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 think my biggest surprise was that when I train w/o the monofin I kick like hell from the knees down (normal fly)--with the fin I really have to crunch my core to get any snap on the fin. I have always attempted to swim on top of the water when flying--if I change my kick this results in much more body deflection when I use the fin--maybe this is good?? Looking for help/opinions! This fin has me goofy!
So you're swimming full stroke fly with the monofin? I never do that b/c I feel too "jacked up" from the fin. You don't want to be coming out of the water too high. I just use it for kicking, for which the Shooter is principally intended. If you can learn to kick fast with the fin, it will improve your leg strength and dolphin kick. That in turn will improve your fly and SDKs off the walls.
I think my biggest surprise was that when I train w/o the monofin I kick like hell from the knees down (normal fly)--with the fin I really have to crunch my core to get any snap on the fin. I have always attempted to swim on top of the water when flying--if I change my kick this results in much more body deflection when I use the fin--maybe this is good?? Looking for help/opinions! This fin has me goofy!
So you're swimming full stroke fly with the monofin? I never do that b/c I feel too "jacked up" from the fin. You don't want to be coming out of the water too high. I just use it for kicking, for which the Shooter is principally intended. If you can learn to kick fast with the fin, it will improve your leg strength and dolphin kick. That in turn will improve your fly and SDKs off the walls.
