Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

These paddles are terrific but they come with no instructions so 4 stars from me. I am pasting paddle exercises below from a now defunct Ohio State University web site. I copied the exercises from the OSU web site to my hard drive. Now I'm glad I did that. This should help folks get going with the paddles as sadly they are sold with no instructions. I printed them and then laminated the paper at OfficeMax. Laminating keeps the paper dry so I can have the list poolside to follow the instructions. Aquatic Exercises with Paddles These exercises are done using paddles that give you resistance in the water. Adjust the openings on the paddles to lessen or increase the amount of resistance. Ask your therapist if you are not sure how much resistance to use. * Stand in water that is shoulder height. * Do these exercises with your spine in a neutral position. Find this by standing with your feet about shoulder width apart. Stand with your knees slightly bent and your weight evenly distributed. Tighten your stomach muscles and you should feel balanced. * Keep your stomach muscles tightened during all the exercises. * Be sure to breathe while you exercise. Never hold your breath when you exercise. * Do each exercise slowly with smooth movements and repeat ______ times, or ________ minutes. If you feel any of these signs of fatigue, stop exercising and tell the therapist or lifeguard you need help. * Trouble catching your breath or feel short of breath * Faint, lightheaded or dizzy * Nausea * Red face or feel flushed * Pain or pressure in chest or upper body * Weakness or suddenly feel tired * Pounding heart or irregular heart beat * Confusion or loss of sense of direction Exercises with Paddles 1. Hold the paddles in your hands and bend your elbows out to your sides. Keep your elbows tucked at your sides. 2. Move the paddles in front of you like you are clapping them together. 3. Move the paddles back out to the starting position. 1. Hold the paddles out to your sides at shoulder height with elbows straight. 2. Bring your arms down to your sides, keeping your arms straight. 3. Move the paddles back up to the starting position. 1. Hold paddles at waist with elbows bent. 2. Push paddles out in front of you until elbows are straight. 3. Pull the paddles back to the starting position. 1. Hold the paddles about shoulder height with elbows straight. Be sure the paddles are in the water. 2. Move your arms to make circles with the paddles. Go in one direction then the other. 1. Hold the paddles in front of your body at shoulder height, elbows straight. The paddles should be nearly flat in the water. 2. Push the paddles down to your waist, keeping your elbows straight. 3. Bring the paddles back up to the starting position, keeping your elbows straight. 1. Hold the paddles in front of your chest, elbows bent. Keep the paddles in the water. 2. Push the paddles out at a 45-degree angle to the right until elbows are straight. 3. Pull the paddles back to the starting position. 4. Push the paddles out at a 45-degree angle to the left until elbows are straight. 5. Pull the paddles back to the starting position. 1. Hold the paddles in front of your body with elbows bent, keeping the paddles in the water. 2. Walk forward, holding the paddles in front of you.