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)
Parents
Former Member
Hand paddles are a tool. It is aimed at increasing pulling surface.
It can definitely be used to help technique.
That, and its antagonist. Fist swimming. Which is aimed at reducing surface. They are both aimed at raising awareness. Making you aware.
Your complaint is that you can't feel the catch as much as you'd like.
1. Maybe you're expecting more pressure under the hand than you should
2. If indeed you're loosing water, then paddles will help you feeling the way you should if you weren't loosing this water.
But back to fist swimming. Same thing there. Try it. Very slowly to allow the time to learn to use the forearm little more to pull. Then on the second 25, you swim full hand. Swimming full hand in this context will give you the impression that you're wearing paddles.
Then why not trying the following:
x times
. | 50m with the paddles
. | 100m as 25m fist, 25m full stroke with little progression in speed. Don't alter the technique, just increase the rate to let the feeling becoming more solid under the palm. Start this 25m progressive in speed very slow, again to give yourself some time to feel and correct.
Hand paddles are a tool. It is aimed at increasing pulling surface.
It can definitely be used to help technique.
That, and its antagonist. Fist swimming. Which is aimed at reducing surface. They are both aimed at raising awareness. Making you aware.
Your complaint is that you can't feel the catch as much as you'd like.
1. Maybe you're expecting more pressure under the hand than you should
2. If indeed you're loosing water, then paddles will help you feeling the way you should if you weren't loosing this water.
But back to fist swimming. Same thing there. Try it. Very slowly to allow the time to learn to use the forearm little more to pull. Then on the second 25, you swim full hand. Swimming full hand in this context will give you the impression that you're wearing paddles.
Then why not trying the following:
x times
. | 50m with the paddles
. | 100m as 25m fist, 25m full stroke with little progression in speed. Don't alter the technique, just increase the rate to let the feeling becoming more solid under the palm. Start this 25m progressive in speed very slow, again to give yourself some time to feel and correct.
