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 wear my Zoomer short fins for warm-ups to help my shoulders get loose and for some stroke drills. Don't normally wear them for kick sets, as I think that is kind of defeating the purpose.
If someone in one of our pace groups is using them, it's usually for a reason, such as one swimmer who is currently recovering from a broken foot. A lot of folks will also wear them during fly sets.
That being said, most folks will let their lane mates know when they're wearing fins, usually somewhat apologetically.
We also have some "tweeners" who will wear fins and/or paddles, when they're trying to hang on in a faster group, as an alternative to swimming by themselves, or beating up on a slower group.
It's not really an issue with our team.
Just as a side note, the University of Louisville trains at our pool every year for their holiday training trip and I've been surprised at how often they use their gear (snorkels, fins, & paddles) during their workouts. Just reconfirms that gear can be useful as long as you're using it as a tool and not a crutch.
I wear my Zoomer short fins for warm-ups to help my shoulders get loose and for some stroke drills. Don't normally wear them for kick sets, as I think that is kind of defeating the purpose.
If someone in one of our pace groups is using them, it's usually for a reason, such as one swimmer who is currently recovering from a broken foot. A lot of folks will also wear them during fly sets.
That being said, most folks will let their lane mates know when they're wearing fins, usually somewhat apologetically.
We also have some "tweeners" who will wear fins and/or paddles, when they're trying to hang on in a faster group, as an alternative to swimming by themselves, or beating up on a slower group.
It's not really an issue with our team.
Just as a side note, the University of Louisville trains at our pool every year for their holiday training trip and I've been surprised at how often they use their gear (snorkels, fins, & paddles) during their workouts. Just reconfirms that gear can be useful as long as you're using it as a tool and not a crutch.
