My favorite stroke tip

Beginning with the catch, and continuing through the finish of your pull:

• Keep your fingers pointed straight down toward the bottom of the pool,
• palm facing directly behind you,
• elbows high.

This is a distilled version of the “paddle stroke,” which has been taught in elite USA Swimming programs since the mid-1990s, but only recently taught in adult Masters programs.

I like this stroke tip for several reasons:

• It’s simple and easy to understand, even for new swimmers.
• It’s high-leverage, meaning it can produce large gains in speed.
• It’s useful for swimmers of all abilities.

I use this “stroke thought” almost every time I swim these days. If I’m feeling fatigued or unfocused, it’s surprisingly easy to fall back on an “S” pull pattern (an unconscious but ineffective attempt to gain more purchase on the water), or to let my elbows slip.

Yet another reason I love the FINIS Agility Paddles: it is much easier to “feel” the early catch, and sustain it throughout the pull. If you start pulling through at odd angles (rather than straight back), the paddle may slip right off your hand.