Fins for currents

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could you explain to me what you mean by a natural swimmers kick ? When I learned to dive I was told to use my whole leg to kick, i.e. kick from the hip. I just got some pro force fins and not sure if I need to change my kicking style or not ???

Original and Pro model ForceFins are fantastic in the current, they require you to use a natural swimmers kick to be really efficient in current. They are fast and easy to use.

The Excellerator and its brother the Hockey are highly technical and precise fins that do everything that the Originals do, but better, strong, more accurately and faster.

I highly recommend the Original and the Pro to any diver. Don't worry about the higher end models until you know you love ForceFins
 
could you explain to me what you mean by a natural swimmers kick ? When I learned to dive I was told to use my whole leg to kick, i.e. kick from the hip. I just got some pro force fins and not sure if I need to change my kicking style or not ???
I am sure what Meessier means is that Force Fins work best if you alter the shape of the kick from what you would use for jets, or altered from freedive fins ( which are the most extreme hip and whole leg), to being much more from the knee..in other words, they concentrate the muscle power of your quadriceps. The Hockeys and Excellerators allow power from the leg biceps/hamstrings as well...I cant say about the Originals, as I have never used them, and they would be much too small a gear for me. If you are a cyclist, or even a runner, or a swimmer, the muscles that are most developed are the ones the Force fin uses.
With your pro force fins, work on power from the knee, and higher cadence for more speed. This is actually what the fin actually "causes" you to do....it really gives you the shape of the kick....You don't use a huge amplitude, low frequency kick like freedive fins...it is a medium to less amplitude, and cadence will set up speed.

Tangentally.....there is an advantage to the muscle concentration that Bob Evans has built into the Force Fins ( and optimal kicking for them)...most people, most divers, have not developed their hip flexors and extensors, with all that much strength or endurance, and most have done little for their hamstrings or calves. Force Fins let you use what you have trained the most, and use it well.
In my case, as a long time competitive cyclist, all my leg muscles are trained, so a big Freedive fin like the DiveR's appeal to me...However....If I do a fast 40 mile bike ride in the morning, and then want to scuba dive in the afternoon, my hip muscles will be trashed from the bike ride, and the freedive fins will overwork them on an afternoon dive...overwork in a bad way.
With the Force fins on for the afternoon dive, my quadriceps and leg biceps are still able to handle many hours of this style of kicking, with what is actually a refreshing effect....like enhancing recovery from the hard bike ride. I think this relates to the person that does not train on bike or run or swim, in that they will find they will tire their hips quickly with many traditional fins, and they won't have the range in motion in their ankle/calf to allow long duration / high output use of traditional fins, without cramping--with the Force Fins, they don't fatigue, and they can use all the strength they have optimally.
And the Force Fins are RADICALLY better than any split fin on the market. The difference is so extreme, it should be an embarrassment to every magazine that ever did a winning review on split fins.
 
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Thanks Danvolker for the advice. I've used them on only 4 dives so far. The first 3 I was using the same motion as with my "regular" fins. didn't really like it too well. Then on my 4th dive I did modify my kick somewhat to I think what you are talking about and it did seem better. I will have to do more dives with them I guess. I don't have jets and never really liked split fins. Also have never tried freediving fins, don't want to try and pack those.
 
best thing I can recommend is take the fins off. swim a couple of laps just kicking across, then put the ForceFins on, your kick should not change.
 
OK, thanks, I guess I'll just have to get out and use them more.

best thing I can recommend is take the fins off. swim a couple of laps just kicking across, then put the ForceFins on, your kick should not change.
 
Just came from Turks and Caicos. Tryed my new Aqualung Slingshots. They are outstanding in strong currents. At one point was able to pull my son in strong current when he literally stalled with his Mares fins despite all efforts he was doing... Cruising speed is amazing, was outrun only by sharks. ;-)
 
I am sure what Meessier means is that Force Fins work best if you alter the shape of the kick from what you would use for jets, or altered from freedive fins ( which are the most extreme hip and whole leg), to being much more from the knee..in other words, they concentrate the muscle power of your quadriceps. The Hockeys and Excellerators allow power from the leg biceps/hamstrings as well...I cant say about the Originals, as I have never used them, and they would be much too small a gear for me. If you are a cyclist, or even a runner, or a swimmer, the muscles that are most developed are the ones the Force fin uses.
With your pro force fins, work on power from the knee, and higher cadence for more speed. This is actually what the fin actually "causes" you to do....it really gives you the shape of the kick....You don't use a huge amplitude, low frequency kick like freedive fins...it is a medium to less amplitude, and cadence will set up speed.

Tangentally.....there is an advantage to the muscle concentration that Bob Evans has built into the Force Fins ( and optimal kicking for them)...most people, most divers, have not developed their hip flexors and extensors, with all that much strength or endurance, and most have done little for their hamstrings or calves. Force Fins let you use what you have trained the most, and use it well.
In my case, as a long time competitive cyclist, all my leg muscles are trained, so a big Freedive fin like the DiveR's appeal to me...However....If I do a fast 40 mile bike ride in the morning, and then want to scuba dive in the afternoon, my hip muscles will be trashed from the bike ride, and the freedive fins will overwork them on an afternoon dive...overwork in a bad way.
With the Force fins on for the afternoon dive, my quadriceps and leg biceps are still able to handle many hours of this style of kicking, with what is actually a refreshing effect....like enhancing recovery from the hard bike ride. I think this relates to the person that does not train on bike or run or swim, in that they will find they will tire their hips quickly with many traditional fins, and they won't have the range in motion in their ankle/calf to allow long duration / high output use of traditional fins, without cramping--with the Force Fins, they don't fatigue, and they can use all the strength they have optimally.
And the Force Fins are RADICALLY better than any split fin on the market. The difference is so extreme, it should be an embarrassment to every magazine that ever did a winning review on split fins.

Thank you, very interesting and useful information.
 
i have mares quatros and scubapro jet fins. I am happy with both. ihave been using the quatros since 2003 and got the jets because i went to a full wet suit and needed the neg bouyancy to counter the suit legs.
the reason i got the auatros was a trip to coz or beliez and did a drift with split fins and could not counter the current. for the flamers this is not an attack on split fins, it is merely conveying how they worked for me. both fins can take some muscle to use them. after a while you learn to adjust and when you do you quit leaving the group behind. the auatros have one heck of a passing gear so to speek.
 
Being in Florida every dive I do is a drift dive and with a strong current lol... I love my Aqualung Super Rockets. I was using Atomic Splitfins, and they are now collecting dust. I would personally try out Aqualung Rockets, Scubapro Jetfins, or OMS Slipstreams etc. Don't take my word for it though! You may hate them (as everybody seems to hate AL Rockets lol)
 
Any of the divers in this thread that would like to try DiveR's or force fin excellerastors, or Hollis F1's, are welcome to try a set of mine on a Palm Beach Dive ( or BHB). I had a pair of Scubapro jetfins, but Sandra appropriated them :)
Dan
 

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