RESEARCH REVIEW
THORPEDO-STYLE :
Image courtesy speedo . com . au
IS BIGGER ALWAYS BETTER IN THE POOL ?
Hand paddles are a common aid for conditioning in swim training – so what effect do they have on energy expenditure , stroke rate , and distance travelled ? Review by Dr Mike Climstein PhD & Joe Walsh
Title : Energetics of swimming with hand paddles of different sizes Authors : Dr ’ s Crocker and colleagues ( School of Kinesiology , California State University USA ) Source : Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research ( 2018 ePub ) Ruiz- Teba et al paper available to read for free HERE
Introduction : The French actor Maurice Chevalier probably said it best : ‘ Old age isn ’ t so bad when you consider the alternative ’. Unfortunately , I don ’ t have this cup half full approach to ageing right now … I volunteered as a subject for one of my PhD student ’ s research projects , as he ’ s investigating bone health in middle-aged surfers ( no way in hell I ’ d let him use the term ‘ old surfers ’ in the title !). One element of his study involved undergoing a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan ( also referred to as DXA , which determines your bone mineral density ) for segmental body composition and bone health ( i . e . risk of fracture in your spine , hips or wrist ). The results
22 | NETWORK SPRING 2018