Not yet swimming with Lifeguarding swim? We give you 5 good reasons to get started!
REASON 1: THEY ARE EASY TO USE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE
It is so simple and accessible that you have no reason not to use it, because a set of lifeguard recertification and swim paddles only costs a few euros. About 10 euros, to be exact ;-) Moreover, this small accessory takes up little space and you can easily take it with you. They simply fit in your swim bag, so you no longer have any excuse to start with drills for muscle toning and targeted exercises. In the pool itself, you do not have to use the lane reserved for swimmers with flippers. After all, you will not hinder the other swimmers. Swim and lifeguarding are practical and easy to use. For optimal use, you simply have to choose the right size when purchasing. Different models are available for different purposes.
REASON 2: THEY ARE SUITABLE FOR ALL SWIMMERS
Everyone can use drills, no matter how many hours you spend in the pool. These short exercises are useful for all swimmers to progress, because you can always improve your technique. This of course also applies to drills with swim paddles. Choose your accessories according to your swimming activity and goals. There are no contraindications to its use, by the way. However, I advise you not to overdo it to avoid the risk of tendinitis. However, that risk is minimal if you use the paddles correctly and alternate laps with and without. The choice of paddles depends on your level and muscle development. Two tips to make the right choice: - Choose small paddles if you are just starting to swim or if you have small arms. They are also recommended for children from 10 years old. - If you have been swimming for several years or have muscular arms, you can go for larger paddles that require more effort. That's just because you're pushing away more water.
REASON 3: THEY ARE VERSATILE AND OFFER VARIETY
Paddles are usually recommended for crawl, but you can use them with any swim stroke anyway. Even for back crawl or breaststroke! However, you must perform your arm movements correctly so that the effort is efficient and not counterproductive. After all, the objective remains the same, regardless of the swimming stroke ... namely improving your arm technique. Get in the habit of warming up your muscles and swimming a few lengths before you start using the paddles. This way you avoid the risk of injury. It is absolutely not the intention to devote an entire training session to swimming with paddles. Alternate drills with swimming activities that you enjoy! In addition to paddles, you can also use other accessories.
REASON 4: THEY STRENGTHEN YOUR UPPER BODY
With paddles you experience more resistance and you move more water because the surface area is larger. This is especially good news for your muscles, more specifically for the muscles of your upper body, your arms and forearms. The other good (or less good - depending on who) news is that swim paddles provide gradual and deep muscle development. You undoubtedly knew that swimming mainly develops muscles in the length. The muscles are stretched, even when you swim with paddles. To really have heavily muscled arms, get out of the water and into the gym for strength training.
Muscular arms (even lengthwise) are an important asset for swimmers. After all, swimming mainly takes place on the strength of the arms, and strong arms have more propulsion power. So you swim better and faster. In fact, everything is connected. In that case, your paddles are of both aesthetic and technical importance.
One last tip if you mainly want muscular arms: use large paddles, unless you have very little muscular arms. In such a situation, I advise you to do some strength training exercises out of the water.
REASON 5: THEY IMPROVE YOUR TECHNIQUE
One last, but nevertheless important point: swim paddles are your best ally to work on your technique, and they mainly serve that purpose. They improve your push-off, the position of your arms and forearms, and the arm movement before the arms go back under the water. That's because paddles give you more feeling and make it easier to correct technical errors.
For optimal results, use paddles slightly larger than your hand or corrective paddles. Some smaller paddles that only cover part of the hand are for training specific push-off types.
Lifeguard swim a few laps without looking at the time when you put on the paddles, and focus solely on your push-off and technique. Then pull out the paddles and try to make the right movements. In the end, you will automatically perform them correctly without even noticing. The idea is that you can also do it without paddles.
In short, paddles are a small investment that pays big dividends. They are an accessible, versatile and suitable accessory for everyone to strengthen your arms and improve your technique. So you have no reason not to use them.
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