The Science Behind Swim Paddles: How They Improve Technique

From the palm of the founding fathers of America, to our humble kit bag. The journey and science of swimming paddles may not be as insignificant as you might think.

Believe it or not, swimming paddles were invented in the 18th century by prolific inventor, Benjamin Franklin. He quoted that when he was a boy, he "made two oval palettes, they much resembled a painter's palette". Franklin was an avid swimmer, he wanted to improve his swimming stroke, speed and endurance, and that is how he became the very first person to swim with hand paddles. 

Swimming technology has long evolved since the days of the American Polymath, with many brands sprouting up to create their own versions of these "Painter's Palettes". This has been one of the many factors in the increasing speed and level of professional swimmers in the sport. The rise of technology has been instrumental in this 250 year swimming revolution, and while swim paddles are merely just training equipment, they have been significant in the development of efficient and effective swimming stroke.

Let's dive into it.

Having been a swimmer most of my life, i can attest that i use paddles in almost every single training session, they not only make me feel great in the water 95% of the time but assist me to get the most out of my swimming work outs. 

Swimming paddles are essentially instant feedback tools for stroke correction. A slight tilt inwards will make the paddle slip in your catch, an incorrect catch, will cause your paddles to flick out. It's about playing around and figuring out what works best for you. There's less need for underwater camera work, while it's always great, your paddles will provide solid feedback for your underwater stroke. 

Professional swimmers use paddles to enhance their feel of the water. This may seem trivial and is often very overlooked, however, without feel, you won't get into your flow state. Swimming paddles help facilitate that. The greater surface area allows more water to be caught, hence increasing the feel.

The Velocité swim paddles are designed with speed and endurance at their core. As swimmers, we aim to increase stroke rate while maintaining consistent, effective pressure on the water — and these paddles make that possible. They’re lighter in the water than conventional paddles, helping you sustain high speeds over long distances without compromising technique or risking shoulder strain. Unlike the typical flexible (‘bendy’) paddles, the Velocité’s sturdy frame allows swimmers to generate more power with less effort, reducing shoulder stress. While this added stiffness can make the paddles slightly more prone to breakage, we believe it’s a worthy trade-off — after all, it’s better to replace a paddle than to deal with a shoulder injury.

While swimming paddles have only been around for such a small amount of time in the history of swimming. They have been around in an era where the sport experienced massive growth. Which is why we think a nice pair of swimming paddles would make a great addition to your kit bag at training.

Go smash those training times! - Kilian Carrel