depends on what your yardage is like now, but if it's up there then for sure. just about any of your regular sets would be fine but start out using them sparingly, and probably never get up to more than 25% of your yardage with them or your shoulders will be toast!

the right paddles = $ 10.99

but working on technique with a coach or expert swimmer = priceless.



do both, but remember where the real speed comes from.

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Where would you want to swim ?

Finis makes a paddle with a fin on it that helps maintain correct form better than a flat paddle, you may want to look at those if you go the paddle route. I second the comment about using them sparingly. I use them occasionally with fins when I'm warming up to focus on form and reach, then put both on the deck for my main sets.

There is a good explanation of the pro's and con's of paddles with videos here:

http://www.goswim.tv/...php?id=4867_0_20_0_C


Karma

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Dave Stark
dreamcatcher@astound.net
USAC & USAT level 2 certified coach

If you have to ask the Slowtwitch Chorus about them, you shouldn't be using them. They can put a lot of additional stress on your shoulders, and can lead to injury if you don't know how to use them properly.

Just thought I would ask, what's your time now (wet suit or non wet suit)? With that being asked, I am probably going to agree with the people who say work with a coach, but if you are close 65 min maybe it could be a benefit.

If so, does anyone have any good workouts with paddles.

Pulling buckets!!!

Seriously... the swim team has several sheetrock mud buckets with harnesses attached to them, so the harness is on your waist and the bucket is far enough behind you to cause a lot of resistance. You'll want to do only 25s with said bucket, because flip turning with it would invite disaster.

Then again, as far as I can figure, this is to keep the sprinters entertained and I think they use it as a form of power training. So it probably won't help you much in an IM swim.

EDIT: I forgot to tell you something useful. 3 x 300 on 4:00 first one with paddles, second two no paddles. also stolen from the college team's workout the other day. then do your main set...

:)

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

not really if he's already averaging around 1:25 pace! that's not bad at all, and it's not real tough to figure out how to use them........put them on your hands, swim just like you did before, get a tougher workout

Thank you all for the feedback. I'm at 1:10 now. It's a long shot getting to 60ish.
Maybe I'll just resort to the buckets...I can only imagine the look on the faces of the folks at my gym when I drag in two buckets to the pool deck.

Easy to use, and very easy to misuse. It's just one of those deals when the first time or two you use them, you really should have someone knowledgable on the side of the pool saying 'don't do that! putting your hands there is going to put too much stress on your shoulders'

I'm doing 95% of my swimming with Tyr Catalyst paddles. I swim 4-5x/week.
Rock n' roll.

I'm not claiming they're good or bad, but I did 100% of my swimming with paddles during an 8-week build a coupla years ago. I don't swim very much -- maybe 10-12 weeks a year total. The paddles didn't strain my shoulders at all, and I had good swim splits for me (~28 in a half and ~21 in an Oly).

Frankly, I thought they worked pretty good given the limited amount I was swimming.

that's pretty damn fast for an "8 week build up", nice!

just like everything in tri, ask 20 people and you'll get 20 different answers on what's best. as a general rule you'll never see elite swimmers using paddles for the majority of their workouts, of course they're also putting in monster yardage

never say never....

Careful with size of the paddles as well as the force that you pull with them (i.e. avoid sprinting with them).

Make sure that your shoulders and torso rotate in plane with each other to avoid any potential rotator cuff issues.

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36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

You have a long way to go to get from 1:10 to 1:00 but it is possible.

Swim a lot, like 5 to 6 days a week, use the paddles first for learning form, start with small ones and then progress to the next size. I use the TYR Catalyst paddles, started with the small ones and progessed to the medium ones, they seem huge to me but I'm a small guy.

Start conservatively with them, maybe once a week. Get you stroke mechanics perfect and the impact on your shoulders will be minimized. You will know if you need to back off of them, don't be a hero and stay healthy.

Good luck in your quest.

jaretj

okay, never if you want to be an elite swimmer!

Janet Evans has used them and recommends using them in her book in many of the workouts.

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"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative." Oscar Wilde

yeah, what's your point? basically all elite swimmers use them. they just don't use them a huge % of the total yardage, as was suggested.

sorry I thought you said they never ever use them. You are probably right about not being a significant part of their workouts.

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"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative." Oscar Wilde

oh, no they definitely use them. typically for some particular set out of the entire workout. but when you're swimming 10,000 + yards per day you definitely don't want to be using them all the time! same goes for a triathlete without much swimming experience, probably more likely to just injure their shoulders and/or mess up their form.

If I swim 18min at my next Oly tri... will you change your mind?

just because it works for one guy? um, no, i don't think so. go ask some reputable swim coaches and get back to me.

Bjorn's extreme aero position works for him, so would you recommend that to the majority of athletes (especially athletes that are training a minimal amount?)?