Hello Fellow Swimmers,
I have been back in the pool for about 11 months after a 35 year absence and have steadily made progress and now want to start working on my stroke. I have noticed that when we do pull sets, I can move at a pretty reasonable speed (10 x 100M free on 1:40 with me consistently hitting the wall at about 1:30) without killing myself. I do not use paddles but do use a buoy during pull sets. In my lane, I notice that I can keep up with those who use the paddles except for a few of the faster ones. ( I characterize myself as an average speed swimmer)
I have noticed that many of the folks in the fast lane were pulling out their paddles when working on a 1:25 interval for the 100 free sets. That is a pretty quick interval and I do not think I could make a full set of ten at this time.
So, I have been toying with the idea of using paddles during pull sets. I am an "upper body" swimmer with a pretty good pull technique and I wonder if it would help me increase my strength or just be a crutch. I say that because I ditched my fins about six months ago and it made me a much better kicker.
What are everyone's experiences out there? Is shoulder injury a worry? I have never used these things and would love to have input on their strengths and weaknesses.
Thanks
my experience with paddles is I am faster in comparison to others with out them, but slower with them. (or not as fast, I swim faster, but I don't get as much speed from them as others do)
But what I like about swimming with paddles in the middle of my workouts is the feeling after taking them off.
using your 10x100m example. I could swim those with paddles st 1:30 and be tired work hard. but after I take them off, it feels so much easier to swim the same 100 come into the wall at 1:20 and feel like I didn't work nearly has hard.
I generally like to pull with paddles 500-1000m every other practice
my experience with paddles is I am faster in comparison to others with out them, but slower with them. (or not as fast, I swim faster, but I don't get as much speed from them as others do)
But what I like about swimming with paddles in the middle of my workouts is the feeling after taking them off.
using your 10x100m example. I could swim those with paddles st 1:30 and be tired work hard. but after I take them off, it feels so much easier to swim the same 100 come into the wall at 1:20 and feel like I didn't work nearly has hard.
I generally like to pull with paddles 500-1000m every other practice
