by Coach Dee Loose, Hilltop Aquatic Swim Team
When I first started coaching swimming, the idea of a quality dryland was to do some running and throw kids into the weight room. Since that time, we have really advanced our dryland training knowledge base. Now, instead of weights, coaches are doing everything from resistance bands (surgical tubing), bodyweight calisthenics, TRX suspension straps, Pilates, and other routines to help swimmers swim at a higher level of swimming. Two frequently overlooked tools are the Vasa Trainer and Vasa Ergometer (SwimErg), which are invaluable additions to any coach’s dryland training program.
Coach Dee Loose’s First Experience with Vasa Machines
I have been using the Vasa Trainer since it was first introduced (in 1989). My first Vasa SwimErg was purchased between 2008 and 2010. I have coached and taught swimmers at all levels using the Vasa Trainer and the SwimErg.
The first swimmer I coached and taught on the Vasa was an Oncologist at Tacoma General Hospital in Tacoma, WA. He hired me on retainer to help him prepare to complete the English Channel swim. This good doctor purchased a first-generation Vasa Trainer and put it in his office at the hospital. Between the private lessons and coaching, I would put together workouts for him to do on his Vasa Trainer. Between in-person training sessions, when he was on call at the Cancer Center at the hospital, he would go into his office and do one of the workouts I had given him to do on his Vasa Trainer.
He was very dedicated to his Vasa Trainer training sessions. These sessions immensely helped him prepare for his long open-water English Channel swim and enabled him to maintain his swimming strength and endurance even though he was on land and not in the water.
A Swimmer’s Experience with Vasa
While coaching for Tacoma Swim Club and at Woodrow Wilson High School (now named Dolores Silas High School), I had a swimmer named Evan Martinec. I had him on the Vasa Trainer three days a week for backstroke. This worked on lengthening his stroke, increasing strength, and pacing (using the pulley system on that Trainer). By the time he was in his senior year, Evan had been using the Vasa Trainer every year of high school. In his Senior year, Evan went a 48.39 100 Back and 49.00 100 Fly. This earned him a scholarship to LSU in the SEC.
He broke the SEC 100 Backstroke record while swimming at LSU and scored in the top 8 at the NCAAs all four years of college, placing as high as fourth place. During high school, Evan’s preparation work on the Vasa Trainer helped him develop his strength, technique, and endurance, enabling him to go on to LSU and do some amazing things.
How the Vasa has changed Coach Dee Loose’s Swim Training
Since the Vasa Swim Ergometer was introduced, I have owned four of these great machines. When I write my dryland programs, the Vasa Trainer and the SwimErg have become the foundation on which my quality dryland training program is built. I use both swim benches to teach proper technique and work on strength and endurance. I’ve had swimmers work every one of the strokes on the Vasa Trainer and the Swim Ergometer. I love using both the Trainer Pro and the Vasa Swim Ergometer as they are the best teaching, conditioning, and strengthening machines for swimmers. These machines simulate swimming like no other piece of dryland equipment.
Coaching in Action
At my current club, Hilltop Aquatic Swim Team (a.k.a. H.A.S.T.), I have two Vasa Trainers and two Vasa Swimming Ergometers. We use both machines every day, varying the exercises and routines. Right now, I have a young man who is making significant progress. He is learning and developing very well in all his strokes and events. I attribute this quick development to using the Trainer and Ergometer because I can put him on the SwimErg and work his technique, pacing, and tempo for his 200 and 100 fly. In Spring Sectionals in March, he went from a 2:18 to a 2:12 in the 200 Fly. In his 100 Fly, he went from 1:05.03 to 59.73.
Since Sectionals, we have added a new dimension to his Swim Ergometer training and to his in-water swim training. Every summer afternoon practice, we work on underwater, stroke count, tempo, and technique.
In a typical week, we do the Vasa SwimErg set three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, I use the Erg to teach stroke length, tempo and blend in a visualization session with the athlete calling out their goal splits and stroke cues to help them swim their race and achieve their goals. Then, the following evening, they apply what they are learning on the Vasa Erg to swimming in the water.
In the water, we spend time working with the tempo trainer. I have him count strokes, trying to hold an efficient stroke count at a specified tempo. For this, on Tuesday and Thursdays evenings, I usually have him do 2-3 rounds of the following workout:
- Swim 6 X 25M Fly, counting strokes and holding the tempo on the Tempo Trainer
- Swim 1 X 50M Easy pace
- Swim 2 X 50M Fly, holding best stroke count from 25 M and holding tempo, all for time
- Swim 1 X 50M Easy pace
- Swim 1 X 100M Fly, holding best stroke count and tempo for time
- Swim 100M Easy
Last night’s set results were:
- 50 M’s 27.3, holding 6/6 strokes at 1.2 Tempo Trainer setting
- 100 M 56.69, holding 8-8-7-7 strokes, and at 1.2 Tempo Trainer setting
In his second round, he improved. He went 26.8 and 25.76 on the 50 M, holding 7-6 strokes at a 1.2 Tempo Trainer set. On his 100 M, he went 55.44, holding eight strokes for each 25 M at a Tempo Trainer setting of 1.2. NOTE: Swimming 55.44 for 100 M is faster than his best time from a meet last winter when he was shaved and rested.
The Results of Incorporating Vasa Machines: Quality Dryland Training
This young man and I believe that using the Vasa machines has helped him to maintain his tempo and stroke count. As a coach, I can put him on the Vasa Trainer and work on his pacing by calling out splits and tempos. I also used the audible tempo feature on the SwimErg’s Power Meter display. Several features of the SwimErg will help every swimmer learn, increase endurance and strength, improve technique, and learn race tactics. The Vasa SwimErg and Vasa Trainer are great tools in our coaching tool kit. USE IT!
Author: Dee Loose
Dee Loose is the Head Swimming Coach at Hilltop Aquatic Swim Team in American Fork, Utah
https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/ushast/page/system/coaches
Dee has coached for 42 years and is distinguished with ASCA Level 5 Education and Level 4 Achievement and Education. He has been a speaker at the ASCA World Swim Clinic and conducted and spoken at many local clinics. Coach Loose has also had articles on dryland training and team building published in the NISCA Journal.
While coaching at HAST, his teams have won several state age group and Senior state championships, with four swimmers qualifying for Olympic Trials.