Paddles, gloves etc..

Former Member
Former Member
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.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Just my 2c for what it is worth. The 1 pool toy that I never use is the Kickboard, which I feel is a total waste of time, does more harm than good. I use zoomer fins to help increase my ankle flexibility, to work on legs driving core body rotation and to build up core body strength. Sets of fly kicking on front, back and sides for ab strength. I also use them for sprint sets mainly to help me to increase my turnover and to become more relaxed when swimming at speed. The pull bouy I use very occasionally to test the degree of lateral deviation in my freestyle. Swim a length over the lane line, eyes closed with a pull bouy. If you have lateral deviation then your body will drift off the centre line. I find fistgloves useful, although recently I am using more fist swimming and opening to full hand in mid stroke as I am working on feeling the flow of water. I have been reading " Breakthrough Swimming " by Cecil Colwin and he has a fascinating chapter on flow control. I have been trying Finger paddles for a few months, an unexpected benefit I have found is in feedback for Coaching. I get my swimmers to use them while I watch from the pool deck, the paddles allow me to see exactly where their hands move during the stroke. This can be hard to make out when swimming with just hands. I am also teaching early Sculling practices to them using paddles and a pull bouy before they progress to hands only. I use the pool toys for very specific purposes, often to test my stroke and it seems to work OK. I also use the speedo stroke monitor watch on every swim and if anyone from speedo is reading this, I would love a new one! Another benefit is if you want to clear people out of your lane then swim fly with paddles! OK I have never done that but sometimes I am tempted!
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Just my 2c for what it is worth. The 1 pool toy that I never use is the Kickboard, which I feel is a total waste of time, does more harm than good. I use zoomer fins to help increase my ankle flexibility, to work on legs driving core body rotation and to build up core body strength. Sets of fly kicking on front, back and sides for ab strength. I also use them for sprint sets mainly to help me to increase my turnover and to become more relaxed when swimming at speed. The pull bouy I use very occasionally to test the degree of lateral deviation in my freestyle. Swim a length over the lane line, eyes closed with a pull bouy. If you have lateral deviation then your body will drift off the centre line. I find fistgloves useful, although recently I am using more fist swimming and opening to full hand in mid stroke as I am working on feeling the flow of water. I have been reading " Breakthrough Swimming " by Cecil Colwin and he has a fascinating chapter on flow control. I have been trying Finger paddles for a few months, an unexpected benefit I have found is in feedback for Coaching. I get my swimmers to use them while I watch from the pool deck, the paddles allow me to see exactly where their hands move during the stroke. This can be hard to make out when swimming with just hands. I am also teaching early Sculling practices to them using paddles and a pull bouy before they progress to hands only. I use the pool toys for very specific purposes, often to test my stroke and it seems to work OK. I also use the speedo stroke monitor watch on every swim and if anyone from speedo is reading this, I would love a new one! Another benefit is if you want to clear people out of your lane then swim fly with paddles! OK I have never done that but sometimes I am tempted!
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