by
Olivier Poirier-Leroy
Fingertip paddles can help you boost your feel for the water and become stronger in the pool. Here are the benefits of these bad boys and our list of the best fingertip paddles for swimmers.
Swim gear and training accessories are a means of getting stronger and faster in the water. Whether using power paddles or fins, swimmers love rocking out with tools that help them get faster.
Finger-tip paddles, a type of hand paddle, present an opportunity for swimmers to fine-tune technique in the water.
By over-emphasizing resistance and feedback at the top of the hand, swimmers learn better hand placement and are encouraged to use an early vertical forearm.
The result?
More efficient and faster swimming.
In this article, we will explore the world of fingertip paddles, including their benefits, how to use them, the differences between fingertip paddles and power paddles, and more.
Let’s get started.
Swim paddles are a great way to develop strength and improve technique in the water.
The added surface helps you catch the “dead spots” in your swimming, acting like a magnifying glass for your stroke, exaggerating errors so that you can identify them.
And of course, power paddles require swimmers to pull more water, generating upper-body strength and a more powerful pull.
And then you got finger paddles.
Much smaller, providing a significantly smaller surface area compared to your typical swim paddle, they are designed to help you become more attuned to the water.
Want to explore our expert guide to all the best paddles for swimmers? Get insights on making an informed decision in selecting the perfect paddles for your swimming.
Paying extra attention to how your fingertips lead the pulling motion can be invaluable, especially if you catch yourself sliding around a lot during the beginning and middle of the pull.
Finger-tip paddles will give you a sense of awareness of how your hand enters the water—Straight? Pitched? Thumb-first?—and how that critical first stage of the pull goes.
For swimmers who are looking at improving the catch of their stroke, finger paddles are clutch.
If your hand enters the water and doesn’t start a vertical dive into a good early vertical catch, the paddle will separate from your fingers, instantly correcting you.
As a precocious youngster I always went for the biggest paddles I could find in the equipment bin. The reasoning was simple: bigger the paddle, faster I will go!
But wearing paddles that are twice the size of your hands have limited benefit. The dinner-plates on your hand will send your stroke rate tumbling through the floor, training you to be slower.
You want some power, but not so much that you are meandering and stumbling slowly through the water like a brontosaurus. Think power and speed, like a T-rex or velociraptor when it comes to paddle size selection.
The versatility of finger tip paddles is another big feature—they can be used across the full spectrum of strokes in the pool.
If your hands are sweeping out too wide, the paddles will catch the water and flip. If you are swimming backstroke, and aren’t leading with the pinky, the paddle will dangle lifelessly off your fingers for the beginning of the pulling motion.
Same goes for butterfly and freestyle. Proper hand entry is something we don’t think about very often, instead focusing on pulling with maximal effort. But the hand entry sets up everything that is to come, and finger paddles can help you dial in this aspect of your swimming across the strokes.
Swimmer’s shoulder is a real concern for chlorinated athletes, whether you are an age grouper, Olympian, or master’s swimmer.
The injury is prevalent for a number of reasons, including muscle (and stroke) imbalances, over-use, and because swimming movements are not replicated anywhere else in our dryland life.
With the added surface area comes added strain on your shoulders and arms (another reason to be realistic about how large a paddle you need). Fingertip paddles, because they are so small, present less of a risk of injury than your typical paddle.
Finger tip paddles are produced by many of the top swim companies on the planet, with each paddle varying slightly in shape and color.
Whatever finger-tip paddles you end up choosing, introduce them mindfully into your training. In other words, start small, focus on nailing your hand entry and early vertical forearm, and steadily increase the resistance, imprinting killer technique and developing power at the same time.
Here are some of the top finger-tip paddles for swimmers:
⭐ Best overall fingertip paddles
FINIS makes some awesome gear for swimmers. The Instinct paddles are similar to their Agility paddles, which are swim paddles without straps—the idea is that without them, you are forced to keep proper hand and finger placement throughout your whole stroke.
If not, the paddles will slip off mid-swim. Talk about instant feedback!
Your thumb goes into the opening on the inside of each paddle, locking the paddle into place and also encouraging a better finger position. One of the common mistakes swimmers make when using swim paddles is spreading out their fingers too wide. The FINIS Instinct paddles help reinforce correct finger placement through the pulling motion.
The FINIS Instinct paddles are definitely for more experienced swimmers who want the added challenge of a strap-less paddle.
⭐ Best finger-tip paddles with straps
Available in three different colors (green/black/pink), Arena’s finger paddles have two straps to keep the paddle secure.
As you get more comfortable with them, consider taking off the lower strap to get more feedback on efficient hand placement and finger entry.
⭐ Best finger-tip paddles for beginners
For swimmers just getting started with finger-tip paddles, the Speedo Biofuse Finger Paddle is an excellent option as it has extra thick straps on the paddle to keep them in place while you get used to swimming with this type of paddle.
They come in a one-size-fits-most, the lower strap can be removed once you become confident and proficient with swimming with them, and are available for less than $20 via Amazon.
There are several key differences between fingertip paddles and regular swim paddles:
Regular swim paddles are used for developing strength and power in the water. While “power” paddles can help reinforce better technique, they are mainly used for building a stronger pulling motion. (They are also a lot of fun to use as they boost speed in the water.)
Finger-tip paddles are exclusively a technique paddle. They are designed to help you build a better feel for the water, apply pressure evenly throughout the pulling motion, and even help clean up the entry and exit phases of your stroke.
Finger-tip paddles allow you to use them for every stroke and even different drills. Contrast this to a full-size paddle, which can be difficult to use with some swim strokes (ahem butterfly). Finger-tip paddles are way smaller than your traditional dinner-plate swim paddle.
Finger-tip paddles are an excellent paddle for swimmers looking to reduce shoulder strain. Because the paddles catch less water, there is less strain on your shoulders.
Finger paddles are perfect for swimmers who are looking to ease into paddle use but are weary of overloading the shoulders and elbows with too much resistance, too soon.
Finger-tip paddles are a great option for doing drill work, sculling, or simply swimming slowly while emphasizing a clean pull.
One of my favorite ways to use this type of swim paddle is doing slow swim 25s, focusing on swimming with total perfection (or as close as I can get 😉).
Finger-tip paddles should not be worn when you are trying to build strength and power in your swim stroke—use your regular power paddles for those sets!
Finger-tip paddles are for more experienced swimmers. Total beginners will not get any use from this type of paddle and are better off focusing on proper swim mechanics without the use of any swim equipment.
There is a ton of gear for swimmers to improve their performance in the water.
Some, like swim fins or regular-sized paddles, are designed for building strength and endurance.
Others, like snorkels or fingertip paddles, are perfectly suited to helping swimmers improve their technique in the water.
For swimmers looking to get a better feel for the water, clean up the entry/exit portion of their swim strokes, and who want to sharpen their technique, a fingertip paddle is an excellent addition to their mesh bag.
10 Pieces of Swimming Gear Every Serious Swimmer Should Have. Ready to take your swimming to the next level? Here is the swimming gear every serious swimmer should be rocking in their swim bag.
Olivier Poirier-Leroy Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach.
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