Fit Gadgets: StretchCordz Short Belt

Can I tell you how much I wish I'd known about this 10 or 15 years ago, when I lived at home and had a pool? The StretchCordz Short Belt is a tool that allows you to swim as long and as hard as you want without having to turn at the end of the pool. I don't know about you, but most home pools I've been in aren't long enough to allow for good lap swimming, so this sounds like a perfect solution.

Four feet of heavy tubing is attached to a two-inch waist belt, allowing you to attach the tubing to a ladder and then swim to your heart's content without ever going anywhere. While initially I was concerned about the feeling -- would it be distracting? Would my feet hit the tubing? -- this review put my mind at ease.

The idea behind it is simple, and, according to a number of reviews, it's really effective for swimmers of all levels. It can be used in small backyard pools, hotel pools, or wherever else you want a good, long, continuous swim. And, at under $30, it's not a huge investment. Now, if only I had a pool in my backyard ...