Go Strapless With Paddles!

There are only a few training tools for swimmers compete with paddles. Paddles have evolved over time. The first pair I used was the Speedo branded rectangular paddles. These came in a few sizes and barely extended past my fingertips. The paddles had two straps – one at the wrist and another to fit around the middle finger. #ITB #inthebag

Paddle manufacturers have tried many tweaks to improve performance. For one, they created a contour design which molds flush to the palm. Two, the paddles are shaped more like a hand and less like a geometric shape. And three, most paddles are perforated so swimmers can “feel” the water throughout the pulling motion (which is a feature I like).

When I first started pulling as a teenager, I cheated using poor technique with paddles. I improperly positioned the surgical tubing over more fingers or doubled it around the wrist. With the “dinner saucer” sized paddles, I began to pull faster than I could swim. It was awesome! However, I developed shoulder pain and an over-dominant anterior deltoid.

Fast forward twenty years . . . one of my athletes found a solution. He brought in a new strapless, contoured paddle to improve stroke and technique and it didn’t overload the shoulder capsule. I discovered the Finis strapless paddle! Simply push the thumb through the hole on the contour and apply pressure to the front of the blade as you swim. I love the control!

Pros – Doesn’t overload the shoulder or allow a swimmer to cheat, easier to control, engages the appropriate muscle groups (the lats especially) and it is cost effective.

Cons – Not as much distance per stroke, takes a while to get used to the strapless design and the ergonomic contour isn’t for everyone.

Overall assessment – I recommend this for age-group swimmers and highly encourage it for masters swimming. While a swimmer won’t get as much surface area to pull with, these are ideal for technique and stroke integrity.

Check out the paddles here!