Her shoulders have been hurting, but feels the paddles can't be causing the pain. She has a weak kick due to a knee injury, so she mostly uses her arms and puts a pull buoy between her legs to keep her legs up.
A lot depends upon what oversized paddles means. Could be different for different people. Personally, I always use green Strokemaker paddles (think they may actually be turquoise now, but whatever “level 1” is). I never graduated to a larger size. And that’s the thing. You can, slowly, over time, train yourself to use larger size paddles. Had a friend of similar height and build to me who used the blue Strokemakers (level 4 I think). I always thought those were WAY too big for him, but it took years for him to work his way up to that size of paddle. And for him it wasn’t a macho thing like “look at me I’m a badass for using super large paddles.” He really did get something out of that.
I do agree with what is being said here though that paddle use should be as tolerated and in moderation. I use the Finis agility paddles a lot as well (I call them SP or “strapless paddles”).
I think paddles can be used to improve stroke mechanics and are useful for that. The big paddles may have some benefit for strength when used for sprints and can be helpful for going faster than race pace. Used this way you need to be cautious about shoulder strain. Using large paddles for long distances seems likely to cause poor stroke mechanics and increase te risk of overuse injuries.
Had a friend of similar height and build to me who used the blue Strokemakers (level 4 I think).
Yeah, that's the size I used to use, too. I think there's even one size larger, green maybe?
I would strongly recommend she use neither the paddles nor the buoy. The buoy flattens out your body, so you lose the power and connection from your hips and kick. Paddles are just downright murder on your shoulders. Better off getting some good technique work, focus on connecting the hips / kick / core / shoulders and work on good rotation.
I'm fascinated by this reply.
Is there a school of thought that states that all these "toys" (paddles, flippers, buoys, etc) are unnecessary, and perhaps even detrimental? I may have come across this train of thought when quicky perusing some swimbooks/sites. This may represent the writings of a swimcult that is entirely unconnected to the world of Real Swimming Improvement.
I myself, a slow newbie, eschew all toys because....um.....I have no clue what to do with them or how to utilize them, and in my newbie ignorance, I claim that I am some kind of toyless purist, perhaps to my grave detriment.
But I don't have a clue, really. How important are these aids?
Yeah, that's the size I used to use, too. I think there's even one size larger, green maybe?
I believe the colors reset (so size up from blue is green again like the small ones). This might be why they changed size 1 to turquoise. Also I believe they made mini paddles which start with blue (one size below size 1 green). The pattern is basically green-yellow-red-blue
I recently read in a Facebook swimming group how someone used paddles to swim a 10k. I don't know the specifics, if it was in a pool, open-water, continuous, or anything else. After people posted concern, he had to re-post and defend how he felt fine (the next day), etc.
For years I keep paddles as part of my, "bag of toys." Depending on the day, I might use them for a few hundred, mostly just to mix things up and add some variety. The past few Sundays I did some long swims at Barton Springs (kind of a pool/open-water place in Austin); I did a few loops swim with fins, and 2 swim with Agility paddles. So out of 4.75 miles, about .5 mile was with paddles (.75 with fins). To me that combination seems to work to mix things up, and get some of the positive benefits of the toys (both fins and paddles can help technique).
I also have TYR Catalyst paddles, in a rather large size. I used to sometimes use them for 1/4 (or more) of my workout. I last used them back in March. I was training for some open water swims, did a 12,000+ yard training swim in a pool, and I did at least 1000 with those. The next day I had shoulder problems. It might have been the paddles, might have been the volume, or probably a combination of the two. I took things easier for a week, did more stroke (I was fine doing back and ***), and re-built back up the following week with another 12k+ swim and I was fine. But no paddles at all in that time.
So to echo nearly everyone else here...these toys are usually ok when used in moderation. Of course some people may be able to handle more, and some less.
I love finis agility paddles and typically just do a little drill or technique work. Recently I started doing more volume with the paddles at our team practices and BOOM shoulder impingement symptoms. Add the buoy and its worse- I lose all hip rotation. I've cut back distance and dropped the paddles and two weeks later its still a little painful. I think some people can use it and some can't, but would be cautious if any pain and ramp up slowly!
