Question about intermediate length fins

RE: Question about intermediate length fins

Former Member — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:43:13 GMT

My coach recommended that I ditch my intermediate fins for short fins. The short fins haven't transformed me into a respectable kicker but they do take up less room in my mesh bag. I am able to get a faster tempo but less propulsion than I would get with the intermediate fins. Swimming doesn't have to be all about training and things that are good for you. Remember to play. Enjoy them, all fins are fun each in their own way. :)

RE: Question about intermediate length fins

Former Member — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:21:07 GMT

I have them and love them! Started with long fins that I found in our swim team lost and found,but I felt as if I wasn't working all that hard to get any forward movement,so I took a leap of faith and ordered the TYRs--and never regretted it! I wear them for back stroke and kick sets because my kick by its self is pathetic,and my legs do feel tired,but my kick,at least for a while,seems to improve after I use them. What really reasured me though was that our AG swimmers all use this type of fin as a basic training tool.....figured that if it works for them they may help me too!

RE: Question about intermediate length fins

philoswimmer — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:06:59 GMT

Thank you -- all of your replies were helpful. It's good to hear that they have worked for others. I think I will keep using them for awhile longer and see how it goes. It did feel as though my legs were getting a pretty good workout. I just wasn't sure if my tempo was what it should be. But maybe I just need to build up the strength to kick faster with them!

RE: Question about intermediate length fins

kgernert — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:14:01 GMT

So, my question is whether these fins will be useful for either short-fin purposes (i.e., sprinting) or long-fin purposes (i.e., kick training) or both, or whether they are too much of a compromise and won't be good for either function. You can see which way I am leaning, but I am willing to be talked into the glorious advantages of intermediate length fins if I am missing something. I switched from long fins to the intermediate ones a few months ago. I didn't go with the Zoomers simply because they were too stiff to be comfortable for me. What I have noticed is that my kick without fins has greatly improved since switching from the long to intermediate fins. Hope that helps :)

RE: Question about intermediate length fins

debaru — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:10:10 GMT

I recently purchased these fins. As you can see, they are intermediate length fins. Their main advantage was that they were available in a local store, so I could try them on to see that they fit. Now I am trying to decide whether I like them. They perform pretty much as you would expect -- I can do a faster tempo kick than I would with a long fin, but not quite as fast as with a short zoomer-type fin (I think). And I don't think you get quite the propulsion of a long fin, but more propulsion than a short fin. So, my question is whether these fins will be useful for either short-fin purposes (i.e., sprinting) or long-fin purposes (i.e., kick training) or both, or whether they are too much of a compromise and won't be good for either function. You can see which way I am leaning, but I am willing to be talked into the glorious advantages of intermediate length fins if I am missing something. I have the same fins and have used them for close to a year. From my experience, they are very good for speed and kick training, but they do work your legs more than shorter fins do (I also have a pair of TYR EBP Burners, which are similar to Zoomers). I am able to wear my Burners during an entire workout, but if I were to wear my Crossblades for an hour, my legs would be toast. I don't use fins for every workout, but I do switch between the two types to add variety and to mix things up a bit.

RE: Question about intermediate length fins

Former Member — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:28:09 GMT

Not sure how much use I'll be as when I was coached, we were told to bring "fins", so some of us had short and some long. Anyway for a while I used long fins, but would be prone to cramping and tightness and figured I was a rubbish kicker, then they fell apart, so I bought a pair of TYR splitfins. Similar to you - it was purely on the fact that they had them at the club shop! These are, I suppose intermediate and I do find that I can get up a good sprint speed in them as well as working the muscles on longer sets, without cramping. They were $$ but I have had them over 8 years (although I have had time off swimming) and are still in great condition. And this year I have really been working on my kick and have improved the strength of my push off from the wall as well :)