Drill of the Week - FINIS Agility Paddles

Last week at the ASCA World Clinic, there were a lot of great new products, and one of our favorites was the new FINIS Agility Paddle.

Why Use It:
As a long-time believer in "strapless paddles," it was nice to see someone take the design to the next step, rather than just ripping the straps off a set of paddles.

How to Use Them:
1.  To use them... put them on (the thumb goes through the only hole on the paddle).  Then take off.
2.  Having only a small place to connect to the paddle means you're going to have to have contact with the paddle at all points of your pull.
3.  A very light press with the thumb is all that's needed during the recovery, and actually a feeling of losing the paddle slightly keeps your hands soft through the recovery and into the catch.

How to Use Them Really Well (the Fine Points):
They're not just for freestyle, but for all strokes.  The paddles are even small enough for butterfly, and are so simple to put on that they'll be a great addition to your team's swim bag.  There's no fiddling with straps...no lost time between intervals or sets.