I am a good butterflyer but believe that my kick is holding me back. I finished in the top 5 for both my fly events in the Spring Nationals but felt that I could have done better (or it may just be a lack of talent--but I can't fix that). Today I started to work with the Finis Shooter Monofin with the intention of improving my kick and taking some pressure off of my shoulders. What a disaster that was! I was barely able to keep the monofin below the surface and after 25 yds. I was exhaustapated! After working with it for about 30 min I came to understand that the only way I could propel myself forward was by ceasing any knee movement and kicking only through my gut and letting my lower legs move at the end of the oscilation. So my question is have I always kicked incrorrectly or do I just not know how to use the monofin? Not sure what I am hoping the answer is!
I love fins for working on dolphin kick!!! And dolphin kick is my best stroke. :D
You cannot learn to use the monofin in one session unless you have a strong core and are a solid kicker. It takes awhile to get used to it and harness the power. Most people go flying into other lanes at first. And it can be exhausting; it's like a weight workout in the water and thus excellent for swim specific strength building.
I use the Shooter to work both DPK (distance per kick) and AFAP kicking. For DPK work, which is much slower -- usually consisting of easy speed shooters (25s underwater) on side/back/belly -- I definitely bend my knees. For AFAP work not as much but still some. I use a very high cycle kick (with and without fins) for AFAP efforts and most of power comes from the glutes/hips/quads. I think you're still using the lower leg though, but possibly it doesn't feel as if you are with the fin. Without the fin, you can feel a bit more snap with the knee & lower leg & ankles. The same goes for me when swimming butterfly. I will have more knee bend in a 100 than a 50, but some with both.
It's not an underwater view, but here's a vid of me doing a 50 AFAP with the monofin (sub :20). Not much bent knee action. www.youtube.com/watch
I also use the fin with a kickboard.
I love fins for working on dolphin kick!!! And dolphin kick is my best stroke. :D
You cannot learn to use the monofin in one session unless you have a strong core and are a solid kicker. It takes awhile to get used to it and harness the power. Most people go flying into other lanes at first. And it can be exhausting; it's like a weight workout in the water and thus excellent for swim specific strength building.
I use the Shooter to work both DPK (distance per kick) and AFAP kicking. For DPK work, which is much slower -- usually consisting of easy speed shooters (25s underwater) on side/back/belly -- I definitely bend my knees. For AFAP work not as much but still some. I use a very high cycle kick (with and without fins) for AFAP efforts and most of power comes from the glutes/hips/quads. I think you're still using the lower leg though, but possibly it doesn't feel as if you are with the fin. Without the fin, you can feel a bit more snap with the knee & lower leg & ankles. The same goes for me when swimming butterfly. I will have more knee bend in a 100 than a 50, but some with both.
It's not an underwater view, but here's a vid of me doing a 50 AFAP with the monofin (sub :20). Not much bent knee action. www.youtube.com/watch
I also use the fin with a kickboard.
