I'd like to improve my technique. I've recently tried swimming with hand paddles, hoping it would improve my catch on my free and back.
However, I actually swim more slowly with them than without. And when I stop using them, I'm not all that comfortable with how the water feels.
Should I be worried about the paddles altering my stroke in a bad way? Perhaps paddles aren't meant for technique but for, say, power/strength?
I didn't use them when training as a youngster so I'm not sure what the consensus is as to their value now.
(I did find this related post: www.usms.org/.../showthread.php, but still not clear if they're for technique or for strength-building or both)
I always hear conflicting opinions on this. Some believe that it puts a lot of focus on the hands when you should be focusing on using the forearm as a paddle. That's why they have devices that take your hand out of the equation to help your catch. They most certainly help build up strength, but I really have no clue what it does does for technique.
I always hear conflicting opinions on this. Some believe that it puts a lot of focus on the hands when you should be focusing on using the forearm as a paddle. That's why they have devices that take your hand out of the equation to help your catch. They most certainly help build up strength, but I really have no clue what it does does for technique.
