This is part two of my three-part series, “When the pool is not an option – times there is just no substitute for the Vasa Ergometer.” In the last installment I talked about scheduling, travel, and availability. Today I’ll address injury and motivation, and still to come: technique and performance.
Athletes need to be healthy in body and mind, but there are times that we find ourselves injured or battling motivation issues. In the last month alone, I had a dog bite and an eye infection that made the pool a non-option and the Ergometer the perfect choice for my swim training. Prior to having the Ergometer, I’d sustained fractures in both fibulas (two separate injuries), and I would carefully crutch to the pool and swim with my waterproof cast. How much safer and better it would have been to swim at home! There are also times that I just struggle to muster the motivation for all that is involved in a pool swim – leaving the house, driving, preparation, swimming, showering, and driving home. With the Ergometer there are far fewer obstacles – get on and go!
PART 2: Injury & Motivation
- MINOR INJURIES: When wounds, skin conditions, an eye infection, or swimmer’s ear keep me out of the pool, they don’t keep me off the Ergometer!
- SUBSTANTIAL INJURIES: When I have a leg injury. They are not exacerbated on the Ergometer because no kicking is required and there’s no push off the wall.
- SHOULDER PREHAB/REHAB: When I want to minimize stress on or strengthen my shoulders. Shoulder prehab and rehab exercises can be done on the Ergometer. With the ability to do a low-arm recovery that is not possible in the pool, stresses on the shoulder are greatly reduced.
- FRAME OF MIND: When I am not in the mood for the silent nature of pool swimming. With the Ergometer you can listen to music (or in my case, NPR)!
- INSTANT MOTIVATIONAL FEEDBACK: When I want more feedback than just time (and stroke rate if I manage to count). With the Ergometer I can find renewed motivation by focusing on power, stroke rate, stroke length, and left/right power balance.
- MOOD BOOST: When I need a quick mood-elevating endorphin fix. The Ergometer is my go-to piece of equipment – no special clothes and no shoes are required. I simply get on and GO! While I really never have the urge to spontaneously get on the bike trainer or treadmill, I find something very relaxing and meditative about the Ergometer.
What’s your go-to tool or method for recovering from/preventing injuries? What works for you to battle motivation issues?