Swim Fins Helpfull or a Crutch?

I had to look at the thread subject line twice. I though it sad, "Swim Fins Helpful ON a Crutch." Man, crutches are hard enough as it is, without trying to use them with swim fins. And fins on the crutch itself? That would be fun to watch, but probably not fun to try... Seriously, though ... There are people who regularly swim at the same lap time I do. They'll wear fins and paddles for the whole workout, day in and day out. Some swim a mile or 2000 yards straight. Every day. I'm sure they get a fine workout, but I wonder how effective they would be if their boat capsized a mile off shore. But maybe that's what it takes to get them in the pool, and I'll never begrudge anyone whatever assistance they need to keep at it -- whatever their workout is. And then last year I got injured. Ruptured my left quatriceps tendon. Had to get it surgically reattached. Took forever to rehab the thing. Still working at it. When I was first allowed in the pool, two months after surgery, I swam everything with a pull buoy. The knee hurt too much to kick. (And I don't even kick hard. It's just enough to keep my ass up.) Then I started slipping in 50 yards without the pull buoy every 300 yards. Then 100s. Eventually 50% of the workout without the pull buoy. And finally full workouts without the pull buoy. But that's not where the victory ended. I started doing a little with fins. Then more and more. Now, once or twice a week I do the majority of my workout all kicking. On those days I do 2500 with the fins. Half of each length is SDK, half flutter. I do these for a couple of half mile intervals at about 50-55 seconds per 50 yards. And then some more at a more relaxed pace to finish off the remainder. I've been doing these for the past few months now, and over that time I have greatly increased the strength in both legs, and especially the injured one. And I've grown the circumference of my upper thighs from 56 CMs (measured at the end of my rehab stint) to 64 CMs in about 5 months. I still have a crappy kick without the fins. Maybe some day I'll care enough about that to work without the fins. But this is what keeps me improving now, and nobody's opinion is going to make me feel any less satisfied with the progress I'm seeing. And I consider that my yards all "count" (as if anyone else is counting anyway!)

I had to look at the thread subject line twice. I though it sad, "Swim Fins Helpful ON a Crutch." Man, crutches are hard enough as it is, without trying to use them with swim fins. And fins on the crutch itself? That would be fun to watch, but probably not fun to try... Seriously, though ... There are people who regularly swim at the same lap time I do. They'll wear fins and paddles for the whole workout, day in and day out. Some swim a mile or 2000 yards straight. Every day. I'm sure they get a fine workout, but I wonder how effective they would be if their boat capsized a mile off shore. But maybe that's what it takes to get them in the pool, and I'll never begrudge anyone whatever assistance they need to keep at it -- whatever their workout is. And then last year I got injured. Ruptured my left quatriceps tendon. Had to get it surgically reattached. Took forever to rehab the thing. Still working at it. When I was first allowed in the pool, two months after surgery, I swam everything with a pull buoy. The knee hurt too much to kick. (And I don't even kick hard. It's just enough to keep my ass up.) Then I started slipping in 50 yards without the pull buoy every 300 yards. Then 100s. Eventually 50% of the workout without the pull buoy. And finally full workouts without the pull buoy. But that's not where the victory ended. I started doing a little with fins. Then more and more. Now, once or twice a week I do the majority of my workout all kicking. On those days I do 2500 with the fins. Half of each length is SDK, half flutter. I do these for a couple of half mile intervals at about 50-55 seconds per 50 yards. And then some more at a more relaxed pace to finish off the remainder. I've been doing these for the past few months now, and over that time I have greatly increased the strength in both legs, and especially the injured one. And I've grown the circumference of my upper thighs from 56 CMs (measured at the end of my rehab stint) to 64 CMs in about 5 months. I still have a crappy kick without the fins. Maybe some day I'll care enough about that to work without the fins. But this is what keeps me improving now, and nobody's opinion is going to make me feel any less satisfied with the progress I'm seeing. And I consider that my yards all "count" (as if anyone else is counting anyway!)