I did a good amount of online research regarding the type of paddles to introduce into my swim training. I felt I had plateaued with my speed in the 25m pool and could not figure out why I was not getting faster. I never swam competitively but did pick it up as part of my workout routine in college (so we are not talking about someone who actually knows what he is doing in the pool). Despite that, with 10 years of swimming under my belt (speedo?) I still could not figure out why I was not going faster. After my online research, I decided to go with some tips on introductory swim paddles such as these. This was the right decision. These paddles helped me in three ways: (1) They corrected my hand position entering into the water and throughout the entire stroke. Before, I was not pulling correctly with my hand. These adjusted my hand position just right so I better feel the water. (2) They made me realize I was only partially pushing on the backend of the stroke. It never crossed my mind that that could have been the issue. Coupled with better hand position throughout the entire stroke, I now felt the water better in the pull AND the push of the stroke. (3) They are building my strength. I allocate about 20% of my swim to use with these paddles and really focus on the strength I put into each stroke. I think I read somewhere not to use paddles more than 20-25% of the swim because this is how you can injure your shoulders. Sounds good to me. No injuries so far (knock on wood).
In just a matter of a few sessions with these, I was already seeing my speed increase slowly yet surely. Now when I swim without them, I am more cognoscente of my hand positioning and always ensure I'm pulling AND pushing through the entire stroke. All in all, these have helped me shave 8-9 seconds off my average (now 1m47/48s) each 100 meters compared to where I was averaging before (1m56s) in a matter of a couple of months. As I continue to use them, I continue to fine tune the stroke mechanics and develop strength. I know these paddles have more in store for me and suspect I will slowly yet steadily increase my speed until maybe I hit another plateau. Then back to the drawing board, but until then, I highly recommend these!
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 17.2 x 9.5 x 1 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 11.2 ounces |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 14.5 x 8 x 1 inches |
| Item Weight | 6.4 ounces |
| Brand Name | TYR |
| Color | Red |
| Manufacturer | TYR |
| Part Number | LVC-RED-M |
| Size | Medium |
