finis agility paddles

what percentage of forward propulsion freestyle is pull

In freestyle swimming, the arm pull generates 70% to 90% of your total forward propulsion.

The exact breakdown relies on your distance, speed, and gender:

• Distance/Endurance Pace: 
• Your pull handles 85% to 90% of your forward drive. 
• At this pace, the legs drop down to about 10% of forward propulsion. 
• The kick shifts from a generator into a "chassis"—its job is to keep your hips high, stabilize body rotation, and reduce drag.
• Sprint Pace: In an all-out sprint (like a 50m dash), the legs are kicked furiously, driving their contribution up to 30% or 35%. 
• Studies on elite sprint swimmers show the pull accounts for roughly 70.3% of propulsion in males and 66.6% in females.

The Agility Paddle Effect

• Because you are training with FINIS Agility Paddles, your arm propulsion temporarily shoots even closer to 100%. 
• Paddles artificially expand the surface area of your hand, giving you massively increased leverage to grab and pull water.
• However, since the pull is your true primary engine, any flaw in the high-elbow catch will drastically tank your speed. 
• If your Agility paddles are slipping, it means you are losing a massive portion of that 70–90% propulsion window.

For long-distance and triathlon swimming, maximizing your arm pull efficiency is the ultimate goal. 

• Since the pull dictates 85% to 90% of your forward drive over long distances, your primary objective is to save your legs for the bike and run while building a highly efficient, sustainable upper-body engine.
• Using your FINIS Agility paddles is the perfect way to build this specific endurance, but you need to structure your sets to simulate open-water pacing rather than short pool sprints.

The Long-Distance Paddle Progression Set

This workout builds active pull strength, improves your catch efficiency when fatigued, and trains your body to sustain a high-elbow catch over distance.

• Warm-up: 
• 200m Easy Swim 
• (No equipment, focusing on a relaxed, balanced body position)
• Technique Prep: 
• 4 x 50m Catch-Up Drill with Agility Paddles.
• Focus: Keep the front arm fully extended to maintain high hips until the pulling arm returns.
• The Main Engine Set: 3 to 4 rounds of the following block:
• 1 x 200m Pull with Agility Paddles + Pull Buoy.
• Pacing: Steady, conversational aerobic pace.
• Focus: Absolutely zero leg kick. Let the buoy hold your hips up so you can focus 100% of your energy on an Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) catch. 
• If the paddles shift, you are rushing the stroke.
• 2 x 100m Swim (Remove paddles and buoy).
• Pacing: Match the exact stroke rhythm and hand pressure you felt with the paddles.
• Focus: Use a minimal 2-beat kick (one kick per arm stroke) just to maintain your body rotation and keep your legs from sinking.
• Rest: Take 20–30 seconds of rest between each distance.
• Cool-down: 100m Easy Choice.

Open-Water Habits to Practice Now

• Embrace the 2-Beat Kick: 
• Do not flutter kick rapidly. 
• Kick exactly once per arm entry. 
• This saves your glycogen stores for the bike and run while keeping your lower body perfectly aligned behind your torso.
• Maintain Pressure at the Finish: 
• In open water, chop and currents can knock you off balance. 
• Ensure your Agility paddles stay locked to your hands all the way past your hip to maintain a clean, stable exit.

neoprene buoyancy shorts simulate wearing a triathlon wetsuit in the pool

• To accurately simulate the "downhill" body position of a triathlon wetsuit in a swimming pool without overheating, your best gear option is a pair of neoprene buoyancy shorts.
• Unlike a traditional pool pull buoy, which locks your thighs together and completely paralyzes your lower body, buoyancy shorts lift your hips and upper thighs while still allowing you to execute a natural 2-beat kick and practice proper hip rotation. 
• They essentially act as a wearable pull buoy that mimics the precise muscle memory you need on race day.

how to use finis paddles

FINIS is famous for its unique, strapless, tech-focused designs that provide instant stroke feedback—if your technique slips, the paddle will literally shift or fall off your hand.

• How to put them on: 
• Slide your thumb through the designated thumb hole. 
• Your palm should rest completely flat against the convex surface of the paddle. 
• There are no other straps.
• The Technique: 
• You must maintain consistent water pressure against the palm to keep the paddle in place.
• Stroke Execution: 
• Enter the water cleanly, immediately tip your fingertips down, and keep a high elbow (Early Vertical Forearm). 
• Pull backward with a flat palm.
• Instant Feedback: 
• If you drop your elbow, lead with your elbow, slice your hand sideways, or stop pulling halfway through, the paddle will flap or fall off.

Tips for All FINIS Paddles

• Start Slow: 
• Because tech paddles alter your stroke mechanics and increase surface area resistance, start with just 100–200 meters at a time to prevent shoulder fatigue.
• Combine with a Snorkel: 
• Pairing these paddles with a FINIS Swimmer's Snorkel allows you to keep your head down and look directly at your hands to see exactly how they enter and track through the water.

Note:

• To master the freestyle pull using FINIS Agility Paddles, you must focus on maintaining continuous water pressure against the palm. 
• Because these paddles are strapless, the moment you lose pressure or use incorrect mechanics, the paddle will wobble, shift, or slip right off.

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to execute the perfect freestyle pull with your Agility paddles, from entry to exit:

• 1. The Hand Entry & Extension
• The Action: 
• Slide your hand into the water fingertips first, keeping your wrist slightly bent downward. 
• Extend your arm fully forward.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• Do not slap the water flat with your palm. 
• If you slap the water, air gets trapped under the paddle, causing it to instantly slide out of place or wobble.
• 2. The Catch (Early Vertical Forearm / EVF)
• The Action: This is the most critical phase. Initiate the catch by tipping your fingertips down toward the bottom of the pool while keeping your elbow high and stable near the surface.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• The paddle should immediately face the back wall of the pool. 
• If you drop your elbow first (a common mistake called "dropping the elbow"), the paddle will slice through the water flatly, lose all resistance, and float off your hand.
• 3. The Power Pull (Mid-Stroke)
• The Action: 
• Drive your hand straight back toward your feet, maintaining a flat, strong palm against the paddle. 
• Engage your latissimus dorsi (lats) and core rather than relying purely on your shoulder.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• Keep your hand moving in a straight tracking path. 
• If you slice your hand sideways, wiggle it, or try to do an old-school "S-curve" pull, the water will catch the edges of the infinity shape and twist the paddle off your thumb.
• 4. The Finish & Release
• The Action: 
• Push all the way past your hip, keeping the palm facing backward as long as possible before accelerating into your recovery phase.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• A very common error is letting go of the water early or lifting the hand upward too soon. 
• If you stop pushing before your hip, the sudden loss of pressure will cause the paddle to flop against your palm.

Drills to Try with Agility Paddles

• Single-Arm Freestyle (Non-breathing arm holding a kickboard): 
• Swim freestyle using only the arm wearing the paddle. 
• This allows you to look directly at your hand entry and catch phase without the distraction of breathing, ensuring the paddle stays perfectly locked to your hand.
• Catch-Up Drill: 
• Leave one arm extended fully forward until the pulling arm completes its entire cycle and touches the forward hand. 
• This ensures you maintain a high, stable catch position at the front of the stroke before initiating the pull.