How to Use Swimming Paddles: Tech Paddles vs. Power Paddles
Triathletes are gear junkies. We have tools, gadgets, and devices for everything and are always seeking out the next best thing. Swimming paddles are no exception. These mainstays in triathlon and swim training have been time-tested and approved. They are incredibly valuable tools that deserve a spot in your swim bag. However, many people either underutilize swim paddles or use them incorrectly. So, how do you use swimming paddles?
What To Know:
What are Swimming Paddles?
There are two types of swimming paddles - tech paddles, used to develop technique, and power paddles, used to develop an increased force per pull. We will get to their difference in more detail below.
Benefits of Swimming Paddles
Swimming paddles help to correct a variety of bad habits - from the dropped elbow and lazy hand placement to teaching you to finish your stroke - and they help you to make small work for gains by creating new stimulus, forcing better form, and creating resistance to overcome in the water. Swimming paddles help you work more efficiently in the water.
Further, many swimmers stick to the same tried and true routines and swimming paddles can bring a new level of fun and diversity to the sport. The plus side is that when you take them off you transfer those skills over to non-paddle swimming. They reinforce good habits and help you to identify bad habits that will develop your swim skills overtime and turn you into a better swimmer.
Negatives of Swimming Paddles
While swimming paddles may seem like they could only be used to help, there are some cons to think about with swimming paddles. One is that if used incorrectly, swimming paddles can cause a lot of strain on shoulders, elbows, ligaments, and tendons. Another is to be cautious that you do not come to rely on paddles the way many swimmers rely on fins. Which, come race day, will only serve to create frustration and discouragement. Use them strategically.
How to Use Swimming Paddles
Tech paddles and power paddles could not be more different, and each has a very specific purpose.
Tech-Paddles
Please note: if you are unable to purchase tech-paddles then you should utilize a closed fist in these drills.
Tech-paddles are a technical development tool, not a power tool. These uniquely shaped paddles will not speed you up, and are designed to assist in a few key areas:
Ensure you do not cross over the midline in your stroke
Ensure your pull is in alignment (not spreading wide or crossing over)
You achieve great ‘connection’ with the pull by being forced to get fingers lower than the wrist, that is lower than the elbow, before commencing the pull phase of the stroke.
These paddles penalize poor habits, hence many struggle with them to begin, but the reward comes when you take them off and feel a great connection with the stroke. They require a real presence when utilizing, and most swimmers will slow down while wearing them.
Tips: Bigger isn’t better with these. Most Purple Patch swimmers are suited to size small or medium at most.
Upon entry make an active effort to get the knuckles on your fist driving down toward the bottom of the pool. It is easy to ‘break the wrist and let the knuckles rotate back to you (and up), but by rotating the wrist down you will get that high elbow connection - just like rolling over a barrel.
Power-Paddles
Please note that most Purple Patch swimmers should utilize size extra-small or small. Your stroke rate must not drop when using paddles -- so bigger isn’t better.
Power Paddles have a completely different purpose, and little in common, with the tech-paddles. Instead of a technical development tool, these paddles increase the surface area of the pulling hand to develop the force/power of the pull. With good form, they help you develop increased force per pull. The best option of these are the smaller size stroke maker paddles (we often remove the strap around the wrist).
Success with these is to retain all elements of your good stroke, including your stroke rate, but with a greater surface area. If this is true -- then you must travel through the water faster. You have retained length of stroke, the number of strokes per minute, but adding propulsion of water as you have a greater size ‘paddle’. Many amateur swimmers chose huge surface area paddles, but the result is a slow stroke rate and a crutch-like effect. They ‘ride’ the paddles and move through the water, but with less of an accelerating action. The largest size anyone should use is medium, with most straying toward extra-small to small.
Here are our favorite Power Paddles.
Tips:
Use a tempo trainer to ensure your stroke rate is retained when swimming with power paddles.
Join the dots and remain focused on swimming with good form and connection.
You can see the tool is vastly different in purpose. I see the flow of usage, repeating many times through a session or across sessions as:
Tech-Paddles: set the tone or regain proper technique
Swim: Transfer the tech-paddles to normal swimming -- apply the lessons!
Power-Paddles: Apply the paddles to now maximize the power and force of the pull
Swim: Back to swim to aim to transfer to tool-free swimming
Rinse and repeat the cycle with connections from both sides of technical focus and increased force -- when attacking from both sides the swimmer in the middle improves (that’s you!)
Strategic use of the correct swim toys such as swimming paddles will help you maximize your swim. Next time you get in the water, we hope that this guide will help you make the most of your swim session and turn swimming paddles into incredible tools that are utilized to their fullest potential.