Fins...who uses fins?

Do I believe in strength for swimming? As a middle-aged person I believe in strength for living which in turn has a beneficial effect on my swimming. I do dryland "instability" exercise several times a week - mostly stuff with a balance ball, some dumbbells and a medicine ball. I like instability exercise (rather than conventional weightlifting) because it's particularly good at promoting integration of core and stabilizer muscles with prime mover muscles. I do no "muscle isolation" in my dryland training because muscles never work in isolation in life. Is there an exception? There's always an exception. In swimming the noteworthy exception is short-course sprinting, which is more of a starting and turning race than a swimming race. The Auburn Univ sprint group, for instance, does sets in which they try to max power over short distance repeats by swimming at ultra-high speed (i.e. maximizing resistance) with both paddles and fins. I think those sets are instrumental in their being able to average 18+ (men) and 21-plus(women) in the 200 scy Free Relay. But in races that are over in a fraction of a minute, the massive fatigue produced by massive power demands is minimized as a factor. As soon as you move that 200 FR to a LC pool you're much more rewarded for efficiency. Terry: I like bosus and stability balls too. We have a lot in common here except the Mets and preferred swim stroke and distance ... I just want to point out that some of us "fast twitch" chickens don't like it all that much when sprinting is called a "start and turn sport" rather than part of the sport of "swimming." To be sure, one must be expert at the starts and turns to swim good 50s, although my turns are sub-par and I manage to survive. But it is still "swimming." Sprinters still spend plenty of face time in the water training and swimming. They just train somewhat differently and swim one of the myriad different races that are available in the sport of "swimming." So they are not just "turners." You know that my personal perference, despite my short stature, is for LC sprints. And personally, not to mock my kind, but I'd rather be decent at some longers events too. But sprinters are still participating in the sport of "swimming." Last I checked, I was registered with US Masters "Swimming" and "swimming" in USMS meets. I wasn't going to "start and turn" meets, although I am a stroke and turn judge. Even Donna has come around and admitted the 50 back is now an "accomplishment." ;) I would also like to agreed with Caped that fins are good for the glutes.

Do I believe in strength for swimming? As a middle-aged person I believe in strength for living which in turn has a beneficial effect on my swimming. I do dryland "instability" exercise several times a week - mostly stuff with a balance ball, some dumbbells and a medicine ball. I like instability exercise (rather than conventional weightlifting) because it's particularly good at promoting integration of core and stabilizer muscles with prime mover muscles. I do no "muscle isolation" in my dryland training because muscles never work in isolation in life. Is there an exception? There's always an exception. In swimming the noteworthy exception is short-course sprinting, which is more of a starting and turning race than a swimming race. The Auburn Univ sprint group, for instance, does sets in which they try to max power over short distance repeats by swimming at ultra-high speed (i.e. maximizing resistance) with both paddles and fins. I think those sets are instrumental in their being able to average 18+ (men) and 21-plus(women) in the 200 scy Free Relay. But in races that are over in a fraction of a minute, the massive fatigue produced by massive power demands is minimized as a factor. As soon as you move that 200 FR to a LC pool you're much more rewarded for efficiency. Terry: I like bosus and stability balls too. We have a lot in common here except the Mets and preferred swim stroke and distance ... I just want to point out that some of us "fast twitch" chickens don't like it all that much when sprinting is called a "start and turn sport" rather than part of the sport of "swimming." To be sure, one must be expert at the starts and turns to swim good 50s, although my turns are sub-par and I manage to survive. But it is still "swimming." Sprinters still spend plenty of face time in the water training and swimming. They just train somewhat differently and swim one of the myriad different races that are available in the sport of "swimming." So they are not just "turners." You know that my personal perference, despite my short stature, is for LC sprints. And personally, not to mock my kind, but I'd rather be decent at some longers events too. But sprinters are still participating in the sport of "swimming." Last I checked, I was registered with US Masters "Swimming" and "swimming" in USMS meets. I wasn't going to "start and turn" meets, although I am a stroke and turn judge. Even Donna has come around and admitted the 50 back is now an "accomplishment." ;) I would also like to agreed with Caped that fins are good for the glutes.