Another Swimming Question

cunnins4

Mods delete if you feel the need to, i know there's no swimming forum, but i'm appealing to triathletes here.

Anyone know where i can get training fins? I tried arnotts, but they didn't have my size. Lifestyle didn't have them. Anywhere else? I'd rather not buy online in case they don't fit.

Cheers

Victor

There is a genereic sports category.

Covenline

Ive seen fins in Lidl, try adventure sports shops

There really should be a swimming forum:cool:

tunney

Do you really need them?
Alot of people uses fins and paddles to swim/kick fast but would be better off just working on technique.

blorg

I believe they can help you improve your body position in the water in particular. Key is to go for the short ones so your kicking is kept as close as possible to what you will be doing without them. (I haven't used them as yet myself.)

tunney

They don't help you with your body position - your kick doesn't, or at least shouldn't, affect your body position. If its body position you want to improve or test tie your legs together

blorg

Surely your kick influences your position in the water? When I don't kick my legs certainly have a tendency to drop. I was led to believe that the purpose of kick is basically for keeping your body afloat, arms for propulsion.

Covenline

be carefull when training with fins as too muc/ too soon can damage the small bones in your feet

Marathon Man

cunnins4 wrote:

Mods delete if you feel the need to, i know there's no swimming forum, but i'm appealing to triathletes here.

There is currently an application in place for a Swimming forum. I think this would be a good idea. Anyway heres the link:http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055108546

cunnins4

thanks for the varying opinions on the ole fins. The variance in opinion is pretty much the same as what i've read elsewhere on the web, so the reason i want to get them is a: i suck b: i really suck and c: i'm a brutal swimmer. Ah no seriously, i'm working hard on improving my stroke, and i find my drills are impeded by my terrible kick, and i'm not able to focus on my stroke drills. Also, i want to use them and see for myself if they work or not. I've read that they do help with flexibility in the ankles, so i can't see them doing any harm. Covenline: I'm aware that they can damage small bones, so i will be careful, thanks for that.

As for the generic sports forum part: i chose the cycling forum because i know there's a fair few triathletes who post here regularly, so that's why i chose this one. Victor, if you wish to move the thread - work away.

So anyways, anyone know anywhere i can actually buy them in town (dublin)? the only place i can find is cyclesuperstore, and it's too far away and i don't wanna get them online if i can avoid it.

I voted for the swim forum there. Cheers marathon man.

Covenline

I voted yay for a swimming forum:)

hunnymonster

cunnins. yeah the fins will help you work on your drills without having to concentrate on staying horizonal. I use them about 2 days a week (swim 6 days a week). I bought mine in arnotts but I'm sure you can order them online. I'll try to remember to bring som tri-magazines in tomorrow and post up a few links to online stores but wiggle is always a good starting point
Zogg fins from wiggle

milod

OP - Fins and paddles are useful in training for two main reasons: firstly they teach you how to 'catch' the water - because you increase the surface area of your hand/foot, your muscles meet more resistance from the water and you infer from this the optimum angles etc for your stroke. Secondly, that increased resistance helps build muscle where it's needed and aids your 'muscle memory' in terms of optimising your stroke.

Also in answer to Blorg, feet are used for propulsion, but moreso over shorter distances. So generally if you're racing in a pool, you propel yourself with a combination of stroke and paddling while if you're doing longer distances/sea swimming, your legs are paddling principally to hold your body horizontally in the water.