Flippers / Fins

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 15:47:46 GMT

Thanks to Ande and my coach I am a recoverying fin addict. I like to use fins on my warm up to get my reconstructed shoulder nice and lose. Especially, when the pool is cold. Other than that, I only use fins on recovery sets in between main sets. Hook'em Blue

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 13:36:26 GMT

Originally posted by some_girl Is leading the lane really that important to you? How fast others swim has nothing to do with how fast you do. Well, most of the workout I am going last in the lane since it is mostly freestyle. It is nice to have a chance to reverse that and go first once in awhile when a set comes up that is my strong point (ie, IM's, strokes).

RE: Flippers / Fins

some_girl — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:05:42 GMT

The reason I find it annoying (use of fins for SWIM sets) is because I am good at IM's -- it is the one thing where I can (relatively) excel vs. other swimmers in my lane and the next lane...but if they all put their fins on, it changes the field to a who-is-better-with-the-fins competition, versus giving swimmers who are good at the strokes a chance to lead the lane. Is leading the lane really that important to you? How fast others swim has nothing to do with how fast you do.

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 15:37:06 GMT

I love using fins. I have small feet and it does work my legs better. I only use them on kick sets and it cuts these sets way down in time, which is important to me, also, not because I want to swim faster, but because I have a really hard time to find even an hour to swim.

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:13:44 GMT

Originally posted by swimsb To answer the yardage question: The fin sets are part of a 2500-3500 yd workout, depending on the lane (say 2800 in my lane). One of 3 workouts per week. I personally find it excessive. I think fins for ONE kick set (of say 500 yds) is enough per workout of 3000ishyds. But it bothers me that this team NEVER kicks without fins...and many of the fast fin-kickers cannot kick worth beans without the fins (literally, their legs are sinking). Plus many of them have scuba fins (not just swim fins like Speedo or TYR). The reason I find it annoying (use of fins for SWIM sets) is because I am good at IM's -- it is the one thing where I can (relatively) excel vs. other swimmers in my lane and the next lane...but if they all put their fins on, it changes the field to a who-is-better-with-the-fins competition, versus giving swimmers who are good at the strokes a chance to lead the lane. And it's virtually impossible to NOT use them when the rest of the swimmers in the pool and lane have them on for a whole swim set, because fins are so much faster.

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:11:49 GMT

see below (sorry, don't know what happened)

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:10:26 GMT

see below

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:08:17 GMT

see below

RE: Flippers / Fins

Brian Stack — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:04:48 GMT

I think we need some context to respond to your query. 1500 yds with fins is a good chunk of yardage, but if it's a small percentage of your weekly total, not so excessive. If it's a daily thing, well, that might be considered excessive. Fill us in. See Ya Brian

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:52:17 GMT

The coach of the age groupers at our Y mixes in some swim sets with fins occasionally (but not daily) These sets are very tiring. Typically the intervals are faster, the repeats longer. I believe he does it for several reasons--working the legs, training at a faster speed, and introducing some variety in the workout, to name a few. I don't use scuba fins--I use the Kiefer training fins, slightly longer than Zoomers. Interestingly, his kick sets typically do not include fins.

RE: Flippers / Fins

A.K. — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:29:38 GMT

Originally posted by swimsb see below (sorry, don't know what happened) Wow I thought I was caught in a loop there for a second.

RE: Flippers / Fins

A.K. — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:02:23 GMT

I totally agree, besides it gives you more determination to try to beat somebody with fins and you will probably swim faster because of it. One thing I've noticed is I usually ALWAYS get a cramp in the arch of my foot or calf, and I use my fins for maybe 100-200 yards every 3-5 practices- I kick 99% without. Anyone else have that cramp issue? Originally posted by FindingMyInnerFish ......so what? in the open lap swimming period, everyone does her/his own thing, and the main rule is to give others room, share lanes when needed, swim in a speed-appropriate lane, no rules against fins. .......

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 06:33:29 GMT

Originally posted by some_girl On my team, we do use scuba fins, but I would say never in a lazy manner and never to make intervals we couldn't make otherwise. Generally, they're for fly sets (though we do plenty of barefoot fly too) or sets in which our coaches want us to emphasize our kick. The intervals are tight enough that you still have to work hard. So I'd say it's possible to use them in a responsible manner, even if many people don't. Ther is no such thing as never using scuba fins in a lazy manner. Even if you are going somewhat fast with scuba fins, thye are doing too much of the work. I only use zoomers for some kick sets. My kick is really terrible but zoomers do seem to help.

RE: Flippers / Fins

some_girl — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 04:53:30 GMT

For distance I was think more of longer fly sets.

RE: Flippers / Fins

aquageek — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 04:33:05 GMT

What kind of distance are you swimming that makes fins necessary, 5 mile sets?

RE: Flippers / Fins

some_girl — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 04:23:29 GMT

Even if you are going somewhat fast with scuba fins, thye are doing too much of the work. What does that even mean? Too much of what work? Is the point of practice to just do whatever you can as fast as you can, without traing aids till you're too tired? Or is the point to focus on certain aspects at certain points? If it's the latter, then it makes no sense to complain that fins "make things too easy." Fins make some things easier so you can focus on other things. I can assure you that the fins sets we do are just as exhausting as non-fins sets, either because the interval is altered or because of the distance.

RE: Flippers / Fins

FindingMyInnerFish — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 02:05:43 GMT

In my group, no one seems to wear them, although I was in a masters' group previously where a woman wore them frequently. Being a newbie at the time, and having no clue about whether they had any performance enhancing benefits, it didn't especially bother me, plus she was in a faster lane (tho I don't remember anyone saying much of anything, including the coach, not that I'd know if anyone had). But while practicing on my own, I'll notice various people with fins on--and no masters swim experience at all--swimming faster than I do w/out fins, and oddly it bothers me more in that context. I expected the woman using them in practice to be faster than I was b/c she had more experience, and I had no particular expectations for myself, so it felt fine about it. But being beaten by people who motor along and have not been doing the workouts I've been doing... that I'd find irritating--until I figured, so what? in the open lap swimming period, everyone does her/his own thing, and the main rule is to give others room, share lanes when needed, swim in a speed-appropriate lane, no rules against fins. And I got to talking with one of the "fin-using" swimmers who aside from that is a pretty nice person, very considerate of my space when we share or use adjoining lanes... and lent me a swim cap one day when mine broke. I'm actually afraid of trying fins... I might get to like them too much once I beat my fin-using friend and then I'd be hooked. ;) I'm getting to close to where I can stay even with her even w/out fins, so I think she's helping my swimming! :)

RE: Flippers / Fins

Frank Thompson — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 01:28:12 GMT

swimsb: I agree with Brian that you need to fill us in about this fin use in context to your total workout on both a daily and weekly basis before we can say you have FDS. Another question is how are you doing the 125 IM swim with fins? Are you doing a rolling 100 of strokes meaning a 100 Fly on 1, 100 Back on 2, 100 *** on 3, and 100 Free on 4 and doing it two times through adding a 25 for each stroke and doing the exact IM order as you go through? What kind of fins are you using? And how is your breastroke kick using the fins?

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 15:07:19 GMT

So does this seem excessive fin use? 5 x 100 kick with Fins; then 8x125 IM swim with Fins

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 10:24:46 GMT

Fins definately have their uses... I've used them when starting back after a break so Idon't pull a shoulder muscle- which I've done. they're also good for helping develop flexibility and a strong kick. But, yes, using them all the time is akin to cheating and they should only be used sparingly and under supervision :)

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 08:29:58 GMT

I can understand your frustration. Our coach would give someone all h@@@ if he felt that they were abusing their fins! I must admit, sometimes when I wear them during sets (my coach will tell me when to do so, usually to avoid too much straing on my cranky shoulder, and only after swimming as long as I can without them, if I need to) I feel like I'm cheating and I get mad having to wear them. Admittedly, they can be fun to wear, but I know I'm only hurting myself in the long run. BTW, though, I take great pride in the fact that I can mostly outkick many others during kicksets without fins... when they have to wear them. But I do believe they've helped over the years...

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 07:55:18 GMT

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 06:25:32 GMT

Originally posted by craigbrigantine I've never worn fins for swimming, nor do I plan on it. I don't see how fins strengthen your legs.... Well I think they can but then what do they do for your arms?:confused:

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 06:21:12 GMT

Interesting. Keep the replies coming! I think the issue on our team is we are self-coached by two of the fastest swimmers. They have no idea what goes on in the slower lanes (or maybe don't care?). So there is no coach managing whether people are in proper lanes, whether they are "cheating" with swim aids like fins vs. using them appropriately etc. We also have a couple swimmers who RACE everyone with fins on -- and are fast with fins -- but can't kick at all without fins. So something is not right there...if one NEEDS fins to kick, but cannot kick at all without them, then the person must be overusing the fins...and the kick technique w/ fins is not transferring to w/out fins for some reason...that tells me something is wrong there. And if one needs fins in regular swim sets just to keep up with the lane, I think that person needs to move down a lane. It's pretty annoying to the people just trying to hold their own in a lane, to have others "cheat" with fins going in front of them. We even have one girl (she's 20) who claims her huge scuba fins "don't make me faster". Ummm, yeah,....but when she doesn't have them on she is getting lapped pretty quickly... I don't mind using them once in a while but using them EVERY time you kick, and putting them on in non-fin sets becomes addictive for some people ("FDS" - I like that - Fin Dependency Syndrome) - and those swimmers become annoying to the swimmers not "cheating"...

RE: Flippers / Fins

Former Member — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:17:37 GMT

Are the "split fins" superior to regular fins? How do they work? Are they also faster? And what do you think of use of "scuba fins" -- the ones with very large flippers? Thanks!