There are so many new products on the market, oddly shaped paddles, gloves - I even saw this contraption where you connect a tube from your waste to your ankles so that kicking is more difficult.
I do not think that this equipment is effective - particularily paddles - unless you are a very high lever swimmer and you only use it spottingly. Unfortunately ussage tends to be most common with LOW level swimmers and these swimmers use the equipment far too much durring each workout.
My advice to those returning to the pool is to avoid all of this stuff - it will only lead to injuries.
Parents
Former Member
Lefty,
The water toys are good fun, but should be used sparingly. I think that more often than not, paddles will lead to shoulder problems if there's a quirk in the stroke. All it takes is the slightest repetition of a funny stroke move, and before you know it, there's trouble with the rotator cuff.
Fins are great for stretching out the ankles, and in developing some power to one's kick. (I happen to like coming in on less than a minute for the hundred yard repeats. Now if they'ld only allow them in races?)
And on that note...if you can't use all this stuff during a meet, then why get comfortable using it day in and out in practice. I've personally sworn off pull bouys because of the crutch aspect. And although I see some folks swimming with fins, it's gotta be a big reality check when they try to go without them. We're all are born with our own paddles and fins, it's up to us on how to work with them best. But you're not going hear that from a multi-million dollar industry doing all they can to get people to buy their products.
Lefty,
The water toys are good fun, but should be used sparingly. I think that more often than not, paddles will lead to shoulder problems if there's a quirk in the stroke. All it takes is the slightest repetition of a funny stroke move, and before you know it, there's trouble with the rotator cuff.
Fins are great for stretching out the ankles, and in developing some power to one's kick. (I happen to like coming in on less than a minute for the hundred yard repeats. Now if they'ld only allow them in races?)
And on that note...if you can't use all this stuff during a meet, then why get comfortable using it day in and out in practice. I've personally sworn off pull bouys because of the crutch aspect. And although I see some folks swimming with fins, it's gotta be a big reality check when they try to go without them. We're all are born with our own paddles and fins, it's up to us on how to work with them best. But you're not going hear that from a multi-million dollar industry doing all they can to get people to buy their products.
