Apparatus and method for improving swimmer performance

Abstract

The present disclosure describes some embodiments of an apparatus including a measurement panel to enable generation of a measurement related to one or more data points associated with a swimmer's stroke. The disclosure also describes an embodiment of a method including processing one or more images associated with a plurality of model swimmers to obtain information related to at least two structural data points related to a swimming stroke having a catch phase, processing one or more images associated with a target swimmer to obtain information related to the at least two structural data points associated with a target swimmer's catch phase, and generating one or more recommendations to change the catch phase of the target swimmer to bring the catch phase of the target swimmer closer to the model swimmer's catch phase.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a measurement panel to enable generation of a measurement related to one or more data points associated with a swimmer's stroke.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the measurement panel includes a measurement grid to provide a standard for measuring the one or more data points associated with the swimmer's stroke. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first stabilizing structure coupled to the measurement panel, the first stabilizing structure coupled to a first adjustable tee structure; and   a second stabilizing structure coupled to the measurement panel, the second stabilizing structure coupled to a second adjustable tee structure.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the measurement panel has a length of between about seven feet and about nine feet and a width of between about two-and-one-half feet and about four feet and a thickness of between about one-tenth of an inch and about three-tenths of an inch, the measurement panel having an array of holes, each hole in the array of holes having an area of about 2.25 square inches. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a first camera optically aligned substantially perpendicular to the measurement panel. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a second camera optically aligned substantially perpendicular to the measurement panel. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the measurement panel has a first vertical edge and a second vertical edge and the first camera is positioned about three feet from the measurement panel and inside the first vertical edge and the second camera is positioned about three feet from the measurement panel and inside the second vertical edge. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is deployed in a swimming pool having a surface and the measurement panel has a horizontal edge aligned substantially parallel to the surface by adjusting the first adjustable tee structure and the second adjustable tee structure. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 deploying a measurement panel and a camera in a swimming pool having a surface;   positioning the camera to record an image of a swimmer with the measurement panel positioned between the camera and the swimmer; and   recording an image of the swimmer including an image of the measurement panel superimposed on the image of the swimmer.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the deploying the measurement panel and the camera in the swimming pool comprises:
 aligning an edge of the measurement panel substantially parallel to the surface of the swimming pool.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the positioning the camera to record the image of the swimmer with the measurement panel positioned between the camera and the swimmer comprises:
 positioning the camera to record a head on image of the swimmer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the positioning the camera to record the image of the swimmer with the measurement panel positioned between the camera and the swimmer comprises:
 positioning the camera to record a side image of the swimmer.