Video: See the land swimming machine in action

by Adam Williams

awilliams@thekmgroup.co.uk

Swimming on dry land might sound
like an April Fools story but a Christ Church University academic
has designed a machine which does just that.

Dr Ian Swaine, a lecturer in
exercise physiology and a former competitive swimmer, has invented
and built a whole-body front crawl swimming training machine. It
allows swimmers to train and analyse their performance without
water and Ian hopes it will soon become the latest gadget in gyms
around the world.

He said: “This has come out from
about 10 years of research.

“I developed it to answer questions
about the science of swimming and eventually I’d like to make more
of these machines so people can use them for both research purposes
and as fitness machines.

“Swimming out of water is an
extremely difficult concept to attempt, but we’re investigating
certain questions you can’t measure in water. The structure is
adjustable and the resistance devices are designed to offer varying
levels of challenge for a range of abilities.”

BBC One series Bang Goes The Theory
featured the machine in its latest programme last Monday as Dr Yan
from the show tried it out.

The machine measures the power
output a swimmer places on each element of their stroke and
resembles a rowing machine in design. Four resistance air-dynes are
driven by the arms and legs using pulley ropes and swimmers lay
down in a free-moving body cradle allowing the body to roll as it
does in water.

Hands are placed in paddles and
feet onto plates to drive the air-dynes with sensors on each one
feeding data into a computer showing a swimmer’s individual limb
power output.

Ian added: “The data we have
collected so far has been used in research on the efficiency of
swimmers and how they adapt to different training practices.

"We have also presented this work
at conferences in Oslo, Indianapolis and Verona.

“Having been a swimmer myself I can
vouch that it comes pretty close to replicating swimming in water.
It’s a quantum leap forward in terms of training aids.”