Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:50:57 GMT

Hand position and grip, right on Chaos. i have a pair of speedo paddles that are shaped like a potato chip and are not any bigger than my hand. they can assist in finding the best hand position (grip) but unlike those big monsters, won't make you feel like you are moving in slow motion when you take them off. i don't use them regularly....only when i am looking to correct/improve some small detail that their design would help with.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:33:33 GMT

I am a believer in the use of paddles. I believe they are a wonderful diagnostic tool. Many years ago, my coach (Joe Gentry) had us take off the wrist strap and loosen the finger strap. It was awful at first - the paddles kept coming off. However, as you develop a feel for the water and keep your elbow up and your hand in the correct position, they stay on. I am coaching now and use them regularly to teach technique. Alternating 100s or 200s with and without paddles help you learn the technique. With the swimmers I coach, I have to watch that they do not strap them on tightly or hold them on with their fingers. I keep repeating that if you do the stroke incorrectly, you will get shoulder problems. If you do the stroke incorrectly with paddles, you'll get shoulder problems faster. Let the paddles loose and let them tell you where you are wrong. It really works. Thanks Betsy, that's good info. I do that no wrist and loose finger grip on *** pull, so I'll use the same idea for crawl and see what happens.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:27:12 GMT

I use TYR Catalyst paddles (red). I think they CAN contribute to swimming performance. I find that they: - are unforgiving of hand entry errors so they reinforce good hand entry - the extra resistance forces me to have a higher elbow, more vertical forearm, and pull with hands shallower. All good things. - can strain my shoulders so I am careful with their use. I use them mostly on moderate effort, longer sets. In a set of 4x400 I may use the paddles for half the set. I rarely swim hard with them. I also use them occasionally for heads up breaststroke (very tiring) to work on fast hands. Agreed hofffam, I find when I put on my paddles (red TYR) my mechanics improve, and I get an "ah yes, this is what it should feel like." Any tweaks in my catch and pull are amplified so I can concentrate on them and correct them easily, and I am better able to time my core rotation with the pull. I feel what it's like to "stabilize" my body with my hand and arm as I pull, so I can recover with the other arm and enter my next stroke properly, rather than "swing" each arms forward into the water relying more on my shoulder muscles. After the paddles, I have to concentrate to replicate the feeling, but my body "knows" what it should feel like so it's doable. Without paddles, it is easier for me to NOT notice when I'm dropping my elbows and sliding my hands, crossing over my mid-line, and/or not finishing my stroke by my hip. This makes my shoulders hurt more than the paddles. That said, I don't push too hard with the paddles on--usually a set of 4-8 75s with 15 or so seconds rest or the equivalent interval, breathing every 3 strokes, sometimes a moderate build on the 3rd length. Freestyle only (maybe a length or two one-arm fly). 2 - 4 25s sculling after using the paddles is all I need to get rid of the "tiny hands" feeling.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

knelson — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:16:28 GMT

This thread is a big shocker. People who use paddles think they're beneficial. People who don't use them think they're not. Who woulda guessed? :)

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:36:52 GMT

i have a pair of speedo paddles that are shaped like a potato chip and are not any bigger than my hand. they can assist in finding the best hand position (grip) but unlike those big monsters, won't make you feel like you are moving in slow motion when you take them off. i don't use them regularly....only when i am looking to correct/improve some small detail that their design would help with.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Betsy — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:27:45 GMT

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:12:21 GMT

I would suspect that paddles could be useful for building up the muscles used in the stroke. Something else that paddles have helped me with, is realizing how weak my left-arm catch is. The paddles force me to really pay attention to that arm too. The age-group swimmers at my local pool use paddles for about one set a session, but it's always done as part of their "slow swimming" freestyle work. Basically 1000m straight focusing on good distance per stroke. That being said, I think it's always good to "visualize" catching as much water as you can, and feeling this catch, even when you're NOT wearing paddles. I'm surprised by how much water I can actually catch if I'm really are thoughtful about each stroke.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

smontanaro — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:16:55 GMT

I have some Techpaddles which I use on occasion. I generally do a slow catch-up drill with them so I can watch my arm position. I also carry a pair of tennis balls and do fist drills with them. Like Coach T said, ultra-slow. I used to have a pair of big yellow rectangular paddles. Left 'em at the pool one day by mistake and never bothered to replace them. I like pulling better without them anyway. Skip

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

swimshark — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:00:44 GMT

My first try-out of paddle ended me in the ortho's office with tendonitis of the left wrist. So be careful using them.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:58:55 GMT

If it works for you, that's great. It just sounds scary to me...my supraspinatus began twitching in fright as I read your post.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:57:03 GMT

I can't say that I have ever seen anyone do a sprint set with paddles, and it sounds like an avenue to an injury quite frankly. I never do more than one set of 8 X 25m with a 25 recovery between each sprint and, at least, a minute's rest. I only do it once a week (usually on a Friday) and never after I have lifted weights. It is more of a controlled sprint, though. You have to be very strict on form. It never hurts my shoulders, only my triceps and my forearms.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:43:53 GMT

I can't say that I have ever seen anyone do a sprint set with paddles, and it sounds like an avenue to an injury quite frankly.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:40:35 GMT

So many paddle users. I have never used paddles but have instructed swimmers to use paddles. They are a good instrument to teach the underwater portion of the stroke to learn hand position. I do not recommend more then a few lengths using paddles and do not recommend power swimming paddle use.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:39:30 GMT

I use them for fast 25 sprints. I sprint as fast as I can but without compromising good form. I focus on the catch, EVF and release (essentially the whole pull from beginning to end). These are always NO BREATHERS so I can focus all my attention on the pull. These are EXTREMELY tiring if done properly and you should feel your triceps aching. I don't have shoulder issues with paddles, but if you do have shoulder problems this set won't be a good idea.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:28:47 GMT

They are good for building strength and power in your stroke, but beware - they can destroy your shoulders. NEVER wear them during warm-up, get your body nice and loose before you put those on. I really don't like them for sprints because I have shoulder problems (paddles did not create my shoulder probs, BTW). Feel the water... if you have any pain or clicking in the shoulder... take them off! Listen to your body. I am currently using the TYR Mentor paddles (yellow) - they are just the right size, if they were a hair smaller I'd have to move up a size - IMHO, paddles that are way too big can create shoulder issues as well. Have fun Stud! They're fun to wear to work on the breastroke pull.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

aztimm — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:40:39 GMT

As anything else, in moderation they can be good and effective. If you use them all the time, you'll either get used to them, or have problems as everyone else describes. I've had paddles as long as I've been doing masters swimming. I've had the TYR Catalyst, the XL or whatever the big size is. I wear them maybe 1-2 times a month on the rare occasion we do a mega pull set, and I actually feel like pulling. They are great for sets when we do breath control (for those of you who believe in those). Thankfully, I've not had an issue with paddles and swimming yet. But like I said, I use them sparingly, and also do weights to build up my shoulders.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

slknight — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:33:06 GMT

"Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?" Shoulder pain, for one... :cane: I've found that they are also good for scraping ice/snow off your windshield if you don't have an ice scraper. :p

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

ourswimmer — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:30:40 GMT

Re: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for? Absolutely Nuthin! Say it again! I haven't worn them since I was about 12. Stopped due to shoulder pain and never started again. They scare me. Seriously, aside from hurting your shoulders, in a pool with narrow lanes paddles are also good for whacking your lane mates in the forehead or for breaking a teammate's finger in the next lane. Watch your surroundings.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

knelson — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:02:43 GMT

I love them. If you're using fairly big paddles I'd suggest using them for longer swims. You just can't turnover very fast with paddles so I personally don't think they are good for sprints. I primarily use paddles in conjunction with a pull buoy. Very rarely I'll do something with both paddles and fins. That's pretty interesting! I use the blue Stroke Masters paddles, by the way.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:50:10 GMT

I got shoulder problems from my first (conventional) pair of paddles. Now I have a pair that are shaped like the hull of a boat and sort of work the opposite way to the conventional flat ones - slippery. They actually do seem to improve my catch, mainly because I'm forced to keep my hand relaxed and anchor my whole forearm. (The difference is apparent when I take them off - my hands feel bigger, similar to the Fistglove® effect. NAYY.) I don't use them very often - they weigh a ton and I have a fear of whacking a lane mate on the head with them and putting him or her into a coma. I have some light weight "PT" paddles that are like plastic pebbles with plastic tubes to put your fingers through. They are very good for getting SPL down. Ypu swim 100 with paddles, 100 without on frontcrawl. I Don't use them that often now that the novelty has worn off. Tried them with other strokes but they didn't seem to do much good for some reason.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:17:50 GMT

The forearm trainers are about 26.95 but that doesn't include shipping and handling. You only use them at the beginning, middle and end of your practice for only 50 yards. You also practice ultra-slow with them. I use a Finis snorkel and examine my stroke when I use them. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says "I've lost my electron." The other says, "Are you sure?" The first replies "Yes, I'm positive."

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:19:51 GMT

The problem is, they can numb the feel for the water. And when you take them off, if feels as if you're swimming with shrunken hands. People over-using them tend to focus on their hands for power rather than also becoming aware of a vertical forearm. Better to build your strength out of the pool if that's the main reason for using them. They can be the number one cause of shoulder strain if used excessively or with poor stroke mechanics. Your hands (and forearms) are your natural paddles. And learning how to hang onto the water naturally is the way to go.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Former Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:15:37 GMT

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

aquageek — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:42:21 GMT

We do a lot of sets with paddles but I usually leave them in the bag. I have these monstrous TYR Catalyst paddles and they put a beating on shoulders. I've heard smaller ones are much easier on the shoulders. I'm just too lazy to go buy them. Plus, Sunday is Father's Day (aka The Forgotten Holiday) so we'll see if my hints have been effective. Put a pull buoy with paddles and that is a sweet dream set.

RE: Paddles! Hooah! What are they good for?

Chris Stevenson — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:06:06 GMT

A fellow lap swimmer uses paddles with holes throughout the surface. It seems that they would put less effort on the shoulders...? I don't know what they are called. Maybe they are the TYR ones that have been commented on this thread. I have a pair with holes that I really like a lot, called Stingray paddles. They are contoured too. (I have no affiliation with the company.) But I don't believe that the holes make it more shoulder-friendly; the paddle shape might do so, however. I have been blessed to be almost completely free of shoulder problems (knock on wood) through 35 years of competitive swimming. The major lone exception was one summer in college when using paddles with backstroke; I actually felt the "snap" in my shoulder during the backstroke pull and I was done for the summer. I now use them only in freestyle for long, low-intensity swims, DPS work, to emphasize/feel the "catch," and to keep up power once off the weights during taper. Maybe 2X a week during the season and almost every day during taper time, until the last week.