Using hand paddles

Pat said:

I have never used hand paddles, but I had a chance to observe a woman
swimming with them today. She is the third person I have seen with them, and
both people, it seemed to me, altered their hand motion when swimming with
the paddles on. For example, she was entering the water with the heel of
her hand first when she swam the forward crawl. I am no expert, but this
doesn't seem to be the best way to enter the water with one's hand/fingers.

It was sort of a pushing motion as if she were pushing the water away from
her. A man I saw a few months ago using the paddles was entering the water
elbow first. Surely, this can't be the best way to do it.

Pat in TX

Hand padles can be a great tool to use to imporve the catch and pull
and to strenghten your lats and shoulders. However, that is if you
know how to use them. I would not recommend handpaddles for anyone
that doesn't have a very good stroke to begin with. Hand paddles will
exagerate all the errors that some one does if they have a poor
stroke.

Essentially, the stroke should be exaclty as with you hands. However,
imagine that you had a larger hands with membranes between your
fingers. the catch would be the same, but when you push, you would be
grabbing to a lot more water and propelling yourself much faster. At
the same time, you would need a lot more strength to move yourself
forward.

Andres

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Quoted message said:

Pat said:

I have never used hand paddles, but I had a chance to observe a woman
swimming with them today. She is the third person I have seen with
them, and
both people, it seemed to me, altered their hand motion when swimming
with
the paddles on. For example, she was entering the water with the
heel of
her hand first when she swam the forward crawl. I am no expert, but
this
doesn't seem to be the best way to enter the water with one's
hand/fingers.

It was sort of a pushing motion as if she were pushing the water away
from
her. A man I saw a few months ago using the paddles was entering the
water
elbow first. Surely, this can't be the best way to do it.

Pat in TX

Hand padles can be a great tool to use to imporve the catch and pull
and to strenghten your lats and shoulders. However, that is if you
know how to use them. I would not recommend handpaddles for anyone
that doesn't have a very good stroke to begin with. Hand paddles will
exagerate all the errors that some one does if they have a poor
stroke.

Essentially, the stroke should be exaclty as with you hands. However,
imagine that you had a larger hands with membranes between your
fingers. the catch would be the same, but when you push, you would be
grabbing to a lot more water and propelling yourself much faster. At
the same time, you would need a lot more strength to move yourself
forward.

Andres

Agreed - the thing I like about paddles is that they make you more aware
of when youre stroke is actually doing something for you and when it's
not. I tend to use my paddles with a slightly slower than average
stroke because they're harder to pull for obvious reasons, and I focus
on getting the most out of each stroke - paddle, buoys, and a stroke
reduction drill make a great combo for me.

-S-

Quoted post said:

Hand padles can be a great tool to use to imporve the catch and pull
and to strenghten your lats and shoulders. However, that is if you
know how to use them. I would not recommend handpaddles for anyone
that doesn't have a very good stroke to begin with. Hand paddles will
exagerate all the errors that some one does if they have a poor
stroke.

I agree. Furthermore with paddles is easier to enjure shouders if not
used properly.

Pat said:

I have never used hand paddles, but I had a chance to observe a woman
swimming with them today. She is the third person I have seen with them, and
both people, it seemed to me, altered their hand motion when swimming with
the paddles on. For example, she was entering the water with the heel of
her hand first when she swam the forward crawl. I am no expert, but this
doesn't seem to be the best way to enter the water with one's hand/fingers.

It was sort of a pushing motion as if she were pushing the water away from
her. A man I saw a few months ago using the paddles was entering the water
elbow first. Surely, this can't be the best way to do it.

Pat in TX

Paddles are a useful training tool, but they can easily be used to do
damage. Because I know my stroke is fundamentally ok, I can use them
safely. But I've had some very good coaching over the years. I'm not
saying I have a good stroke, but I understand both my stroke and the
stresses that paddles place on my shoulders. I know my stroke well
enough to feel when the paddles are throwing me off. I don't use
paddles much these days, but when I do, I use them to strengthen my
shoulders.

the other way paddles can be used is to reveal flaws in your stroke.
It sounds like the two people you saw should have been using paddles
that way, but they obviously weren't using them that way.

Basically, use paddles to reveal flaws, or, when you are confident
your stroke is within the realm of correct, use paddles to strengthen
your shoulders, but use them sparingly.