Using fins to develop swimming technique

If you are looking to develop your swimming then you may want to consider using fins to develop swimming technique. And no we don’t mean by getting Jaws to swim behind you to help pick up the pace.

Using fins to develop technique

The main benefits of using fins have little to do with working your legs. Many competitive swimmers, or those trying to improve their technique, will use fins to increase their speed through the water, helping to improve their posture and keeping their hips high in the water.

Using fins in this way helps you to focus on a particular aspect of your stroke such as hand position. This is because your stroke rate is lowered, giving you more time to concentrate on stroke drills.

Crank up the cardio

Fins don’t have to be used to improve technique, they can also help improve cardiovascular conditioning and fitness.

The more muscles you use in the body, the greater cardiovascular benefits are felt. This is the reason swimming, rowing and cross country skiing are considered some of the most demanding sports.

Adding fins to the equation for a portion of your training means that there is an increased load and greater resistance in the water. This leads to a much more challenging workout with even more fitness benefits.

A flexible friend

Those who have not been in the pool for a while might find that their ankles have lost a little flexibility, which stops their ankles from flexing properly when they kick. This is something that new swimmers also struggle with.

Good swimming technique involves hyper-extending your ankles leaving your toes in line with your shin. This increases the resistance in the water and increases propulsion.

If you are struggling to get a good kick technique getting back into swimming, using fins regularly for a small portion of your workout can help to increase your ankle flexibility.

And finally…

Although fins do have many benefits to improving swimming technique and providing a more intense workout, always remember that overuse of fins can, in some cases, be detrimental to your swimming training.

Also be mindful that while most pools are absolutely fine with swimmers using fins, this is not always the case. Check out the policy before you start.