Paddle help!

RE: Paddle help!

mcnair — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 10:52:23 GMT

I avoided "toys" for a decade of on and off swimming for cross training and fitness. I felt like I just needed to work on technique and that the toys were going to be a crutch. In the last year, however, I have slowly started introducing the pull buoy, fins, and *gasp* even paddles just this last month. But for very specific purposes, like strengthening a weak area or working on technique problems that have been stubborn to solve. Our YMCA has a lot of Kiefer products available on the deck (or locked in the closet) and I just recently incorporated the paddles into my pull sets... and yes they really have helped with the catch. I'll do a thousand alternating 100 w/ paddles and 100 w/o, paying attention to proper hand entry and the way in which the water forces the paddle (and hand) into the proper position for catch. On the non-paddle reps I'm amazed at how my hand wants to follow the same track. So if done properly, the toys can be good for imprinting proper technique. These are the paddles we have at the Y: www.kiefer.com/kiefer-ergo-hand-paddle--pair--products-446.php

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:28:50 GMT

You tried directly from Finis? I just went to their site and got to the point where I had to put in my CC and stopped. SwimOutlet.com seems to have them in stock as well.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:28:21 GMT

My friend and I were abroad, and participated in a video analysis of our freestyle. Having seen the underwater results - we both held our heads in shame The coach suggested we invest in some finis agility paddles - not to swim sets - but simply to work on improving our catch. He lent us a pair and they certainly felt very different to conventional paddles :carolers:Santa has been very generous and sent some as an early Christmas present. I have found this link and clearly there are very diveregent views on paddles and their use both a aids to technique and for swimming sets etc Does anyone have views/ experience on using the finis agility ones to improve catch technique? did it work?

RE: Paddle help!

Calvin S — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:21:44 GMT

I use the FINIS "strapless" paddles a lot for catch work in freestyle. When I am doing more power pulling (such as a negative split set, or something where I need a little more speed) I will switch to the traditional speedo brand (I think...whatever the brand where "small" = green, medium = yellow, large = red, etc.). I definitely think the FINIS paddles have done a lot of good for my stroke. I found that part of my stroke where I had bad technique caused me to lose the paddles. They stay on just fine when I focus on perfect stroke.

RE: Paddle help!

Chris Stevenson — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:58:47 GMT

I've tried odering them, but they seem to be out of stock everywhere I've tried to obtain them. I am probably going to give up my other paddles (8 different types) in favor of the Agility Paddles. You tried directly from Finis? I just went to their site and got to the point where I had to put in my CC and stopped.

RE: Paddle help!

Bill Sive — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:50:22 GMT

I have tried the Agility Paddles. I friend of mine let me borrow his for part of my workout a couple of times recently. I liked these types of paddles very much. They felt like a natural extension of my hands. Easy on, easy off, no rubber bands/straps. I've tried odering them, but they seem to be out of stock everywhere I've tried to obtain them. I am probably going to give up my other paddles (8 different types) in favor of the Agility Paddles.

RE: Paddle help!

Betsy — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:55:28 GMT

I definitely agree with Paul and Chris. Paddles are great for stroke work, getting the feel for doing it right. You need to take off the wrist band and have the finger band loose. This way they will come off if you do the stroke incorrectly. When I coach, I tell my swimmers that bad technique causes shoulder problems. If you strap on paddles tightly and continue with the same stroke, you will get shoulder problems even faster. Keep the paddles loose and think when you use them. To keep them on, you must have pressure on the water. Go slowly at first. It should improve your stroke.

RE: Paddle help!

Chris Stevenson — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:26:24 GMT

Does anyone have views/ experience on using the finis agility ones to improve catch technique? did it work? I love them, use them a lot and primarily to reinforce good technique. I like to combine them with the FINIS snorkel. And as an extra-special bonus, the paddles & snorkel are color-coordinated...

RE: Paddle help!

StewartACarroll — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 06:34:01 GMT

In my experience good freestyle is about being long and strong. I have always found that paddles allow me to work on both. I agree with all the comments about bad form leading to injury, but when used correctly they are awesome.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:10:30 GMT

I have checked out all kinds of paddles and have found this one to be the best. It has solved the sore shoulder and sore muscle problem that is so evident in all of the other paddles www.early-vertical-forearm.com/

RE: Paddle help!

art_z — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:47:03 GMT

i've been using hand paddles for years, both the old square red ones in college in the 80s, and now for the various Tyr and Strokemaker ones for about 10 years as a masters swimmer (i'm soon to be 41). I like to use them for a set of maybe 900 to 1000 yards, maybe during some hypox work. They really let concentrate on stroke form and also distance per stroke. Paddles aren't for everyone. If you can use them, and they help, they do it. If they don't help, then don't bother. I'm like that with pull buoys. Never liked them, they make me swim like crap and throw my stroke off like crazy. I would rather let me legs just drag on their own that use a buoy, ymmv.

RE: Paddle help!

pwolf66 — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 05:21:38 GMT

One aspect of paddles that helps me (or at least it did in the past) was to help me get a better feel for a clean entry and exit with my hands. And also to provide feedback on when I was just skimming my finger tips over the water on recovery. When I felt the tip of the paddles dig, I knew I was at the proper height. But even when I was younger and dumber (OK, younger), I used padddles sparingly. And only as a training aid. But in all cases YMMV, just make sure you actually LISTEN to what your body tells you. Paul

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 05:02:19 GMT

I have a pair of Freestyler paddles, and they are very good. The "instant" improvement thing is misleading (duh!). The design of this paddle makes you use a flat hand entry (rather than thumb first), and if used properly they can improve your stroke. Again, this is the design of the paddle. They're only strapped on to one finger, so people with bad form, used to wearing paddles strapped on the fingers & the wrist whave found this paddle frustrating. It moves around on you if your form is not good. On the other hand, these can only be used for freestyle (again due to the design), so if you only want one pair of paddles in your bag, the Freestyler is not the right paddle to use.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:10:04 GMT

I totally believe in the use of paddles, it has done alot to help me correct my strokes especially my fly. Figuring out how to swim fly with paddles correctly took me serveral laps to get my rhythm down. Now my stroke looks and feels 100% better. I have several pairs of various shapes and sizes and each one serves a purpose. I use a smaller flat rectangular speedo paddle for fly and ***. A more curves paddle for back and free. Closer to taper time I have a really small curved speedo paddle smaller than the size of my hand. At first I only used paddles for freestyle and my improvement was tremendous in the distance events. I had read that Shirley used to use paddles all the time and so did I. I still do, but not as much on freestyle, more on the other strokes. The key to paddles is to use proper form. Quite agree Donna. And thanks for your suggestion about using them for fly. I do a set of 25's with them on every now and again and it forces you to be very aware of your hand entry and pull. I also fully agree with your final statement: The key to paddles is to use proper form. You need to have perfect form otherwise you run the risk of injury. I like to use paddles for resistance training. I usually do a set of 10 x 100 free and practice concentrating on a high elbow position and feeling that pull right from the catch all the way to the release. By the end of the set my forearms are aching. I feel my speed has improved a lot since using paddles but I use them judiciously and certainly not every practice. Syd

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:40:56 GMT

natural and instant result of using the Freestyler hand paddle. This patented skeg design uses the same principles of a surfboard. With proper hand entry, the skeg channels the hand forward for maximum extension with every stroke. This paddle is not designed for resistance and strength training, but is intended as a training aid to improve technique and efficiency. QUOTE] Natural and instant result, WOW! Not designed for strength training, NO KIDDING? Intended as a training aid to improve technique and efficiency? WHOSE TECHNIQUE? Where do I sign up? For the cuckoo's nest that is. "The stars are aligned, the gods are maligned, it is better to give than receive." Neil Peart

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:15:42 GMT

Below is what finis writes about thier Freestyler Hand Paddles Do you think it's true or not? Patented skeg technology teaches proper freestyle technique with instantaneous results. The Freestyler is the only hand paddle designed specifically for freestyle. With its unique shape and design, swimmers can improve the more technical aspects of their freestyle stroke during daily training. Benefits such as high elbows, maximum extension, proper hand position and entry will be a natural and instant result of using the Freestyler hand paddle. This patented skeg design uses the same principles of a surfboard. With proper hand entry, the skeg channels the hand forward for maximum extension with every stroke. This paddle is not designed for resistance and strength training, but is intended as a training aid to improve technique and efficiency. www.finisinc.com/products-tr-handpaddles.shtml If we do away with the advertising speak"will be a natural and instant result " (I mean come on...puhlease...that's like saying as set of Ping golf clubs with their superior aerodynamic design will instantly produce a better golf swing:rolleyes:) they might acually be quite useful. They seem to be constructed less for resistance and more for forward hand entry. Interesting. Still it is going to be difficult to say one way or the other without trying them. Just don't expect any miraculous results: that's all. Syd

RE: Paddle help!

The Fortress — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:55:59 GMT

Has anyone tried the star paddles or the tyr fingertip paddles?

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:46:12 GMT

RE: Paddle help!

Donna — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:35:31 GMT

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:58:02 GMT

I used the paddles back in the 1970's in those days they were big and sometimes they hit your risk. I got use to them. The injuries I had was tendencis practicing butterfly heavy but nothing that took me out more than a couple of days. I didn't need shoulder surgey like Amy Van Dyden and Dara Torres and Lenny K did. Also, I think the other extreme can cause shoulder problems, new master swimmers who never swam competely when they were younger, starting out with workouts with 2,000 yards. First these people should use start with something around 500 or 200 yards, more so if they are past 40 years old. Then built up to 2,000 and more. I agree people can misused the paddles.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Wed, 10 Jul 2002 16:00:55 GMT

I would think that one's optimum use of paddles depends on what one is trying to accomplish. Certainly if one wants to improve stroke technique, caution should be exercised in using them properly (as always I guess) because if used improperly, the point will be missed. But if one uses swimming for fitness especially more so than competetion or a "perfect" technique, I would think the extra resistance they provide would be great for strength building.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Wed, 10 Jul 2002 13:38:46 GMT

Cynthia, Ah, too much yardage--another of my pet peeves. But, since I've riffed "eloquent" on that one enough to get flame-mail from the other long time discussion participants, I'll spare you. Oh and by the way, I think Carthage should be destroyed. Publius Cornelius Scipio St. Louis

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Wed, 10 Jul 2002 11:10:22 GMT

Note most teenagers and people in their 20's that get injuries are more likely to swim at the pre-national and national level. The reason why is the heavy yardage they do compared to other swimmers. A teenager that only swims strokes at the B to AA level probably has less injuries because of less mileage. Also, college swimmers in division 3 and community college suffer less injuries than Division one swimmers. Note the elite swimmers are more likely to have operations on their shoulders because they are more likley to swim over the 15,000 mark. Paddles might caused some of their injury but yardage over the 10,000 mark certainly can cause injuries.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Tue, 09 Jul 2002 15:33:08 GMT

Well, Matt I agree that paddles depend upon individual people. When Iwas a kid I swam about 5 seconds with them on in practice than I did at a meet. Some people they might cause problems. I also like history. And when I think about Hannibal I also think about his Roman rival at Zama, Scipio Afrcanius. I'm better a little bit with Roman history than Greek.

RE: Paddle help!

Former Member — Tue, 09 Jul 2002 12:54:33 GMT

I agree with Paul's last paragraph. The Tyr paddles give a great "feel" for core rotation and dps. They have helped a lot there. I don't swim hard with them because they will overload my old joints.