What is the current thinking on flippers / fins? (ie, professional coaching recommendations). It seems like their use is very pervasive these days but when I was a swimmer growing up (US Swimming) we did not use them...and I swam with some kids that went to Olympic trials...so it was a good team.
My masters team uses them ALL the time. They don't do kick sets without them. They even use the flippers for main sets at times, and some swimmers sneak them on to keep up with their lane, which messes up the lane order (and in fact they should swim in a slower lane if they cannot make the workout in the faster lane without flippers - IMO). And they use them when they are slow in other strokes (ie, IM's, back, butterfly). Some of these swimmers have mastered kicking with fins (esp those that use huge scuba fins), but they can't kick worth beans without the fins.
Is there any research/articles on fin usage? What do the top swimmers do?
Thanks!
Former Member
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.
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. .......
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.
Former Member
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.
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
Former Member
see below
Former Member
see below
Former Member
see below (sorry, don't know what happened)
Former Member
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.
Former Member
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.
