• Touch Junior – Ages 8-10
• Touch – Ages 11-99   (this is the best ‘go to’ size for most swimmers and is similar in power to #05 flat paddles)
• Touch Large* – College and national level High school (similar in power to #1 flat paddles)
• Touch X-Large* – Expert (similar in power to #2 flat paddles)

*Note:  Large and X-Large are very powerful and not recommended except for advanced, well developed swimmers. Our standard size is the most similar to the average paddle on the market.

Helps Ensure Full Outsweep

• A full stroke should continue with a ‘push’ at the thigh
• Don’t lift the elbow until the arm extends fully back
• If the arm lifts too soon it will try to pull the back of the paddle off the base of the hand

Feedback (Swimmers FEEL / Coaches SEE / Video for Self-Analysis):

• You will feel the Paddle come off or pinch the strap on your finger
• Be sure you elbow is straight before you lift the elbow out of the water
• The wrist should bend backwards to complete the ‘push’ phase of the stroke
• Coaches – swimmers may complain that the paddle hurts when outsweeping (if they are leading with elbow)

Using the Touch Paddle to Fine Tune Freestyle

Improve Hand Entry

• The Touch Paddle makes the swimmers more aware of the hand pitch
• The Touch also helps the swimmer more aware of the angle of entry
• Drills such as Stun Gun Drill and Zipper Drill can help add focus on hand entry

Feedback (Swimmers FEEL / Coaches SEE / Video for Self-Analysis):

• Most any paddle will allow you to (incorrectly) ‘slap’ the water on entry… you have to fix this
• Keep your elbow UP as the hand enters the water and FEEL your fingers press into the catch first

Using the Touch Paddle to Fine Tune Freestyle

Improve Outsweep ‘Push’ phase of Freestyle

• It is important to break the wrist backward to ‘push’ water at (or below) the hips
• Drills such as ‘Catch up at thighs’ with Touch Paddles can help train to bend the wrist back
• Single arm stroke drills (with opposite hand up) with the Touch Paddle can also train the wrist
• 6-Kick Switch drill (stroke after each 6 kicks)  is a great drill to focus on a strong outsweep
  

Feedback (Swimmers FEEL / Coaches SEE / Video for Self-Analysis):

• You may have been trained a ‘locked wrist’ on your outsweep so this can be hard to change
• Practice small distances of ‘pushing’ with the wrist bending backwards to get the FEEL
• Your elbow should be straight as you finish the stroke at your thigh, with the wrist back

Using the Touch Paddle to Fine Tune Freestyle

 Backstroke ‘push’ phase on outsweep

• As detailed in the Outsweep ‘Push’ for freestyle, a bent wrist is also needed for the backstroke outsweep
• Drill:  Slice the hands up and just push with the wrist/hand at the thighs

Feedback (Swimmers FEEL / Coaches SEE / Video for Self-Analysis):

• Don’t forget to rotate your shoulders upward as you develop the ‘push’ on your outsweep

Using the Touch Paddle to Fine Tune Backstroke

Improve Workout Diversity

• Change Touch paddle sizes (reg, large, X-large) as your progress through you pull and swim sets
• Combine Touch paddles and Ankle Straps, Ankle buoys, and parachutes in pull sets

Using the Touch Paddle to Improve Stroke Muscle Development

Coaches – Watch For These Problems

Don’t grab the sides of paddle:

Don’t place pointer/middle fingers around T-Grip:

Don’t press the T-grip with the middle knuckle: