How To Use Swimming Flippers

The correct way for using swimming flippers depends on a number of factors.
Things like:

1. What type: Some are made to be used in the ocean for diving purposes, some for surfing the waves, while others are meant to be used in the swimming pool for training.
2. Where: The ocean, Olympic pools, swimming pools,
3. Your coach: Some coaches prefer there swimmers to kick a certain way or a specific exercise requires them to kick such a way.
4. The purpose: What you use them for.

In a Olympic swimming pool swimming flippers need to be used correctly. You need to find the way that is most effective for you. Here are some ideas

• While doing your regular swim keep kicking under the water, that your feet never break the water.
• Kick fully emerged in the water only coming up every 18 kicks for a breath.
• Vary the speed of your kicks. One fast length one slow length.
• Vary you kick style: Side kick, back kick and even butterfly kick.

Using a varying style will begin to strengthen the muscles around the ones you would only use for freestyle kick. You will find that your kick will improve and speed up your swim.

There are many ways to used swimming flippers, you just need to find what is best for you.

Buying Second Hand Swim Fins

So the budget is tight and your last pair of swimming flippers break. What now? You have a look at some online shops and they are a bit to expensive for your Burger King job. You have a look at a second hand shop and find a decent looking pair of swim flippers. Do you go for it?

That really is a decision that you need to make and not me. I do know that swim fins can be molded to a persons foot after a while of use. This can cause some discomfort to you in the long run. If you have a high arch and the person before you had a flat foot, let's just say the combination won't be very good.

What Now???

So my advice to you would be to buy a new pair. Have a look maybe the second hand pair have hardly been used and you score. Just watch that it has it's original swimming flipper shape and you'll be good to go.

Shopping For Swimming Flippers

If you have never shoped for or used swimming flippers before you might not know what you are looking for. I'm going to help you by giving you some helpful information.

Size

The first thing you must be wondering is do I buy a fins that are my normal size shoe. The simple answer is yes. Swimming flippers come in regular shoe sizes, so you don't need to worry about strange sizes. Many people wonder if they shrink in the water or change shape. This is NOT true, they will not shrink. They may after many many hours of use start to change shape on the fin part, but it's nothing you need to worry about.

You need to watch that they not to big, this can make it uncomfortable, as they will be falling off pretty often. You also don't want them to small, you will result in cramps and blisters, which in my opinion will not be good for your feet!

Color

This is entirely up to you. Should you be trainging in a pool a suggest going for a more plain color, so that no one will be giving you strange stares. Perhaps you might like it to match your slick swimsuit. The yellow and blue are more common for pool training.

I'm not very big into diving, but I noticed many diver's use black flippers.

Style

What is your use? This will determine the style of type of swimming flipper you are looking for.
You can have a look at my other posts to see which types of fins there are out there.

Price

This can vary from store to store, name brand to name brand and which kind you are looking for. Ultimately the best way to do this is to compare prices for the use you need. If you are looking at buying something that is quality and will last you longer, buying something a bit more expensive is probably your best option. Having cheap fins can result in sore feet and quick wear and tear on your swimming flippers.

I hope this has been helpful to you in your quest to find the perfect swimming flippers.

Training Part 2

How did you do with the first training? Did you make it through?

I thought we would up the distance a little bit now! I'm sure that's like music to your ears. Everyone wants to do long distance, right? So pull on your swim flippers and let's get in the pool for another workout.

4x25m Warm -up freestyle
4X100m freestyle
400m freestyle
4x25m kick (holding a kick board)
4x25m backstroke kick

After this, if you not to sore (got any pain yet?) do another 400m easy swim. Take long pulls and focus on your kicking.

Work hard, never quit and don't forget to have fun!

Without A Paddle

When training in a pool, doing your "hundreds of lengths a day," you might be using swimming flippers. This would make your swim alot easier and give you time to focus on your technique. Now, something that is commonly used along with it is the paddle. The swimmer puts his hand throught the straps in the paddle to hold it in place.

Uses
The main use of these is to change a few things for the swimmer.

1. The swimmer can focus on the push that he/she needs to make at the end of each stroke.
2. The intitial pull from top to bottom in a stroke will become much harder; thus making the swimmer pull harder.
3. One can take a longer, harder stroke.
4. The swimmer will work harder so when the paddles are removed the stroke will be easier.

The paddle is used very often in a swimming squad or doing swimming training and makes a big difference to a swimmer. If you had to use a paddle for a few weeks you would see a big improvement.

Do not be mistaken, the paddle is not to be used during the entire training, just a portion. It is also very important to do a good warm up before using your paddles.

Sizes

Swimming paddles usual come in different sizes.

• Small
• Medium
• Large

The level you are on will determine the size of your paddle. Your age and size will also make a difference. Usually a beginner swimmer will start out with a smaller paddle, unless the beginner has big hands like me. Then I would suggest taking a medium.

Once you get stronger in your upper body, you can take on the large. This will make you nice and sore the first few days, but you will get used to it.

Monofin

The kick one does with the monofin is the dolphin or butterfly kick. It can be used for free open water swimming or in a pool for training.

Monofins were introduced in the USSR in 1972, by a Ukrainian finswimming club, and have been used for finswimming competitions since, allowing monofin swimmers to reach speeds of 12km/h.

Of all the swimming fins, this one is the most unique and more difficult to find.

Training Part 1

I'm going to put together some training programs that you can use with swimming flippers. I have done these trainings and know that they will give you a full workout. These exercises are done in a swimming pool and fins are to be worn throughout.

4x25 regular freestyle
4x25 freestyle kick, using a kick board
4x25 kick on your back, stretch your hands in front of your head
4x25 kick on your left side
4x25 kick on your right side
4x25 regular freestyle

This can be done on the first day of training. Remember no pain, no gain.
Don't forget to wear your socks!

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to ask.

Pain From Flippers

When I was training, swimming like 200 lengths a day. You sometimes (most times) get very sore feet from using swimming flippers. Blisters start coming and skin starts disappearing.

Im sure if you are a swimmer or getting into it, you will know all about this. Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret that will solve all your problems. Socks. I'm sorry. Did you not see that? I said Socks. That's right you heard me. You may be thinking "there is no way I'm getting in a pool with socks on." The choice is up to you:

1. Look like a idiot and put the socks on under your fins, but feel no pain (at least not as much)
2. Look normal, but struggle in the pool from pain and the rest of the week.

Try using some secret socks this may help a bit.

Types Of Swimming Flippers

Along with the many different needs for swimming flippers, comes different types of flippers. Can you imagine a deep sea diver falling off his boat with 12inch fins on his feet? He will work his little legs off trying to look at the beautiful scenery of the ocean bed. He will end up not enjoying it. How about the athlete who does 200 lengths a day? He would just have to do 3 kicks to be the other side of the pool with diving fins on. I am sure he/she would like that, but the coach wouldn't. I've learned this lesson from experience.

There are a few types of flippers we are going to take a look at according to their need:

• Athlete Swimmers
• Divers
• Body Boarders
• Children

Athlete swimmers use a shorter, more stiff flipper that gives them a workout when training. Many young swimmers use these when starting to learn as it makes it a bit easier for them. I would use these fins when training long distance butterfly. They can be used along with paddles to make a swim a bit easier and quicker. Using swimming flippers takes the focus away from pain, but rather a time for you to work on your stroke. Butterfly swimmers use the monofin, which means one fin. It helps them to keep their legs together.

Diver's flippers are looong and flexible, which helps the diver with little effort on his part. A diver has alot of weight to swim with him, therefore needs these fins to battle the currents.

Body boarder's fins are similar to the athlete swimmer. They are short and stiff. The only difference is that the one end tip is shorter than the other point. This helps fight the waves without losing the it. Most have a tie to there ankle in case it does come off.

I remember growing up, I had a pair of green frog flippers. These are called baby fins. Usual they are plastic and have a strap that closes at the back. Many children would rather go without these as they are so uncomfortable.

What Are Flippers?

Swim fins, fins, swimming fins or swimming flippers are rubber shoes worn to aid movement in water. They are worn on the feet to help a swimmer get from point A to point B in a quicker time with less work, which is probably why you are reading this now. You and I both don't like to work so hard.

Swimming flippers come in all sizes, depending on the need. Each is a unique type.Professional swimming athletes wear shorter, more harder fins for training lengths in the pool. People who swim the butterfly stroke use a fin called a monofin, where both feet fit into one flipper.

Divers wear long, flexible fins to help them get from one point to another with hardly any work at all.