i’m sure it will have been discussed before but i can’t find anything much.
i’m looking to get some swim paddles with the primary goal of technique improvement - i’m not a good enough swimmer that power is limiting me.
Finis sell 3 paddles that all claim to help with aspects of technique:
Freestyler
Specifically designed for freestyle training, the Freestyler Hand Paddle planes the hand forward through the water, improving reach and distance-per-stroke. With a long fin shape and unique skeg design, the Freestyler promotes a strong pull through, better hip-rotation and increased efficiency. With an adjustable finger strap for a perfect fit, the Freestyler paddle is narrower than most paddles, which prevents shoulder strain.
Bolster
The Bolster Paddles promote an early vertical forearm position that uses the entire forearm and hand during the pull. Perfecting this technique with the Bolster Paddles encourages a high elbow and will lead to more efficient swimming. The Bolster Paddles are also a great way to build upper body strength. The wide paddle design offers resistance throughout the pull and can be applied to all four swim strokes. Using the Bolster Paddles overtime will improve entry, catch technique, pull and recovery.
Agility
The ergonomically advanced design of the Agility Paddles helps teach swimmers the correct palm positive hand position. Due to the paddles’ strapless design, incorrect technique will cause the paddle to fall off the swimmer’s hand. Additionally, the absence of straps also makes them more comfortable for swimmers and easier for coaches, who no longer have to hassle with broken straps during practice. The Agility Paddles’ convex design also promotes an early catch and reminds swimmers to maintain an early vertical forearm position. The Agility Paddles are versatile, they work for all four strokes and accommodate most hand sizes.
all sounds good - i know i’m not great on reach or EVF. the agility seems like an allrounder but i worry that the risk of losing control of the paddle if i lose “positive pressure” will be a distraction.
anyone with experience and advice on these or similar technique oriented paddles?
I have the Finis Agility paddles amongst many others. These are the ones you want! They are awesome and many of the really good high school coaches are using them with their kids. Pair with a center mount snorkel and you’ve got a great start to getting an awesome stroke.
Another vote for the agility paddles. My new favorite set is to pull 10x100 on 1:40 alternating between just pulling and pulling with the agility paddles on. Disclaimer: 2nd quintile swimmer, not a fish by any stretch.
Like any tool, there are things that they do well and other things that they do not so well. If you aren’t careful, they can encourage you to angle your palm up on the reach phase of the stroke, but as long as you know that, you can work around that limitation. But the benefits of the strapless design far outweigh the negatives, in my mind.
Like any tool, there are things that they do well and other things that they do not so well. If you aren’t careful, they can encourage you to angle your palm up on the reach phase of the stroke, but as long as you know that, you can work around that limitation. But the benefits of the strapless design far outweigh the negatives, in my mind.
Thanks so much for that reminder…I’ll check that I am not doing that.
If you are struggling with a high elbow catch and the reach, then you don’t need to be using paddles right now. You need to swim more often, develop a better feel for the water without paddles all while focusing on your technique while you swim hard.
Judging by your description, you don’t have a great “feel” for the water and all paddles will do at this point will desensitize your hands to the feel that will make you more efficient.
I know this isn’t what you asked, but I’d echo what snappingt said if you don’t quite have good feel for a grip on the water yet. YMMV. My coach took one look at my swim bag of toys and said ‘leave all that stuff at home I will let you know when to bring it back’. That was about 6 months later!
If you are struggling with a high elbow catch and the reach, then you don’t need to be using paddles right now. You need to swim more often, develop a better feel for the water without paddles all while focusing on your technique while you swim hard.
Judging by your description, you don’t have a great “feel” for the water and all paddles will do at this point will desensitize your hands to the feel that will make you more efficient.
That’s a very good point there…
I think it is also important, once you start using the toys, not to overuse them.
Our squad religiously use the freestyler paddles (ITU Squad).
I think they are beneficial in keeping a straight pull and also practicing correct hip rotation. Our coach is big in pulling to our hip.
In this sense we use the freestylers for half the time we do drills, the other half without (drills mainly being, polo, 1-arm freestyle and single/double arm scull).
You can do hard efforts with them…but the major caveat is that these are tool, not some magic pill in fixing your stroke. That will come from consitent time in the pool.
Not sure if the exact brand matters.
However, the shape and size does matter.
And how they are set up really really matters.
A set of decent sized (but not huge) hand-shaped paddles that are flat or very slightly curved can help you learn a far more efficient freestyle swim technique. When set up right, they can help a swimmer catch and self-correct both big and tiny stroke problems, some that even a coach or video analysis would miss. No kidding.
BUT
These paddles MUST be set up with no wrist strap, and each paddle with only a single piece of surgical tubing around your middle finger. (If you swim with paddles with wrist straps, you’re likely making your technique worse.)
Amy I am curious about the Finis skulling paddles vs Agility. Looks like the former is the latter minus the bottom half, in other works they force you to set up the arm paddle and keep positive pressure on the fingers?
yes, that’s pretty much correct. We usually recommend the sculling paddles for swimmers that are already developed in their shoulder muscles and those who are working on their technique for higher elbow and their feel for the water. It depends on each individual swimmer.
yes, that’s pretty much correct. We usually recommend the sculling paddles for swimmers that are already developed in their shoulder muscles and those who are working on their technique for higher elbow and their feel for the water. It depends on each individual swimmer.
Awesome, I need to get a pair of these…will also be good for biz travel when I am stuck in 12m hotel pools…at least this way, I am using that time for something useful (form).
Not sure if the exact brand matters.
However, the shape and size does matter.
And how they are set up really really matters.
A set of decent sized (but not huge) hand-shaped paddles that are flat or very slightly curved can help you learn a far more efficient freestyle swim technique. When set up right, they can help a swimmer catch and self-correct both big and tiny stroke problems, some that even a coach or video analysis would miss. No kidding.
BUT
These paddles MUST be set up with no wrist strap, and each paddle with only a single piece of surgical tubing around your middle finger. (If you swim with paddles with wrist straps, you’re likely making your technique worse.)
