Last Updated on January 26, 2024 by admin
In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks and tips on the many strength and technical benefits of swim training with hand paddles.
What are hand paddles?
Hand paddles are plastic/rubber hand-shaped discs.
- They are worn over the swimmer’s palms and are attached to their hands by means of plastic/rubber/elastic cords that go over the backs of their hands.
- Using them increases the surface area of a swimmer’s hand.
- This requires the swimmer to catch and pull a larger volume of water whilst swimming, which in turn increases the resistance.
- They are an essential part of a competitive swimmer’s training kit.
The benefits of training with hand paddles
Training with hand paddles can provide a swimmer with many benefits. These include,
Stroke technique
Many swim coaches often use them during their training sessions as they can extenuate a swimmer’s stroke, revealing its strengths and weaknesses.
- This makes it easier to identify the areas of the stroke technique which require further development.
Feel for the water
Swimming with paddles often increases the swimmer’s ability to feel the water.
- A feel for the water is the ability of a swimmer to place their hands in the correct position, with the right amount of force to obtain maximum propulsion.
- Some coaches find that swimmers increase their feel for the water when conducting alternate sets of swims with paddles and swims without paddles.
Related article on developing a feel for the water
We have produced a related article on developing a feel for the water. You can view it by clicking this link: developing a feel for the water
Upper body strength
Hand paddles are a great way to develop a swimmer’s upper body strength.
- Swimming with them over some time should strengthen a swimmer’s back, chest, tricep, arms and shoulder muscles.
Endurance
Swimmers often use hand paddles to increase their endurance, by using them over long distances.
- Many swimmers also find that swimming with them naturally increases the length of their stroke.
Related article on developing swimming endurance
We have produced a related article on developing swimming endurance. You can view it by clicking this link Developing swimming endurance
Speed
Many sprinters use hand paddles as a part of their speed development training.
- The increased resistance and momentum they provide can be a effective method of sprint training over shorter distances.
Related article on developing swimming speed
We have produced a related article on developing swimming speed. You can view it by clicking this link developing swimming speed
Hand paddles with a pull buoy
Many swimmers use their hand paddles in conjunction with a pull buoy.
- This can help them to isolate their upper body and focus on developing their upper body strength.
Related article on swim training with a pull buoy
We have produced a related article on swim training with a pull buoy. You can view it by clicking this link: swim training with a pull buoy
Hand paddles with swim fins
Many swimmers also use swim fins in conjunction with their hand paddles.
- This can help them to develop the explosiveness required to help develop their sprinting speed.
Related article on swim training with swim fins
We have produced a related article on swim training with swim fins. You can view it by clicking this link: training with swim fins
Hands paddles with a swim snorkel
Many swimmers use their hand paddles in conjunction with a swim snorkel.
- This can help them to focus on developing their stroke technique.
Related article on swim training with a swim snorkel
We have produced a related article on swim training with a swim snorkel. You can view it by clicking this link: training with a swim snorkel
Affiliate Links: Our articles and posts may contain affiliate links, to products we use and recommend. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll receive a small commission, which helps to keep us in the water. Many thanks.
Types of hand paddles
There are a variety of paddles available.
- Most of the major swimming equipment manufacturers produce a range of paddles, designed for specific purposes.
We have listed brief descriptions of the most common paddles below.
Hand Paddles
They are the most common form of general-purpose swimming paddle.
- They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.
- The larger sizes are for use by senior and more experienced swimmers.
- While the medium and smaller sizes are for the use of younger or less experienced swimmers.
Many of our swimmers use and recommend Speedo Tech Paddles. They find these the ideal hand paddles for resistance training”. These come in three sizes, small, medium and large.
- Designed and engineered to help swimmers get the right-hand position and the right technique
- Get more from every stroke with the enhanced hydrodynamic design
- Specially created airfoil shape to help hand lift motion
- Several flow holes across the paddle improve aquatic sensitivity
- A great training aid
Finger paddles
A small paddle, which as their name suggests, fits around the swimmer’s fingers and are used mainly for developing the hand entry technique
Many of our swimmers use and recommend Speedo Unisex Finger Paddles when performing sculling or ‘feel for the water’ drills.
- Speedo technology ensures maximum comfort and fit
- Engineered to create maximum resistance in the water
- Increases upper body strength and power with every movement
- Enjoy the improved grip and reduced hand fatigue with the ergonomically engineered shape
- The stiff blade combines with a thermoplastic rubber over-moulding to provide high comfort with optimal power transfer
Agility hand paddles
Agility hand paddles are strapless paddles designed for developing a swimmer’s hand position.
- The idea behind their design is that the paddles will remain on the swimmer’s hand with the correct stroke technique and will fall off their hands with poor stroke technique.
Swimming/Aqua gloves
Swimming/aqua gloves are usually fingerless neoprene gloves.
- These are commonly used for aqua aerobics but should not be used for competitive swimming.
Choosing hand paddles
When choosing hand paddles, the swimmer should choose paddles that are the correct size for them.
- Choosing paddles that are too large for them, will result in the swimmer training with too greater resistance.
- This could result in developing poor stroke technique and increase the risk of injury.
- Choosing paddles that are too small for them, will result in the swimmer training with a too smaller resistance.
- This could result in developing poor stroke technique and could reduce the effectiveness of their strength, speed and endurance training.
- Ideally, swimmers should choose paddles that are approximately 10 to 20 percent larger than their hand area.
Swimming with hand paddles
Swimmers should ensure that when they are using hand paddles, they focus on keeping their hands in the same position as they would when swimming without paddles.
- Fingertips should enter the water first.
- The wrist should enter the water next.
- This should be in a higher position than the fingertip.
- The elbow should follow the wrist next into the water
- Finally, the swimmer’s shoulder should be the last part of the arm to enter the water.
- Swimmers should resist the need to spread their fingers out to the edge of their paddles, to enable a better grip.
- This will ensure the continued development of a good stroke technique.
Safety notice
Although using hand paddles is a great training device, both coaches and swimmers should ensure that they are not overused.
- Their overuse can increase the risk of a shoulder injury.
- Therefore, they should be gradually introduced to any swimming programme.
Takeaways
Training with hand paddles can provide a swimmer with many benefits. These include,
- Stroke technique
- Feel for the water
- Upper body strength
- Endurance
- Speed
While using hand paddles swimmers should ensure they focus on keeping their hands in their natural swimming position and that they do not overuse them in training which could increase the risk of a shoulder injury.
Related article on resistance swimming training
We have produced a related article on resistance swimming training. You can view it by clicking this link: resistance swimming training
Swimming resource library
We have provided a swimming resource library.
- This contains links to all of our publications and blog articles.
- Now with an easy-to-use index.
To access any article simply click on the attached page link: Swimming resource library
The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group
The Competitive Swimming Exchange. Is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.
- It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents. In fact, it’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water
For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange
Amazon affiliate links
EatSleepSwimCoach is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com