Most intermediate triathletes don’t slow down because of fitness. They slow down because their stroke leaks power every time their hand enters the water. You can swim three, four, even five times a week and still sit at the same pace if your catch, pull, and body position aren’t doing their job.

If you’ve hit a plateau — swimming comfortably but not faster — the problem isn’t your engine. It’s the way you’re holding the water.

Here’s how to fix it.

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Technique Beats Fitness Once You’re Past the Beginner Stage

In the first year, you can get faster simply by swimming more. After that? Pure volume stops working.

Your time drops only when your stroke becomes more efficient. The catch gets cleaner. The pull holds more water. Your forearm goes vertical earlier. Your hand path stops drifting. Your hips stay higher. All the things that actually move you forward.

If your pace is stuck, it’s not because you’re unfit. It’s because too much of your stroke is slipping water instead of using it.

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The Real Reasons Intermediate Triathletes Stop Improving

If you can swim continuously but the clock won’t budge, it’s usually because of one or more of these:

• • You’re losing pressure in the catch
  • Your forearm isn’t vertical early enough (EVF)
  • Your pull drifts out or crosses over
  • You’re pulling “down” instead of “back”
  • Your stroke rate collapses as soon as you get tired
  • Your pull mechanics change the moment intensity rises

These aren’t fitness problems. They’re feel-for-the-water problems.

And you can’t fix what you can’t feel — which is exactly why the right training gear accelerates improvement.

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Why You Need More Feedback, Not More Meters

Intermediate triathletes share the same issue: you know something is off, but you can’t feel what.

Technique doesn’t improve through guessing.
Technique improves through feedback, and feedback comes from resistance.

Not heavy, shoulder-crushing resistance — just enough to show you whether your hand is holding water or slipping. Just enough to force your forearm into a better position. Just enough to reveal flaws instantly, not six months from now.

This is why swim paddles work… if you use the right kind.

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How Swim Paddles Actually Make You Faster

When the paddle increases the surface area of your hand, you immediately feel:

• • Whether your catch angle is right
  • Whether your pull is slipping
  • Whether you’re holding pressure through the whole stroke
  • Whether your left and right arms are actually symmetrical

Paddles give you real-time feedback no drill alone can match.

They also help build the strength that matters for triathlon: lats, shoulders, chest, triceps — all in the exact movement pattern you use on race day.

Used correctly, they’re the fastest way for an intermediate triathlete to break a plateau.

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Why Most Triathletes Don’t Get Results from Paddles

…and why some get injured

Most triathletes buy paddles that are too big.
Big paddles create big problems:

• • They overload the shoulders
  • They hide bad technique
  • They let you muscle through the stroke
  • They punish you when fatigue hits
  • They stay on even when your form is wrong

What you need isn’t “power paddles.”
You need paddles that give feedback, not just resistance.

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What to Look for in a Paddle if You Want Real Speed Gains

Choose paddles that:

• • Add moderate resistance
  • Give instant technique feedback
  • Fall off or move when your catch collapses
  • Don’t overload the shoulders
  • Stay secure without strapping your whole hand down
  • Let you swim at race pace, not just slow drills
  • Fit all hand sizes without strangling your fingers

This is where a well-designed technique-first paddle beats the oversized, old-school designs.

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How to Use Swim Paddles to Actually Get Faster

(A simple triathlete-friendly structure)

1. Technique Sets

Use paddles on:

• • Catch isolation drills
  • Scull variations
  • EVF-focused work
  • Balanced left/right arm drills

These expose flaws instantly.

2. Main Sets

Integrate paddles into:

• • Aerobic pulling sets (moderate pace)
  • Short race-pace 25s and 50s
  • Broken intervals where fatigue tests your form

Keep the intervals short enough that you can maintain clean mechanics.

3. Avoid These Mistakes

Don’t:

• Use oversized paddles
• Wear them for every lap
• Muscle through instead of holding water
• Keep swimming when your shoulders feel overloaded

Paddles should sharpen your technique — not punish you for using them.

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The Paddles Built for Exactly This Type of Training

(Very soft introduction)

Some paddles match the criteria above perfectly.
The Vélocité paddles do something most triathlon paddles don’t: they give instant technique feedback without shoulder stress.

Designed by pro swimmers, they stay secure when your catch is clean and shift when your mechanics slip — which is the whole point. Lightweight, durable, easy to adjust, and built for the exact problem intermediate triathletes face: holding more water without tearing up your shoulders.

If you’re plateaued, this is the fastest shortcut to breaking through.

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A Weekly Structure That Actually Moves the Needle

Session 1 — Technique (45–60 min)
Drills + short paddle sets.

Session 2 — Aerobic Strength (45–60 min)
Pull + paddles + steady-state swimming.

Session 3 — Pace Work (45–60 min)
Short race-pace intervals with controlled paddle integration.

This combination creates real, measurable speed without adding another weekly swim.

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Final Takeaway

If you can swim but can’t get faster, you don’t need more fitness.
You need a better catch, a stronger pull, and clearer feedback in the water.

Intermediate triathletes make the biggest gains when they pair smarter technique work with the right gear — especially paddles that force you to feel what your hands are doing.

Break the plateau by improving how you hold water, not how many laps you grind out.

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FAQs

Does using paddles really make you faster for triathlons?

Yes — when they improve your catch and pull mechanics. Faster swimming comes from holding more water, not just stronger fitness.

How often should triathletes use paddles?

Two to three sessions per week, but not for the entire session. Short, focused sets work best.

Are paddles safe for the shoulders?

They’re safe if sized correctly and designed for technique-first training. Oversized paddles are the main source of shoulder stress.

Should beginners use paddles?

Not if they can’t swim 200–300m continuously yet. Intermediate swimmers benefit the most because they have enough control to use the feedback.

What size paddle should I choose?

Use paddles that are close to your hand size — not the oversized “power” versions. Slight resistance is