Subject: RE: Swim paddles suggestion/recommendation? brian - 2006-10-23 6:28 PM
Others with more experience with paddles will chime in but something I have often heard is that you need to be very careful with paddles as they can cause all kinds of muscle problems if used to much, too soon. They can really torque your muscles and cause some downtime to heal. Congrats on hooking up with a Master Swim program - awesome way to improve your stroke. Make sure that they know your goals involve triathlon swimming (long distance endurance with enough for the bike + run) and not short distance sprints (e.g. 100m hammer ballstothewall freestyle). The difference is focus on efficiency of the stroke vs. powering the arm turn over.
Excellent advice all around. I've been with my Master's program 2 years, and with this particular coach for 1-1/2 years. He's totally tuned into what my interests are -- though that still doesn't excuse me from having to do the butterfly -- yikes! This is the first time he's ever mentioned paddles, so I think it's clearly a case of "he's ready for paddles."
BTW, the coach is quite a story in his own right. Don Easterling, who's semi-retired now, and was formerly coach at NC State, as well as a bunch of other stuff:
http://www.swimmingcoach.org/hof/coaches/deasterling_info.html
Amazingly kind and funny gentleman who just loves swimming and teaching -- even MOP age groupers like myself.
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