It’s a commonly asked question, should I swim with my fingers together and hand cupped or fingers spread and hand flat?
The bigger the surface area of the hand, the larger amount of water it will move, although we can’t grow bigger hands as adults, you can increase the swimming size of hands you’ve got, with these few tips:
- Thumb Out: An abducted thumb (one that is not tucked in beside the fingers) allows you to enjoy additional palm area.
- Fingers slightly spread: Provides more surface area, the large amounts of water trying to squeeze through the small gaps create a turbulent flow at the entrance to the gaps, which provides a barrier, this barrier adds to the surface area of your hand. Fingers ideally 3-8 mm apart. If the gaps are large, compared to the width of the fingers the resistance barrier is lost and water rushes through the gaps, decreasing hand surface area.
In Summary
Swim with a firm, flat hand, fingers slightly spread apart and thumb out, and then enjoy swimming with a larger hand, equipped to move more water, get ready to swim faster!
Fingers too close & thumb in
Thumb Out , fingers slightly spread maximizing surface area
Fingers too wide