swimmer's Snorkel with Comfortable Silicone Mouthpiece and One-way Purge Valve | Center Mount Design | Blue along with the resistance belt and am using them every time I swim, which is a few times a week. Together, they let me just keep my face down and get in good workouts.Another reviewer (a real swimmer) accurately reviewed this belt by explaining it leaves you lower in the water than normal swimming w/o a belt. And I'm sure that it could bother real swimmers who want to work on swimming technique. But I am not a swimmer and was just looking for a way to use my small pool to get in a workout. I tied a rope to a tree branch near the pool and then attached the 6' stretchy tether to the rope. Having the anchor-point above the pool keeps the tether away from my legs while swimming. I put on the (comfortable) neoprene-wrapped belt and attach the carabiner to the stretchy tether and I get in my workout. It might be nice to float higher in the water, but I still give this 5-stars because it works great and is so affordable compared to many other options out there!My leg is now healed and I'm back doing other sports but have kept with the swimming.

This is great for our above ground pool since we can't lap swim ATM. The whole family can use it because of the adjustable waist strap (10yo to 45yo, 80lbs to 220 lbs). Super easy to use. Attach one side to a fixed object (we put a pole in the ground with some concrete), wear the belt, start swimming. We found the attaching at a higher angle, rather than at or lower than where you are swimming, works best to keep your form and allow you to kick without hitting the tether.If you are a strong swimmer doing a Tabata style training, you may need to think about the anchor point placement based on the size of your pool. Like, if you're in a 10' pool, and you're 6' tall, you'll have to set it farther back so you don't swim past your pool length or find a way to adjust the length of the tether as it itself is not adjustable. If you are a casual lap swimmer, then likely putting it closer to the pool to allow for your full body length with only minimal resistance will be fine.

This is a truly awesome product to help with keeping in shape in a small area. It was very comfortable and easy to get on and off. The reason for the 3 star rating is because I purchased the belt in July 2018 and the belt broke today. I only use it during the summer and only 4 or 5 times a week for short periods of time. I just started using it this year so I got only 2 years of summer use. Because I liked it so much I thought I would bite the bullet and order again. However, when I purchased this same product two years ago I paid $25 for this exact item through Amazon and today when I was going to order it again it is $70. I will search for something comparable.