Swimming is a sport that depends heavily on conditioning and technique. Fitness swimmers count laps to determine the distance they swim. Interval training varies workouts to include both low-intensity and high-intensity swim sets. Breaking up a swim session into discrete parts helps focus on different elements important to swimming. Kick sets work out legs, and drill exercises make swimmers practice and perfect technique for different strokes. Swim gear designed to make you move faster in the water works best when you already have good technique and good fitness.
Swimming and Speed
Swimming is a sport in which the faster you go, the more resistance you encounter. Water is denser than air, so as a swimmer you face greater resistance to forward propulsion than runners. Friction created by your body and your swimsuit against the water also is an enemy of speed. Finally, the turbulence you create while swimming slows you down. According to USA Swimming, overcoming the natural impediments of moving through water is a first step to swimming faster. You first master the streamline position in the water and then add equipment to go faster.
Function
Swim gear that enhances speed serves three functions. One is pure speed. Novice swimmers experience the thrill of going faster and reaching race speeds. The second function of swim gear that enhances speed is improving technique. Speed helps the swimmer get higher in the water, which in turn helps increase speed further. The third function of swim gear that enhances speed is building strength and endurance. Certain types of gear deliberately increase resistance. The swimmer moves faster through the water but also makes a greater effort in doing so.
Features Upper Body
Swim paddles fit on your hands and work out the shoulders and upper body while allowing you to move faster through the water. Swim paddles come in different sizes and shapes. They are usually plastic, with holes punched through them to allow some water to pass through. Typically, flexible surgical tubing holds the paddles in place on your hands. You choose between a flat or curved profile that follows the shape of the palm. Different styles suit different strokes better than others. In general, the bigger the paddle, the greater the resistance and the faster you swim.
Features Lower Body
Fins or swim flippers come long or short, stiff or flexible. Longer fins cause more resistance from the water, but they also produce more speed. Flexible fin blades add propulsion for less effort and help you improve ankle flexibility. Zoomer-type fins that are short and stiff increase the workload of your legs. In addition to increasing speed, they build endurance and strength in the thighs and calves. Pull-buoy floats hold up your legs in the water and isolate them. Use them along with swimming paddles to achieve better body position and increase the duration of your swim.
Considerations
Swim gear is no substitute for diligent training. Younger swimmers sometimes overload shoulders when they continually use big paddles before they develop adequate shoulder strength. Mature swimmers who have imperfect technique only make their style shortcomings more pronounced when they fall back on swim gear for enhanced speed. Swim fins are good for specific swim sets, but you benefit from learning a strong kick and pull without speed aids.
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