The debate continues about the impact swimming gear has on an athlete's performance in the water. Manufacturers of training gear claim their research prove measurable performance results. Most coaches and their athletes have at least one favorite piece of gear they use dutifully during their in-water training sessions because, if for no other reason, it adds variety to long workouts. Many swim programs use gear such as paddles, fins, pull buoy or kick-boards somewhere during the workout.
Water Paddles
There are many paddles, available in a variety of shapes and sizes, claiming to deliver on a variety of promises. According to Amateur Endurance, an online resource for amateur endurance athletes, paddles help improve technique by allowing swimmers to feel where their hands enter the water. Paddles with large surface areas increase swimmers' upper-body strength, especially in the shoulders, by increasing the water volume resisting the paddles' movement through the water. Amateur Endurance recommends using paddles similar in size to your hands, or slightly larger. Use them sparingly at first as they can place stress on your shoulders.
Swim Fins
Athletes using various types of swim fins during practice is a common sight. Swim fins help propel a swimmer through the water faster and increase the workload on legs, increasing the calories burned. Building strong legs, increasing ankle flexibility and developing proper kicking technique are common, useful reasons to use fins. Used sparingly, swim fins can increase the effectiveness of a swimmers kick; however, their over-use can mask problems with technique and block, rather than support, the progression of proper technique.
Pull Buoy
A pull buoy is a flotation device used by swimmers to elevate their hips and legs in the water, reducing drag. According to the website Go Swim, used properly, a pull buoy offers many rewards. Most swimmers use the pull buoy during pulling sets, which emphasize the use of upper body strength, body roll and effective stroke technique. By eliminating the kick from the pull set, focus is exclusively on the upper body. Go Swim suggests looking down and slightly ahead, pressing the sternum into the water. Pointing your toes, breathing less often and tucking in your belly are other ways to increase the effectiveness of your pull routine.
Swimmers Snorkel
Freestyle swimmers generally have issues with stroke mechanics during the breath phase. As the average freestyle swimmer takes a breath every two or three strokes, this creates a lot of poor technique that is committed over time to muscle memory. The swimmers snorkel allows a swimmer to keep his head down and focus on body position and roll without turning the head to breath. The snorkel extends from the mouthpiece, curving directly over the swimmers head. The University of Berkley swim team, as well as many other top-level competitors, uses the snorkel.
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