Posted on Nov 13, 2013 under Raves | Comments are off
Recently I had to spend, yet another, few days away from home traveling for work. Historically, when traveling for work, I’d find a local masters swim group or YMCA to get my swim workouts. In this recent trip there was no masters group I could find nearby and similarly no convenient YMCA. The hotel had a pool, but it was a pretty typical hotel pool (i.e. super small). I was beginning to think I was out of luck but then I remembered seeing some posts on Facebook and Youtube talking about a tethered swim system called the Bowswim.
From bowswim’s website:
BOWSWIM® Resistance Swimming System manufactures the strongest stationary swimming pole in the industry. The Bowswim® pole is engineered with telescoping technology, and is constructed from reinforced carbon/fiber material.
The pole is designed to be used in the fully extended position, and when used as directed, is capable of safely deflecting greater than twice the static thrust force an Olympic swimmer can generate. It is the only system offering “Variable Custom Lift”with the added benefits horizontal water exercise brings to fitness and rehabilitation. The Bowswim® pole telescopes to 72 inches from 21 ½ inches making it the only truly portable device of its kind. Add the optional Bowswim Ladder Clamp to your system, and never miss a travel related workout.
If your pool or spa is at least 10 feet long and 3 ½ feet deep, Bowswim’s revolutionary technologies can transform your pool or swim spa to a nearly stress free, impact free training environment. With Bowswim you exercise, train, rehabilitate, strengthen and tone, and you do it better, smarter and more efficiently.
Here’s a video/commercial they have up on youtube:
My 1st experience with the bowswim was, as I said, in the hotel tiny pool. After a 30 minute session I felt like I’d been crushed by a 90 minute intense workout. It was CRAZY! Subsequently, I’ve discovered more subtleties of the bowswim.
Sure the bowswim can give you an awesome tethered swim workout, but it can do so much more. The 1st thing you’ll find after swimming tethered for a bit, is that when you start to swim normally again your feel for the water is heightened and you feel the water pushing on the back of your arm during your catch. Let me tell you, this really cranks up your stroke rate. Also, the spring-recoil of the bow is useful for finding an eliminating dead-spots in your stroke: if you’re over-gliding or otherwise wasting effort, the bow will pull you backwards in the water (and if you aren’t exhaling at the time, you get a mild water boarding effect, or at least I do 🙂 ).
Fortunately, I haven’t had occasion to use the bowswim for rehab (touch wood), but I can see how water running or aquafit-type activities could be greatly enhanced with the use of the bowswim.
I can’t end this review without talking about the customer service from Bowswim: it’s truly second to none. Randy, the owner/inventor, is really great. He’s really interested in making sure that his customers are having a good experience and followed up with me several times after my purchase. Certainly a level of service you don’t get every day!
I have to say, I love my bowswim! It’s become an integral part of my swim training and has already had a notable impact on my times. Awesome!
(Apologies to the reader but I’ve blacked out bits of info here and there to keep some privacy from prying internet eyes.)
MyID is a similar product to the RoadID that I’ve reviewed here before. I’m a big fan of running and cycling with some sort of id, and I think that carrying government issued id (driver’s license, etc.) is risky if you lose it. This is where these types of products really excel. With the MyID you can carry your total medical and biographical info, at least as much as 1st responders would need, in a small wrist band.
The MyID band is a soft silicon band with a watch-style clasp. You can see the MyID band (blue) beneath my yellow RoadID bracelet.
The band comes long, and you trim it to fit your wrist. The kit comes with a sizing guide that gives you a rough indication of how much to trim off each end of the band. Obviously you want to be cautious here, cut it long, and to back to trim if need-be.
The MyID is not pre-engraved with static information for the owner. Instead on the inside of the band is a serial number and pin.
With this information the owner can setup an info page with medical conditions, contacts, name, address, allergies, etc. 1st responders also use this information to access your information page. The web service is pretty solid: the interface is clean and quick, there are areas to enter all kinds of structured information about your stats, medical contacts, emergency contacts, any allergies, medications, medical conditions and then free-form areas for entering “other stuff” that you might wish that 1st responders were informed of if you were unable to speak for yourself. Unlike custom engraved IDs, the MyID allows you to update your info whenever it changes.
There is also an iPhone app to enter and maintain your profile information.
I have to admit that I was a little dubious about the merits of an ID and PIN-based ID system. My health and contact info all fit into an engraved tag and I’d always felt that having it immediately available to 1st responders was valuable. With this doubt in mind I talked to a few police officers, several ambulance drivers, and a few folks in ER departments. They agree that a decade or so ago having all the info on your wrist, immediately available, would have made a difference, but today the 1st responders are so well connected that looking up the info online or via a 800-number is just as good, and significantly better if the owner has significant medical conditions.
In Summary
The MyID offers a good option for an emergency ID that can speak for you in the event you cannot. The web service that collects and presents your information is good. The band is comfortable and durable. The only negative is that the web service and 800-number are available as an annual subscription. Unlike printed bands where your information is totally on your wrist, the MyID service depends on you maintaining the paid subscription service.
Posted on Oct 16, 2013 under etc... | Comments are off
Still waiting on the North American release of the Wing57, but they had a nice event at Kona announcing it’s release.
Of special note, toward the end of the video, was confirmation that Rudy Project will be the official helmet of the Ironman World Championship for the next 2 years. Way to go Rudy!
Posted on Oct 04, 2013 under Raves | Comments are off
I’ve reviewed FirstEndurance’s products before, but felt that I needed to put up a quick blurb about the new formulation of Ultragen HP.
I’ve been a long-time user of FirstEndurance’s products and I have always felt in the past that they helped keep me healthy and recovering quickly. Well, the new formula of Ultragen HP has blown my mind!
Seriously, this stuff is pretty amazing. Yesterday I crushed myself with a 45 minute TT at or above FTP. I was totaled after the ride. This morning I woke, before my alarm, at 4:45am ready to crush a tempo swim set and eager to get into it!
Now that’s some serious recovery!
Really, if you haven’t tried UltragenHP, you should! (and I can’t put it any more directly than that).
Posted on Oct 03, 2013 under Geek Out! | Comments are off
I noticed the Dragon Innovation project “HammerHead” a few weeks ago.
From their site:
Hammerhead is a brilliantly smart and elegant tool to guide you while biking. Get the information that you need through the corner of your eye, and keep your eyes safely on the road.
The HammerHead interfaces with your iphone and gives you a simple and elegant peripheral guidance system while you ride. It looks pretty cool, especially the part where you can do real-time Strava segments (no I’m not competitive) :).
At this point they’ve raised about 1/3rd of their funding goal on Dragon. Definitely worth a look, maybe you can help them hit their goal. Check it out:
Posted on Oct 02, 2013 under Chuckles | Comments are off
This is pretty awesome. This guy gets a ticket from a confused police officer in New York and then proceeds to make a video of him crashing into all the obstacles in bike lanes that make them unsafe… including a police car!
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