I rarely use fins at all, but today I did a fly only set with zoomers because I am struggling with learning proper fly. It really gave me a good feel for the timing, rythm and proper body position. Does anyone else fly with zoomers? If so what percentage?
I was thinking of doing at least one set a week with the zoomers.
Does anyone who has completely mastered fly continue to use fins?
I rarely use fins at all, but today I did a fly only set with zoomers because I am struggling with learning proper fly. It really gave me a good feel for the timing, rythm and proper body position. Does anyone else fly with zoomers? If so what percentage?
I was thinking of doing at least one set a week with the zoomers.
Does anyone who has completely mastered fly continue to use fins?
I don't think I qualify as completely mastering but....
I've moved from the no fins on fly camp to the at least 50% of Fly with fins camp. This has enabled me to a) do more fly in practice, b) get a better feel for kick timing and c) concentrate on keep ing my head low while breathing.
I struggled with learning the correct timing for fly from the 4th grade up till the fall of my senior year in high school, when my coach said "well, our butterflyer graduated last spring, so now you're swimming fly." :shakeshead:
So, I struggled with it for about two weeks, then he had me put some fins on. That first length with the fins on was all it took, I got the rhythm down and everything felt right. I did about 3-400 yds of fly that afternoon, switching from fins to no fins and that was all it took. I took 10 seconds off my 100 time during that season and in retrospect I wish I was made to swim it a few years earlier.
I think it's a good idea to use fins every once in a while to help you swim faster than race pace, might not be bad to help reinforce good kicking/core movement. Can probably save your shoulders as well.
My :2cents:
I think fins probably mess up my timing in fly.
But, I have 100 reasons to use fins for fly:
1-90 = Shoulders
91 = Old age
92 = Not ever swimming the 200 fly
93 = I like them
94 = I'm still getting a bit faster, even though I use them
95 = I enjoy beating smug purists who diss them
96 = Leg strength
97 = Core Strength
98 = Improves Streamlining
99 = Improves SDKs
100 = Good for shooters (but that's really kicking, not swimming fly)
(Straying from fly-only discussion...)
I can see the streamlining thing, imperfections definitely become obvious. For me probably the biggest thing was to underscore how important it is to keep my head between my arms (rather than arms behind the head, a mistake I see a lot of people make, and which I occasionally do when I get sloppy/tired.)
Still not sure that fins help my SDK or leg/core strength more than swimming without them but there is more than one way to skin a cat.
(Actually I've always hated that saying, and I'm not even a cat person...)
Still not sure that fins help my SDK or leg/core strength more than swimming without them but there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Do you think you've used them enough to really tell though?
Monofins are better for core/leg strength than regular fins anyway. And I agree that you should SDK without fins as well. In fact, I don't usually kick with fins unless I'm using my monofin.
I will say that, despite never doing lower body weights, I tried the leg press for sheets and goggles back in July and did almost 3x my weight.
I made it through my 10 x 75 fly set today too! :)
Monofins are better for core/leg strength than regular fins anyway. And I agree that you should SDK without fins as well. In fact, I don't usually kick with fins unless I'm using my monofin.
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I made it through my 10 x 75 fly set today too! :)
Wow, nice fly set. Should give you plenty of confidence for a 100 fly race.
My ankles hurt just reading about monofins. I think any fins that are big enough to really stress legs/core will be too much for my ankles. I'll have to continue to count on dryland work for core/legs power and non-fin SDK work to work on endurance and lactate tolerance.
Leslie has had a different experience and result from fins. But I don't think she falls in the average Jo swimmer/ triathlete category.
It's a trade off. I can save my shoulders and swim more fly (and free), and more intensely, with fins. I'm also a fly/back sprinter -- the category of swimmer that likely benefits most from fins and SDK work. I'm sure I would lose "feel" if I attempted a 500 free (which I won't).
Truly, I think more people would benefit from using them properly. Not just as a crutch, but to improve streamlining and technique and for speed work. A 50/50 ratio seems reasonable to me. Or not. Of course, what makes the most difference is how intensely you train.
I can't be the only fin lover around who's doing all right. Oh, wait, yeah, my teammate Yana SDK Park .... lol
Absolutely... they certainly bring fly into play during workouts when there would be none otherwise.
Seems to really help find that horizontal race position in practice.
Seems to really help find that horizontal race position in practice.
This is the A #1 reason for me. I find that when I take the fins off I can maintain a horizontal position much easier and longer.
