paddles or gloves?

[sharsell119]

I saw a great swimmer at my pool and she was doing a workout with paddles. I wasn't sure if that would get me into bad habits, but when I saw HER I thought maybe they're of value. Anyone here use anything like that?

[ODB]

The paddles are nice and really work the shoulders but....they have been known to cause rotator cup problems.

[JoshDunn]

I read this few days ago but didn't know the answer. I remember using the paddles while swim training at high school, which was used to increase pulling power. But at that point we never did any weight training. I think that if you train weights for upper body power/strength then you don't need the paddles.

Plus they are just like using flippers. They are cheating. They make you think you are faster than you really are. :-)

[sharsell119]

Originally Posted by JoshDunn

Plus they are just like using flippers. They are cheating. They make you think you are faster than you really are. :-)

That was my fear, exactly! I wasn't quite sure what the point of them was, but if its to increase strength, then I don't need that. I strength train at least twice a week in addition to my other training. Thanks for the input!

[ODB]

I have to disagree with Josh a bit here. Flippers and paddles when used correctly for drills can be very valuable. They are only cheating when you use them for a whole workout.

[Ogedei]

I would suspect if you used them all the time, you would develop poor form.

I never used paddles, but I don't own any, not because I have anything against them.

I did do the opposite drills, ie fist drills, which obviously are trying to accomplish something else.

As ODB mentioned though, the rotator cuff already gets a lot of work when you swim, so make sure you are doing exercises to strength them out of the water as well.

[Q.]

Originally Posted by Ogedei

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OMG, granted I haven't been around in quite a while but I don't recall ever seeing the OG-man in here! Is this a new thing or am I having another Senior Moment?