Complete Fitness Coaching has announced that a certificate of grant of patent (Patent Number: GB2477363) has been awarded to the Palm Paddle, a unique swim hand paddle that helps a swimmer develop the ‘catch’ – an important element of the swim stroke.
The Palm Paddle was originally developed in 2010 by Martin Hill, a British Triathlon Federation Level 3 Coach and a Certified Swim Smooth Coach. Whilst swim coaching Martin looked for a means of helping triathletes and swimmers achieve an essential part of the stroke – the catch.
The Palm Paddle concept was born and developed into ‘the perfect way to keep the swimmer aware of the correct hand position whilst effectively removing it from the stroke.’ Although originally aimed at triathletes, the Palm Paddle has also since been adopted by ‘pure’ swimmers.
The Palm Paddle has been designed specifically to develop a good catch – one of the most elusive elements of the front crawl. The unique design encourages the early vertical forearm (EVF) necessary for a good catch (replicating the ‘fist drill’) but retains the swim-specific positioning of the hand throughout the stroke cycle.
Due to the shape, the Palm Paddle promotes a greater feel for the water post Palm Paddle training (both the hand and forearm) and also provides feedback throughout the swim stroke – the paddles will move around if the hand does not follow the correct path.
The Palm Paddle is designed to be extremely user friendly, is quick and easy to attach to a swimmer’s hands and is suitable for all swimmers. As noted by Complete Fitness Coaching, ‘the design is compatible with all hand sizes and not too large or bulky like some paddles. Additionally, the Palm Paddle reduces the load on the shoulder (unlike traditional paddles) so is an excellent aid to continued swimming during recovery.’
Paul Newsome at Swim Smooth said “I love using the Palm Paddle with my swimmers. It comes in especially useful when I’m introducing the concept of an efficient catch and feel for the water, which is ordinarily one of the most elusive aspects of the freestyle stroke. I can highly recommend the ergonomic fit, feel and application of this paddle.”
During its development, and following launch, the Palm Paddle has been used by both swimmers and professional triathletes to develop their swim stroke and has been reviewed by the triathlon media both in the UK and worldwide.
www.palmpaddle.com
www.completefitnesscoaching.co.uk
