fist gloves

[GAIN]

TI 2 years, mainly lurker on forum, Streamlining good, working on propulsion

I had used fistgloves when I first started but it was useless. Then the otherday I saw someone talking about swimming with tennis balls in hands and thought I would give it a try again with fist hands. I swam about 8 laps 25 yards at a time. Then started to swim normal again, It felt so strange I could not believe it, it was like having kitchen plates attached to both hands. I got to laughing so hard I had to stop swimming. Finally after I got back to normal I had so much feel in my catch I had one of my best swims. Any ever had this experience?

[ewa.swimmer]

I also like tennis balls because the fist gloves took too much time to put on. I found smaller ones at Petco. Since my hands aren't large the smaller size allowed me to relax my hands more.

[Richardsk]

I just swim with loosely closed fists, which seems to work quite well, although I can't say I notice a dramatic difference when I open the hands again.

I didn't like fistgloves when I tried them, although I'm sure they're very good.

Tightly clenched fists are probably counter-productive.

[CoachStuartMcDougal]

I like to characterize as closed hand (not clinched fist), with index finger extended. This makes sure your hand/arm is in right position through stroke cycle, and fist is not "tight with tension". Drag the index finger on surface during recovery and feel the feedback from the water to assure wide elbow, index finger should enter "mail-slot" first, and index finger should point in downward direction at the end of forward spearing location; similar to when palm is open, finger tips pointing down, palm facing back when finishing (forward) stroke

I kinda like the "holding the ball" idea, but there may be too much focus on holding onto the the ball. Could be a bit too distracting for some.

Coach Stuart

[grandall]

I practice with fist gloves all the time. I like to use them over a clenched fist that way I won't have a tendency to open up my hand when I'm swimming. FG forces me to keep my hand closed. When I remove them the feel of the water on my forarm and hands is incredible. My goal to some degree is to maintain that feeling while I'm swimming. I think what I like most of FG gloves is they force you to use your body more when stroking and equally as important they cause you to keep the forearm down preventing a dropped elbow

[CoachSuzanne]

Originally Posted by CoachStuartMcDougal

I like to characterize as closed hand (not clinched fist), with index finger extended. This makes sure your hand/arm is in right position through stroke cycle, and fist is not "tight with tension". Drag the index finger on surface during recovery and feel the feedback from the water to assure wide elbow, index finger should enter "mail-slot" first, and index finger should point in downward direction at the end of forward spearing location; similar to when palm is open, finger tips pointing down, palm facing back when finishing (forward) stroke

I kinda like the "holding the ball" idea, but there may be too much focus on holding onto the the ball. Could be a bit too distracting for some.

Coach Stuart

This is going to sound silly, but for me, holding just the index finger out is more distracting than fists. I can't close up my palm, so much of it is exposed which kind of defeats the purpose of fists/tennisballs/gloves. But point well taken and others don't seem to be as frustrated with it as I am. :)

[tab]

In some of Terry's videos I can see his hands in a very relaxed position, the pointing index finger and the other just dangling, not quite in a closed fist but a very relaxed position. Somewhere in the middle of closed fist and out stretched fingers. A focal point I try to reach for at times, when things are all going well.

[CoachStuartMcDougal]

Originally Posted by CoachSuzanne

This is going to sound silly, but for me, holding just the index finger out is more distracting than fists. I can't close up my palm, so much of it is exposed which kind of defeats the purpose of fists/tennisballs/gloves. But point well taken and others don't seem to be as frustrated with it as I am. :)

Haa! No, not silly at all. And I must admit, it looks a little silly in the pool. Some have asked "why do I point my finger?", and not even curious about the fist. I find myself using far more than four words describing the process and its rationale - and generally get the puzzled looks from those that are finger curious :-)

I think I'll give the balls a try - and I have a bunch of old racket balls that should do the trick.

[Alex-SG]

Originally Posted by GAIN

......It felt so strange I could not believe it, it was like having kitchen plates attached to both hands....I had so much feel in my catch I had one of my best swims. Any ever had this experience?

Hello GAIN,
I know exactly what you mean. I experience the same this is why it is one of my favorite drills.

I do not use fist gloves. Like many I just swim with fists and enjoy during the under-switch drill (Spear Switch). Usually 8 LAPS of drill only + 1LAP Drill/1LAP Freestyle........

Not sure what actually happens, ie why I also get this marvelous feeling of great catch/propulsion.

This drill probably conditions my body to do 3 things properly, which I would do wrongly naturally:
1. Correct Switch timing (Catch/Pull when Spearing hand reaches the leading arm elbow line)
2. The catch/Pull happens in a perfect coordination with body rotation
3. The hand and forearms are positioned along the Tracks (spearing, Catch, Pulling)

If I do not do this "Drill-conditioning" before swimming I would naturally:
a. Swim "catch-up" (Catch hand starts pulling way too late when spearing arm is fully extended
b. Pull is fast and back (no catching the water, feels like pushing water faster much faster than the body rotation)
3. my left hand catches and pulls to the outside of the Track, while my right hand goes inside out (as a result of crossing the line on right spearing).

ALEX

[Grant]

Hello Alex and Gain
I have used closed fist drills for years but never used them when doing under switch ( spear switch). My usual warmup includes 8x25m of under switch using only a very quiet two beat kick. Had never thought of doing it with closed fists.
By the way I have given up on fist gloves.
This morning I did 7x25 under switch with closed fists. As I expected the first couple were very ineffectual but by watching what was going on by the time I got to the third one things started to quiet down and at the seventh I was quite smooth and feeling some ease.
The eighth length I swam freestyle and at my warmup pace of 1.30 TT setting and regular stroke count, I swam that length 2 sec. faster. Was very surprised and glad you guys opened that window. Like you say the feeling of catching water was magnificent.
This carried over into the next warm up drill of finger tip drag.