A Paralympian's Top 3 Benefits of Endless Pools Training

Since Joe Townsend lost both his legs in Afghanistan, he's been on the move more than ever. The Royal Marine Commando-turned-paratriathlete has competed at the IRONMAN World Championships in Hawaii, in ITU events from Geneva to Yokohama, and at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

After his fateful accident in 2008, he turned to the triathlon to regain his feeling of control over his body and to raise money for Help for Heroes, a charity supporting wounded UK veterans.

He's seemingly embraced every challenge to come his way; fortunately, his triathlon training got less challenging last year. Reports Joe, "I'm really fortunate to have an Endless Pool® right in my house."

Becoming a Paratriathlete
"After my injury, I was asked to do an IRONMAN to raise money for charity." At the time, Joe was "not at all" a competitive swimmer; "I could pass a basic swim test, but I needed extra lessons." He almost opted for the bike/run duathlon option. "I eventually decided, 'Why not try to learn to swim so I can call myself an Ironman.'"

"I've been swimming six days a week ever since." That hasn't always been so easy. At the nearby public pool, where he had to share lanes with less focused swimmers, "serious training wasn't possible."

"When I swim in a traditional pool," the double amputee notes, "I can't kick off the wall." That means additional effort to get back up to speed, so "I can't get in my race pace."

As a result, "I was really struggling with my swimming time," Joe laments. He recalls thinking to himself, "It would be awesome to swim whenever I wanted without any interruption."

Great technical session in my @EndlessPools using the mirrors for real time feedback @HelpforHeroes @poolsandhottubs pic.twitter.com/N7Uv1Pquu0

— Joe Townsend (@Joetownsend1664) April 3, 2016

Bringing Training Home
Joe now swims in a Performance Endless Pool, courtesy of our award-winning dealer, Home Counties Pools & Hot Tubs. A step up from our Original Endless Pool, the Performance swim current adjusts from a gentle warm up to its demanding top pace of 1:11/100m.

"The Endless Pool is an absolutely fantastic piece of equipment. It's more open-water specific," he observes. On a more personal note, "I wanted to optimize my training environment at home so I can be close to my family."

Of course, Joe found other benefits of his Endless Pools training…

#1: Stroke Analysis
"First, for swim stroke analysis and working on technique, the Endless Pool is just brilliant," Joe finds. "It helped to improve my swim times dramatically."

Joe uses Endless Pools' two stainless-steel underwater mirrors. The Swim Mirror, which is at the front and angled upwards, lets swimmers monitor their hand entry, pull through, and shoulder rolls. The Floor Mirror lies flat to reflect a swimmer's body position.

Something peaceful about swimming in the dark. @HUUBDesign @poolsandhottubs pic.twitter.com/ZHSvojs35T

— Joe Townsend (@Joetownsend1664) January 31, 2017

#2: Video Feedback
"Second, I can video myself and look back" to review swim technique and body position.

In-place swimming makes it easy to record a full swim with a stationary camera, either underwater or just above. Joe can then assess the real-time adjustments that he made using the mirrors.

#3: Immediate Pace Signals

The Week in Swimming

At the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Katie Ledecky and Adam Peaty may have locks on their signature events, but several races remain wide open. (Swim Swam)

Just before Ryan Lochte's return to competitive swimming (Swimming World), a Brazilian court threw out all charges against him (NPR).

A deaf swimmer is spearheading a movement to start all swimming races with lights instead of sound. (USA Today, with video)

Two recent swimming memoirs have inspired one reviewer to ask if swimming has special appeal for women. (Economist)

Runners, check out these 4 ways that cross-training by swimming can help your runs. (Runner's World)

In Italy, free swimming lessons aim to heal and inspire refugees traumatized by crossing the Mediterranean. (Washington Post)

A Twin Cities bartender is readying a first-of-its-kind swimming tour of all 22 Apostle Islands in Lake Superior (Pioneer Press) while an 87-year-old judge aims to be the oldest person to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco (Action News, with video).

Check out these images of Philadelphia's long-abandoned indoor swimming pool (Curbed), the 15 most spectacular pools in the world (CNN) and the most architecturally grand pools in Paris (The Spaces).

Could safe swimming in the Seine – past the Eiffle Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral – give Paris the edge over Los Angeles to host the 2024 Olympics? (Reuters)

A drone's eye view of the start of the Kukio Blue Water swim, a 1.2-mile race from Kua Bay to Uluweuweu Bay on the Big Island of Hawaii. During this swim, participants came across a pod of spinner dolphins. About 250 swimmers of all ages compete in the race. The next one is Sept. 23. ? ? Video by Jordan Lerma (@Uheheu), who is part of the drone community @fromwhereidrone.

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All by myself #taper ?:@russellmark1226

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Top shots from a gold-medal day for @atwall616 and #TeamUSA in the #FINABudapest2017 women's 5K ???????(?: @gettyimages / @_davidheron_)

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Downstairs & Above-ground: Planning a Basement Pool

Bert wanted to swim all year round, whenever the mood struck. That's why he installed his Endless Pool® in his previously unfinished basement.

The convenience, privacy, and 24/7 access suit him just fine: something of a Renaissance man, he's active in sports and the arts … and he finds that his Original Endless Pool helps him with both!

Why Not Outdoors?
With a warm climate like South Carolina's, why not install an outdoor pool? "Then I have to worry about debris falling in the pool," notes Bert. "I live in the woods.

"And I can swim 365 indoors," he adds. "It rarely gets cold, but it did snow this winter, and I went swimming!"

Summers aren't always ideal either: "It gets unbearably hot outside" where the mercury can hit 100° F or higher.

This unfinished basement would soon have tile, rubberized flooring, a moisture-resistant ceiling, and an Endless Pools swimming machine (see below). All components of the modular Endless Pool fit easily through standard doorways and down stairs.

Why the Basement?
Like many unfinished basements, Bert's had "a slab already laid down." That's a smart cost-saving measure; as with garage pools, using a pre-existing concrete floor saves money on site preparation. "It made sense," he says plainly.

He used an approximately 16' x 20' space for his standard model, which has only a 9' x 15' footprint. With the Endless Pool, you only need to access one side of the cabinet, so Bert could save space with a corner installation. He had no need to access the backside.

Plus, "it seemed to make the most sense so there's less siding." Purchasing and installing skirting on just two of the four sides is another smart cost-saving measure!

Bert's walkout basement provided the ideal site to swim for health, fun, recovery from baseball pitching, and as a meditative break when composing music. His Endless Pool retreat is always comfortable and accessible, through South Carolina's heat waves to its rare snowfalls.

Finishing the Unfinished Basement
Starting with exposed studs and cement walls, Bert chose tile in clean, neutral tones and "rubber flooring like you find at a gym."

The Week in Swimming

Olympic gold-medalist Anthony Ervin headlined the Maccabiah Games, an international Jewish/Israeli multi-sport event. (Jerusalem Post)

Hungarian gold-medal swimmer Katinka Hosszú discusses her pre-race mental preparation. (CNN, with video)

Inspired by Highlights magazine, USA Swimming released their first-ever Safe Sport Activity Book for kids.

Don't miss this fascinating podcast on swimming pool design, its impact on skateboarding culture, and the curious history of the kidney-shaped pool. (99% Invisible)

Poor swimming skills are one of the five most common weaknesses among Ironman triathletes. (220 Triathlon)

Ultra-marathon swimmer Jaimie Monahan completed her swim from Vermont to Quebec. (Swimming World)

Try these tips to keep your dog swimming safely. (SA Express-News)

"You’ll never regret a swim," says Ruth Fitzmaurice, author of a bestselling memoir about family, health, and swimming in the Irish Sea. (Guardian)

Get inspired by Susan Marens, a 75-year-old open water swimmer who travels internationally to compete. (Virginian-Pilot)

New Yorkers, your kids can take free Learn-to-Swim classes at your state parks.

A Wisconsin heat wave inspired this flashback to when swimming was illegal for fear of "indecent exposure." (WPR)

? How do you like it? #FINABudapest2017 #FINAworlds @budapest2017

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"Just because you have a disability doesn't mean you are limited, you just have to find that one thing that makes you feel free ??" Thank you to everyone who voted and for all of your support! Thank you to @tommyhilfiger and @speedousa for making me feel like a princess tonight ? #espys #bestfemaleathletewithadisability

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We're at @thisisuic for the last athletic event of the 2017 #WarriorGames – swimming, sponsored by @stand4heroes! Come watch our water warriors dive for gold.

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Never thought I'd write a story about Batman in a sppedo. Louisville swimming and diving has its own Dark Knight https://t.co/1jGhqrIXTv

— Drew Hill (@DrewHillSports) July 10, 2017

The Week in Swimming

The ascent of Caeleb Dressel is among these three takeaways from USA Swimming Nationals. (NBC Sports)

While Nathan Adrian is being called 'the new face of U.S. men's swimming' (AP) Katie Ledecky has been tagged 'the new face of swimming in the world' (Washington Post).

At least one of the other swimmers in Rio's 'Lochtegate' incident is moving on and heading to the Swimming World Championships in Budapest this month. (USA Today)

Also in Budapest, this 15-year-old swimmer will break the recent drought of very young Team USA swimmers. (Swim Swam)

The oldest swimmer to compete in the Olympics, Dara Torres offers her five tips for aging gracefully (yes, she's still swimming regularly). (TODAY)

A swimmer – and award-winning novelist – lists her top 10 books about swimming. (Guardian)

Following through on her recent calls for a pro swimmers union, Olympic swimmer Katinka Hosszú formed the Global Association of Professional Swimmers. (Reuters) GAPS' inaugural 34 members include four U.S. swimmers.

PLEASE READ! After the World Championships I will be doing a charity challenge 50 Hours of Sport in 5 Days to support sport and educational opportunities for the the children in Zambia! We have a goal of £50,000 and this can easily be achieved if we help each other to help people with a lot less than us. Please click the link in my bio for more information. THANKYOU!

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Looking forward to representing #TeamUSA ??at Worlds ??in #Budapest ??!

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Honored and excited to be representing @teamusa this Summer at the World Championships in Budapest. Thanks to Indiana Swimming ( @inswimming ) and @zionsvilleswimming for being great host and thanks @usaswimming for running a great meet. #Phillips66Nats ?- @mike2swim

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The Week in Swimming

Olympic gold-medalist Katie Ledecky won the prestigious Honda Cup; it's the first time it went to a freshman in 35 years! (NBC Sports) The teen swimming sensation has also struck up a surprising friendship with a former teen swimming star, 73-year-old Chris Olmstead. (NY Times)

What does it mean for the sport to have African-American Reece Whitley declared "the future of swimming"? (Washington Post)

With its two marquee names absent, how does the current state of USA Swimming's Men's Team look? (Swimming World)

Former VP Joe Biden reflected on race relations as a public swimming pool was renamed in his honor (Delaware Online) while Pope Francis spoke in swimming metaphors when he addressed Italy's international Sette Colli swim meet (Crux).

In open water swimming, an 18-year-old from India became the youngest man to complete the Triple Crown (Daily News of OWS) while English Channel swimmer Anne Cleveland is being remembered for her grace and tenacity (Union-Tribune).

Swim England released an in-depth study on "The Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Swimming."

Congratulations to Lilly King for being named the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year! Lilly is the first Hoosier woman to ever win the award! #GoIU ???

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Congrats, Katie! ?? Honda Cup Award winner ? #GoStanford

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Everybody get in. Warm ups at the #usaswimming #phillips66nats #worldteamtrials #indianapolis | ?Mike Lewis @mike2swim

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