I am a big proponent of cross
training. Running can really take a toll
on your body, especially if you are adding on a bunch of miles. I have found that if I incorporate at least
one day of swimming or cycling each week, that I am able to run better and have
less stress on my body. I try to do one
swim and one ride a week though.
I have found a few items that really
help me when it comes to swimming. I
reviewed the SYRYN mp3
bundle with Swimbuds SPORT headphones from Underwater Audio. It has really made my time in the water more
enjoyable and lets me just “check out” instead of counting laps or strokes in
my head. I also got some nice goggles
and nose plugs.
The one thing that really gets to me is
breathing. I am not swimming to be
faster than the person in the next lane and most likely won’t be doing any swim
races. I just want to increase my
endurance and workout without any impact on my feet. The problem is that I only get short breaths,
when I twist my head up and have to try and catch my breath quite often. I have been testing an awesome new product,
the Ameo POWERBREATHER. Their motto is “Swim like a shark, breathe
like a runner.”
It is a very unique double snorkel that
promises to really help you in the water.
With normal snorkels, you breathe in and out of the same tube. You are actually breathing in your exhaled CO2
because it’s trapped in the snorkel tube.
With the POWERBREATHER,
you reduce the amount of CO2 that you breathe in by exhaling out of
a chamber in front of the mouthpiece.
You get fresh, oxygen-rich air every time you take a breath. You also get deeper breaths, which make a bigger
difference than I could have ever imagined.
I really like that I can take breaths whenever I like instead of only
when I take a stroke with on my breathing side.
You can spend less time worrying about your breathing and more time
focusing on your technique, strength, and endurance.
I also found that since I started using
the POWERBREATHER,
I haven’t had the neck and back pain that I previously experienced when turning
my head to breathe. Your body simply is
able to stay in a better alignment.
Another great thing is that on
occasion, a little water or humidity will get trapped in the snorkel tubes, but
the design of the POWERBREATHER
sends that moisture out when you exhale.
To be completely honest, I am not a superb swimmer. I only take breaths on my right side without
the POWERBREATHER
and have never been able to do kick turns.
The POWERBREATHER
is designed to not take in water when doing kick turns though, so people who are
skilled swimmers can take advantage of that.
To start off with my first test, I put
on the POWERBREATHER
as the instructions show. You simple put
your mouth over the mouthpiece and adjust the knob on the back to secure the device. I started to swim and immediately took in
some water. I think I had the end of the
snorkel tubes too low and they ended up under water. I also had a few issues that first day
getting used to having a mouthpiece. I ended
up gagging probably 3-4 times (So here is where you get to laugh at my
expense). I was swimming in the lane next
to where they were doing a water aerobics class for seniors. There must have been a horrible sound coming
out of my snorkel tubes when I gagged those few times. I kept swimming like nothing happened though.
That was the only swim session where
that happened. The next time I tried it
out, I got used to the mouthpiece and have not had a problem since. A few weeks back, I was wondering if using
the POWERBREATHER
actually made any difference, so I took it off for my final 10 laps. It was so hard to swim and catch my breath,
only being able to breathe on my right stroke.
The proof can be seen in my Garmin comparisons. Over the past few months of training with the
POWERBREATHER,
I have taken 5 minutes off my 1 mile swim and feel stronger.
You can purchase your Ameo POWERBREATHER
LAP for $99.99
at Touch of Modern or $129 on Amazon
or the Ameo
website.
Pros:
Reduce CO2 intake and
increase clean Oxygen
Take deeper breaths
Increase endurance and swimming form
Keeps water out on kick turns
Great price as low as $99.99
Ameo’s
Social Media Links
If you are looking to take your
swimming to the next level, whether that is swimming faster or improving form,
the POWERBREATHER
is a great product that may be able to help you out. I can say that my lap swimming is more
enjoyable and I am getting more from each swim since I started using my POWERBREATHER. There are other versions for swimming in open
water as well. If you like to swim, it
may be worth your time to check it out.
If you do, let me know what you think.
I love to get other people’s opinions of the products I review.
Note: I received this product
in exchange for a review. The review is my personal opinion of the
product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it. I am not a doctor, so please use all of the
products that I review at your own risk.
Thanks for this awesome post. I am also a very great fun of the Ameo Powerbreather. I think the inventor Mathias Weigner has made a great impression in the snorkeling market. The company have patented this great technique which makes swimming very interesting and attractive. I think most Triathlons aiming at having great experience in both swimming speed and breathing should consider this product. Thanks again for this great review :)
ReplyDeleteThank you AmeoFan. From what I was reading, most triathlons do allow the POWERBREATHER at their events. Thank you for your support.
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