UK-based Swim Coach Uses Zygo to Train Swimmer in LA
Game-changing technology from Zygo and Brownlee Fitness delivers real-time virtual swim analysis 6,300 miles away
Geographical barriers in the world of swim coaching have been eliminated thanks to Zygo and triathlon training company Brownlee Fitness, owned by British Olympians Alistair and Jonny Brownlee.
Using a pair of Zygo headphones and a GoPro, Surrey-based Brownlee Fitness swim coach Nick de Meyer has been successfully providing real-time virtual swim coaching and analysis to a client 6,300 away in LA for the past six months. This state-of-the-art coaching approach removes all limits and boundaries of traditional swim coaching helping clients to get faster and more significant performance gains.
“Coaching like this with Zygo blew my mind,” said Nick. “It’s changed how I coach. The audio quality with Zygo is crystal clear. It is brilliant to be able to provide that instant correction to clients, even though I’m thousands of miles away. It’s also way easier for clients to see improvement and as a result, they feel they are getting more value out of their training.”
According to Nick, it is the personalised aspect of this coaching approach that makes it so effective.
“In the past, people might have watched YouTube or their own videos for swim analysis and technique but when you’re actually in the pool, getting real-time feedback on what you’re doing, you learn a lot quicker. You make faster improvement with a lot less effort.”
Making Waves
In addition to real-time, underwater coaching capabilities, the Zygo Solo enables users to stream content from their phone (music, podcasts, audiobook) and access an App of Zygo’s dynamic on-demand workouts paired with music. Designed as much for the avid swimmer as the boutique fitness fan, Zygo counts athletes such as Alistair Brownlee and Novak Djokovic as fans and customers.
Zygo’s innovation lies in its patented radio frequency system and complex antennae design. It uses a wireless waterproof transmitter that can be left behind or poolside. Once paired with a headset – or multiple headsets – the transmitter streams any audio from a phone and also serves as a walkie talkie for live one-way communication. The headset utilizes bone conduction, sending audio through vibrations, keeping the ears free for comfort and safety.
The Future of Swim Coaching
Video analysis has been part of the Brownlee Fitness offering since it began, but being able to offer real-time analysis using technology like Zygo is a new development.
“Virtual swim coaching is still in its infancy,” says Pete Pastides, Chief Marketing Officer at Brownlee Fitness. “Our clients are globally dispersed and technologies such as Zygo enable us to deliver our vision of being the world’s leading individualised, 1-2-1, virtual coaching company. Before Zygo, Nick our swim coach, would analyse in-pool videos, give advice and swim drills and explain what to do over a Google Meet, but pairing video with Zygo has completely changed that. It’s given our athletes the ability to see drops of 10-40 seconds in swim times almost immediately.”
For Zygo co-founders Charlie Melvoin and Sheera Goren, this novel use of Zygo is providing a glimpse into the future. "This novel application of our technology gets us excited for the potential to offer live classes in our app,” says Charlie. “We believe water is the next fitness frontier. Swimming is the ultimate low-impact sport that you can do all your life, and we can’t wait for innovative tech solutions like this to help more people fall in love with it,” notes Charlie.
Levelling Up
Pete and Nick see a future where real-time virtual swim analysis can be used by anyone, from complete beginners to elite athletes.
“This type of technology could be great for people who are afraid of water or just learning to swim,” says Nick. “A personalised approach would make a huge impact on any swimmer, regardless of starting point. Breathing technique is something that everyone can improve, but this is often hard to coach through video or poolside analysis. Having real-time video and audio coaching, even with a coach that’s on the other side of the world, could be a gamechanger for swimmers.”
Zygo is available for US shipping on www.shopzygo.com, at $299.
Individualized, 1-2-1, virtual coaching is available from www.brownleefitness.com
