Our coach shared this article and is encouraging swimmers to wear fins at Masters practice, for ankle flexibility, shoulder stability, preventing fatigue and lessening stroke deterioration.
www.usms.org/tpvrwxvrv.aspx
But I'm against fins at practice unless everyone in the lane has them and we're all using them at the same time. Otherwise, if just one person has them and no-one else does, it's disruptive and I think it's not good for team spirit. One thing I love about Masters is that when you're tired, chances are EVERYONE's tired and you get through it together as a group.
I'm all for fins to warm up with, if you're working on a specific drill and outside of practice, but if everyone's working hard during the main set, and then someone in your lane sails by with fins on, that's bad for the morale of the people not wearing fins because they are working harder and getting fatigued faster.
Am I on my own on this? (If yes, I will meekly go back to my coach in a groveling fashion. With an offering of baked goods.)
I once got practically kicked off of an age group team when I was about 13 because the new coach made us wear fins all practice, every practice and I finally voiced my disagreement.
For a competitive swimmer, fins to me are for two things: 1) Overspeed work or 2) Expediting kick sets if you're short on time.
I see no reason why they should be worn for an entire practice, much less every practice all the time. They change your stroke by increasing the period of the kick cycle, so they're counterproductive to the "practice how you compete" philosophy, even if they do help you get closer to race pace more often.
I once got practically kicked off of an age group team when I was about 13 because the new coach made us wear fins all practice, every practice and I finally voiced my disagreement.
For a competitive swimmer, fins to me are for two things: 1) Overspeed work or 2) Expediting kick sets if you're short on time.
I see no reason why they should be worn for an entire practice, much less every practice all the time. They change your stroke by increasing the period of the kick cycle, so they're counterproductive to the "practice how you compete" philosophy, even if they do help you get closer to race pace more often.
