Having the right training gear can help you become the best swimmer you can be! From hand paddles to fins, all types of gear are designed to help you improve your skills. With that being said, it’s time to find out what training gear is right for your needs!
Swim Training Gear: Swim Fins
There are two types of swim fins. Each one is used for different purposes and skill levels. Let’s dive into them!
Short Blade Fins:
Often used by competitive swimmers, short blade fins are used to develop kick strength and ankle flexibility. Because of their lower weight, these fins are designed to help swimmers improve their speed and correct their technique. Although they fit a bit stiffer, short blade fins generally last longer than their counterparts.
Long Blade Fins:
Long blade fins are made to propel swimmers forward. Usually scuba divers and new swimmers favour these. The fins tend to do more of the work and are used by swimmers to push through the water at a steady pace. The only downside is long blade fins do not allow you to move as quickly. This is due to your muscles doing less of the work.
These are our recommendations for your next purchase:
Tyr Burner Fins
Kiefer Thrust SwimFin
Sporti Floating Swim Fins
Swim Training Gear: Pull Buoys
Using pull buoys trains your upper body and strengthens your shoulders. An emphasis is placed on improving strokes and kicks. Your form improves alongside your upper body strength.
Not everyone is familiar with how pull buoys work. It is a piece of foam material that’s placed between the thighs. This allows swimmers to float while focusing on stroke correction. Other benefits that come from pull buoys include:
- Better breath control
- Lighter workouts
- One step at a time
There are some differences between using a pull buoy and kicking. It is easier to breathe because your heart rate does not rise as much as it would when using your full body. While another obvious thing is that you will use less energy and build endurance. Pull buoys also save you the trouble of multi-tasking. They hold your body up so your legs can have a break.
Here are our picks for the best pull buoys on the market:
Speedo Pull Buoy
Kiefer Contour Pull Buoy
Aqua Sphere Classic Pull Buoy
Swim Training Gear: Swim Paddles
Swim paddles can be great when used alongside pull buoys. These training aids are helpful for swimmers looking to build upper body strength. They are also good for developing proper form in not only your arms but your whole body. It is a real test of endurance as it stops you from keeping a rigid torso. Follow some of our tips to make the most out of your swim paddles:
- Power development
- Better catch
- Stroke correction
When you use swim paddles, there is more resistance from the water. So you have to push harder than you would if you were swimming regularly. Using these also improves your ability to reach through the water consistently. It’s also an easy way to correct what you are doing wrong. Swim paddles show you where you need to pull more too, which you would not notice otherwise.
Take a look at some of our favourite swim paddles:
Speedo Preflex Paddles
TYR Catalyst Contour Paddles
Finis Agility Strapless Paddles
Swim Training Gear: Kickboards
Kickboards are a swimming aid designed to help beginner and competitive swimmers. It is usually used by people just beginning to learn how to swim. We use them for a variety of reasons, but there are a few main ones!
Exercising the Legs:
This one may seem obvious, but let’s discuss it a little more. While using a kickboard, you can focus on moving your legs because your upper body is supported. Combining a strong kick with a great stroke gives you the full-body workout that swimmers strive to have.
Improved Upper Body Position:
A kickboard gets you to keep your body above water. Having the hips in the right position is important for competitive swimmers, especially sprinters. Rolling the hips during short and quick races can slow you down. So becoming accustomed to the correct position with a little help is an awesome idea!
Follow our advice by picking a kickboard listed below:
