Have you ever noticed that some people get an instant boost from putting on paddles while others don't?
I swim with a training partner and we both hold around 1:10 "threshold" pace (per 100 yards) in training. When we put on paddles and do (as an example) 200s on the 2:35, I'll start out holding 2:25-2:30 and eventually tire out to the point of being touch and go. My training partner will hold 1:05-1:10 pretty comfortably.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how this relates to training and racing? Is more paddle swimming going to make me a faster swimmer? Is it irrelevant to swimming speed without paddles? Does this indicate that I need to do more lifting to get my lats and triceps stronger?
Anyone have any advice on training with paddles or stories about how paddle work has affected their racing?
Finis Agility Paddles: use more to aid when actually swimming. I've been told by a coach that my form improved significantly from using them over a period of about 6 months.These are the paddles that made me finally like paddles. I think they are great for pointing out stroke flaws and for helping to develop a better catch. With that said, I am still a bit slower with them than straight swimming; my hypothesis is that I'm just so darn weak, in general, that the extra resistance of paddles slows my stroke rate down and I'm not able to compensate with any increased stroke length (e.g., since speed = stroke length x stroke rate). I'd still say that I swim 90-100% of my workouts these days without paddles.
There has been a lot of focus on the value of leg driven freestyle in the past few years and unquestionably a strong kick helps. However, pull is equally as important and I believe using paddles helps develop a stronger catch and pull. I used to use paddles and bouy a lot but over the last year have reduced the bouy and use paddles quite a lot more on there own. Like Stewart, I have significantly reduced to almost eliminating my use of the buoy. While I won't call my freestyle kick-driven, I do try to focus on a hip-driven stroke. When I use a buoy, I find that it flattens out my stroke too much and I lose that connection to my hips. I will still use a buoy at times, though, if I feel like I need to relax and rest my shoulders since the extra buoyancy reduces shoulder strain.
The one "toy" that I've come to love more than any, and the one that I think is the best for working on my pull and kick/hip connection while still swimming fast is my snorkel. I use my snorkel a lot in workouts and I think it's really helped my get my stroke - particularly for longer-distance races - back in a better form.
Finis Agility Paddles: use more to aid when actually swimming. I've been told by a coach that my form improved significantly from using them over a period of about 6 months.These are the paddles that made me finally like paddles. I think they are great for pointing out stroke flaws and for helping to develop a better catch. With that said, I am still a bit slower with them than straight swimming; my hypothesis is that I'm just so darn weak, in general, that the extra resistance of paddles slows my stroke rate down and I'm not able to compensate with any increased stroke length (e.g., since speed = stroke length x stroke rate). I'd still say that I swim 90-100% of my workouts these days without paddles.
There has been a lot of focus on the value of leg driven freestyle in the past few years and unquestionably a strong kick helps. However, pull is equally as important and I believe using paddles helps develop a stronger catch and pull. I used to use paddles and bouy a lot but over the last year have reduced the bouy and use paddles quite a lot more on there own. Like Stewart, I have significantly reduced to almost eliminating my use of the buoy. While I won't call my freestyle kick-driven, I do try to focus on a hip-driven stroke. When I use a buoy, I find that it flattens out my stroke too much and I lose that connection to my hips. I will still use a buoy at times, though, if I feel like I need to relax and rest my shoulders since the extra buoyancy reduces shoulder strain.
The one "toy" that I've come to love more than any, and the one that I think is the best for working on my pull and kick/hip connection while still swimming fast is my snorkel. I use my snorkel a lot in workouts and I think it's really helped my get my stroke - particularly for longer-distance races - back in a better form.
