Not sure on the terminology of this equipment!
I've started swimming lessons which will no doubt lead to more lessons which MIGHT one day lead to joining a squad of some sort - but that's a long way off!
Anyways, I want to buy some flippers and those paddle things that go on your hands.

Just wondering how much I can expect to pay!

(I saw some Speedo flippers for $20 (reduced from $35)... is this a good buy or not?!)

$20 for flippers, I think there made out of plastic.... Try get an expensive one $50+

And trust me you don't want the plastic ones

Speedo are a reputable brand. I don't think you can go far wrong. I paid about $30 for mine but not sure what brand they are. I don't have paddles so can't help you there sorry.

Hi Stella, I haven't bought any recently, but a decent pair of rubber flippers (fins) should only cost about $25-$35. Hand paddles would be less than that I think. As Balri said, Speedo are a good brand for swimming gear. I think Rebel sells a pretty good range of swim toys, so may be worth checking there.
BTW with the fins - I use the full length version not the new cut off ones. I asked someone swimming in the lane next to me recently what he thought of the cut off ones he was using and he said he didn't like them and that they only made it much harder work.
Suzy

i have speedo flippers 25 bucks and my hand paddes cost 14 not sure of brand ask your teacher what he / she reccomends as different paddles do different things .

I got small ones Well dont on the lessons next time your in melb i'll take you out in the bay

StellaBella you might get a good price from the UWA sport shop? Give them a call and ask them if they stock the fins. Otherwise I know Challenge usually has them, around the $30 mark I think.

serena

try here if you want to order online or get an idea on prices. If you join up as a member you also get 10% off.

I bought Zoggs short blade fins and eyeline hand paddles from my local pool about 10 years ago and they're still going strong. I think the fins were $30 and the paddles were about $20 back then.

50 bucks for 10 years use not bad eh sure beats the price of running shoes

Thanks everyone... I was looking in Jim Kidd (Perth City store) as they are donating 100% of revenue to the bushfire appeal atm.
They have both types of flippers but only weird paddles so i'll get them elsewhere.

SP I think it's gonna be a long time before I get out of the pool and into the "real" water!

This is probably a stupid question, but can someone explain to me the advantage of using flippers for training for a longer swim. I can understand how they would help to strengthen your legs (as paddles would your arms) but it seems to me that not much kicking gets done in the longer distance swims. I did do swimming training as a youngster and we used flippers occasionally, but I can't remember why.

Having said that, I have never been much of a kicker, if I start kicking my arms stop moving so it's one or the other for me. So for me if I were to use anything it would be paddles.

$20 is a bargain! I have the Speedo flippers, grey, short ones. Most people I train with use them. I usually see them for $30-35.


Sorrento, i think the main benefit of using flippers isn't for strength, but helps with propulsion so that you can focus more on stroke technique rather than staying afloat. Hence their use should theoretically help improve your swim stroke and therefore swim faster!

As for long distances, I personally think flippers are over used. If you want endurance you might as well swim without them.

The zoggs silicone fins are pretty good and I recommend them. Fins are useful for a number of reasons: leg workout while doing kick drills (try running an hour then going to squad and hearing coach say we are doing kick drills tonight!), better body position (you feel longer, float better) and working on other stroke aspects, getting the feeling of swimming faster and making adjustments to remain hydrodynamic at speed, obtaining better ankle flexibility, getting a better cardio workout.

Another aspect is that you soon get bored doing just freestyle lap after lap after lap. You need to break up your workout and fins allow you to do that.

No it wont and i would lend you my wetsuit you cant sink in one you just bob around makes you feel very safe.

flippers will make the ankles more flexible and strong, will challenge teh calves and teh feet structure but will also work and strenghten teh core - abs and lower back.

paddles will work on shoulder joints and some upper back muscles.

using flippers and doing leg only drills is one way of using them.

using flippers and do complete stroke technique will teach teh arms-body technique positioning at high speed, this is kinda similar to running slight downhills or with wind at the back, or running attached to the pulley mechanism (overspeed for sprinters).

There is also an alternative to paddles - it is kinda gloves but has material between fingers so You can spread fingers and will have something looking like a duck feet, this is very light, from lycra kind of fabric and You do not have to hold it like paddles.

i took the wrist bit of my paddles so now if i dont use good technique i can feel them lift from my hand. Hand made a big difference to tech for me

Ok... got my flippers... they work - it's just tough!
I bought the paddles... and have no idea what to do with them! They're speedo ones where you loop the tube through the holes but there are no proper instructions and even if I got one on how do I get the other one on with a paddle on one hand?!

When you get your hand paddles sorted out just be careful to not try and use too much "effort" with them, especially as a newish swimmer. Your shoulders are in a particularly vulnerable position when extended in front and the normal beginners reaction is to start pulling by pushing down on the water, very bad for the shoulders even without paddles (plus it contributes no forward motion). Be gentle with the pull and concentrate on the mechanics of a proper pull action, i.e. enter hand first, extend forward, tilt wrist down, pull back (not down) and keep your elbow high (reach over the barrel analogy). Hand paddles can give good feedback about hand positions, but I really would be careful and not try to use them like oars and power your way through the water. I personally prefer a bit of "fist" swimming as a drill. Teaches you to use your whole forearm as a "paddle" and feels great when you go back to normal stroke with your hands (unlike after using paddles ).

I am new to swimming and I agree do not use the hand paddles unless you know what you are doing. I have a very sore left shoulder as the result of using incorrect technique. Your money and time is better spent on good quality swimming lessons before you develop bad technique.

now there is some good advice!!!!!

I am working hard on my swimming and it is slowly getting better - I think it will be a work in progress for some time but I cannot agree enough about good lessons - 1 on 1 are best - they got me going - will go back in another month or so for another set to iron out the bad stuff and learn some new tricks - yes old dogs do learn new tricks!!!!!

I have paddles, buoy and bard ond only use the board so far and the bouy once - the others will come in time and reckon I will eb tld or will know when I need them - got to get the basic right first

I have had 3 lessons, missed one and was meant to have my last yesterday except that it was a public holiday and when I turned up the gym was shut so hopefully next week.
My aim was to have the teacher show me how to use the equipment I have and in what circumstances and what drills I might do with them... hopefully I'll get a chance next week.
My aim after that is to practise what I've learnt (well insofar as freestyle is concerned... I think the other strokes are a bit of a write off) and then contemplate further education.
There are boards at the gym to use for free so no need to buy one and I have no idea what you do with a pull bouy so didnt get one of those either!

I have paddles from when I used to do squad way back when but I don't use them now that I swim on my own. I think you only need them when you have perfected everything else and are really serious about developing some power. The potential for injuring yourself is quite high and IMHO they should only be used under coaches supervision.

The only swim toys I use are fins and pull buoy. Fins are great for working on kick or getting a feel for swimming faster. Pull buoys let you concentrate on your stroke technique without worrying about your kick. They're also good because they simulate a wetsuit swim with the added buoyancy. My pull buoy also doubles as my kickboard so I don't have to carry so much stuff to the pool.

Putting on the 2nd paddle is a bit tricky. I usually put the 1st one on wrist strap only (don't hook fingers thru) then use that hand to put the 2nd one on properly, then wriggle my fingers into the top strap of the 1st one. Hope that makes sense. Just fiddle around with it - you'll figure it out eventually.

The only paddles we have used at the aussi masters squad I swim with are finger paddles. These are little, wide, triangular paddles that only have 1 loop for the top of your middle finger and sit at your finger tips. Get your hand position wrong, particularly hand entry, and you get immediate feedback. I often see solo swimmers at the pool with paddles the size of dinner plates and shudder at the strain they must be putting on their shoulders. Fins can be good for drills, and improving ankle flexibility. Again go careful though as madly kicking in flippers as hard as you can is likely to cause ankle issues as well. Slowly build up.

Good to hear you're taking lessons SB. Where are you doing this? If/when you want more detailed stroke correction I can recommend swimsmooth (google is your friend). I've had a couple of one-on-one and video sessions with Paul and he's very good. Video is interesting. A bit like hearing a tape of your voice for the first time. Is that really me? . Not the cheapest option around but IMHO I think we're lucky to have someone of Paul's calibre based here in Perth (for tri, not just swimming). They have DVDs available as well. DISCLAIMER: This is my opinion after a test sample size of 1

P.S. There's lots of good stuff about technique on the swimsmooth site, as well as the net in general (e.g. http://swimming.about.com/).

Thanks Gregory... and everyone else of course