WORKOUT PLANNING AND LAP COUNTING DEVICE FOR SWIMMING

• US 20140106939A1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Renee Kotz
• Original Assignee: Renee Kotz
• Inventors: Kotz, Renee
• Application Number:
  US13/650,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106939A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/55
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0602 Non-electronic means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 31/00 Swimming aids teaching swimming A63B69/10 - A63B69/14; life-saving in water , e.g. life-buoys, life-belts, B63C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/12 Arrangements in swimming pools for teaching swimming or for training

Abstract

A swimming workout planning and lap counting device includes a rope or band including first and second ends and a middle portion; and a plurality of floatable indicators having a plurality of indicia, wherein the plurality of floatable indicators are arranged in sequence corresponding to a swimming workout plan, wherein each floatable indicator indicates, based on indicia, a portion of the swimming workout plan selected from the group consisting of one or more specific numbers of laps to swim, stroking techniques to perform, kicking techniques to perform, pulling exercises or other drills to perform, and rest periods to execute, wherein the floatable indicators move on the rope/band so that after a portion of the swimming workout plan is completed, the corresponding floatable indicator is moveable from a first position to a second position on the rope/band to indicate completion of that portion of the swimming workout plan.

Claims

1. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device, comprising:

(a) a rope or band having a length and including a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion connecting the first and second end portions;

(b) a plurality of floatable indicators having a plurality of indicia, wherein the plurality of floatable indicators are arranged in a sequence on the middle portion of the rope or band so that each of the indicia indicates an element of a swimming workout plan, wherein each of the plurality of the floatable indicators is moveable on the rope from a first position to a second position on the rope or band to indicate completion of an element of the swimming workout plan;

(c) an adjustable cord clamp attached to one of the first and second end portions of the rope or band so as render the length of the rope or band adjustable; and

(d) a first fastener attached to the first end portion of the rope or band and a second fastener attached to the second end portion of the rope or band, wherein the first and second fasteners are configured to fasten the first and second end portions of the rope or band to first and second lane guides, respectively, so that the rope or band is extendable across a width of a swimming pool lap lane defined by the first and second lane guides.

2. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, wherein the rope or band is selected from the group consisting of elastic or non-elastic nylon, polyester, polypropylene, braided or twisted rope, and hollow or with a solid synthetic core bands, or polyurethane flexible rope.

3. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, wherein the first and second fasteners are selected from the group consisting of an oval hook, solid rope eye hooks, swivel snap hooks, snap hooks and spring hooks.

4. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, further comprising a fixed cord clamp comprising a first half shell and a second half shell configured so as to securely mate with the first half shell, wherein each of the first half shell and the second half shell comprises a channel formed therein configured to contain and clamp the other of the first and second end portions.

5. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 2, wherein the fixed cord clamp comprises plastic hook fasteners on both ends of an elastic nylon cord or a block of ethylene vinyl acetate foam comprising two separate, parallel cylindrical tunnels extending through the block, and the first end of the rope or band extends through each tunnel and is secured to the block by a plurality of knots tied in the first end portion of the rope or band.

6. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, wherein the adjustable cord clamp comprises a dynamic clamping mechanism attached to one end of the rope or band, wherein the dynamic clamping mechanism is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the dynamic clamping mechanism is disposed to clamp the rope or band so as to hold the length of the end portion constant, and wherein in the second position, the dynamic clamping mechanism is disposed to release the rope or band so that the length of the end portion is adjustable.

7. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 2, wherein the adjustable cord clamp comprises a block of ethylene vinyl acetate foam comprising three tunnels extending through the block, and the second end of the rope or band is disposed in the three tunnels so that the second end of the rope or band is held in place in the three tunnels by an interference fit between the walls of the three tunnels and the rope or band.

8. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of floatable indicators includes first and second end portions, and a central portion disposed between the first and second end portions, wherein when the first end portion of one floatable indicator abuts the second end portion of an adjacent floatable indicator of the plurality of floatable indicators, there is a substantial gap of about one finger-width separating the central portion of the one floatable indicator and the central portion of the adjacent floatable indicator.

9. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 8, wherein each floatable step-shaped indicator has a middle portion having an indicative shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, a square, a hexagon, and a triangle, wherein the indicative shape indicates a work out element.

10. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 8, wherein each floatable indicator comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam or another type of thermoplastic material.

11. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 8, wherein each floatable indicator further includes a hole formed therethrough along a central axis, wherein the hole is dimensioned to provide an interference fit between the floatable indicator and the rope or band sufficient to hold the floatable indicator in place on the rope or band against water splash and wave motion yet allow a swimmer to manually move the floatable indicator on the rope or band.

12. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 11, wherein the hole formed in each floatable indicator has a triangular, square-shaped, or polygonal cross section.

13. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 11, wherein each floatable indicator further includes a radial slit extending from the hole to an outer surface of the floatable indicator so that each floatable indicator is removable from the rope or band via the radial slit and without having to adjust the adjustable cord clamp.

14. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, wherein each floatable indicator of the plurality of floatable indicators indicates, based on indicia, a portion of the swimming workout plan selected from the group consisting of one or more specific numbers of laps to swim, stroking techniques to perform, kicking techniques to perform, pulling exercises to perform, other predetermined drills to perform, and rest periods to execute.

24. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 1, wherein the adjustable cord clamp and the second fastener are attached together to form an adjustable rope hook fastener.

15. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device comprising:

(a) a rope or band having a length and including a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion connecting the first and second end portions; and

(b) a plurality of floatable indicators having a plurality of indicia, wherein the plurality of floatable indicators are arranged in a sequence on the middle portion of the rope or band so that each of the indicia indicates an element of a swimming workout plan, wherein each of the plurality of the floatable indicators is moveable on the rope from a first position to a second position on the rope or band to indicate completion of an element of the swimming workout plan;

wherein each floatable indicator further includes a hole formed therethrough along a central axis, wherein the hole is dimensioned to provide an interference fit between the floatable indicator and the rope or band that is sufficient to hold each floatable indicator in place on the rope or band against water splash and wave motion yet allow the swimmer to manually move the floatable indicator on the rope or band.

16. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 15, further comprising:

(c) a first cord clamp attached to the first end of the rope or band so as to form a first loop from the first end of the rope or band; and

(d) a second cord clamp attached to the second end of the rope or band so as to form a second loop from the second end of the rope or band.

17. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 16, wherein the first cord clamp and the second cord clamp are each a fixed cord clamp so that the first loop is a fixed first loop formed from the first end of the rope or band, and so that the second loop is a fixed second loop formed from the second end of the rope or band.

18. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 16, wherein the first cord clamp and the second cord clamp are each adjustable so that the first and second end portions of the rope are adjustable in length.

19. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 16, further comprising:

(e) a first fastener attached to the first loop of the rope or band and a second fastener attached at the second loop of the rope or band, wherein the first fastener is configured to fasten the first end of the rope or band to a first lane guide and the second fastener is configured to fasten the second end of the rope or band to a second lane guide so that the rope or band extends across a width of a swimming pool lap lane defined by the first lane guide and the second lane guide.

20. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 15, wherein each floatable indicator further includes a radial slit that extends from the hole to an outer surface of the floatable indicator so that each floatable indicator is removable from the rope or band via the radial slit.

21. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 15, wherein permanent and/or adjustable hook fasteners are directly attached to an end of each of the first end portion and the second end portion of an elastic rope or band.

22. A swimming workout planning and lap counting device as recited by claim 15, wherein each floatable indicator of the plurality of floatable indicators indicates, based on indicia, a portion of the swimming workout plan selected from the group consisting of one or more specific numbers of laps to swim, stroking techniques to perform, kicking techniques to perform, pulling exercises to perform, other predetermined drills to perform, and rest periods to execute.

23. A method for planning a swim workout and counting laps during the swim workout, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a swimming workout planning and lap counting device according to claim 15;

(b) arranging floatable indicators in a sequence corresponding to a swimming workout plan;

(c) connecting the swimming workout planning and lap counting device between two swim lane dividers or guides that define a swim lane having a width so that the swimming workout planning and lap counting device extends across the width of the swim lane; and

(d) moving one of the floatable indicators of the plurality of floatable indicators from the first position to the second position on the rope or band in order to record completion of that corresponding portion of the swimming workout plan.