Efficient/Controlled finning

[john844]

I am just getting certified and wanted some pointers on proper finning techniques to be practicing.

My first item of curiosity is the kick to turn or pivot in place. This would be pivoting around my hips or belly button. I have seen it done, but would like more specifics on what my feet and fins should be doing. Currently, I am moving forward and turning. I still turn around in much less than a body length, but it doesn't feel correct.

The second is backing up. Kind of like a reverse frog kick? If my face is next to the reef, I don't want to have to turn around or use my hands to back up. I can inch backward, but it is taking much more effort than it should.

Are there other articles or posts dealing with this question that you could point me toward. I've spent a bunch hours looking through posts this last couple weeks, but did not run across any dealing with this.

Any advice, drills or pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks,
John

 

[Davidstealey3]

go to youtube.com and type in frog kick. there was a video at one point of a guy doing various types of kicks. you can watch them over and over to see what he does and try yourself.

as for the turn ( or helicopter turn as some call it ) you should your fin should be vertical in the water ( fin pointing up and down not side to side ) and move yor leg from the knee.

these techniques take some time to learn and and lots of practice to get proficient. its like the rest of diving, the more you do it the better you get.

good luck

 

[john844]

Thank you David

 

[BabyDuck]

the helicopter kick is one foot frog kicking and one back kicking - then you can switch to turn the other way. *or* you can scull just one foot & turn pretty well, too.

to learn the back kick, get a kickboard or float. you're just in the pool or whatever, normal swim attire, no fins. sweep your feet to the side & toward your bottom then pause for your body to glide, then do it again. you're using the sides of your feet, turning your lower legs from the knee. your thighs are fairly still. your feet go in circles in the horizontal plane. once you can back kick on the surface without fins, try with fins, then while diving. when diving, stay in trim with your head up to avoid the 'baby shrimp dance' where you go back some & up lots.

 

[waynne fowler]

There's a video from Dive X-tras that has been very nicely done. It goes thru all the finning techniques in a very detailed fashion. It's called "Intro To Tech" or some such thing. Good luck and keep working on them even when you'd rather not, in the end it will pay off for you.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

All the advice above is fine, but start with the basics.

For precision finning you need to build on the fundamentals - a very good neutral buoyancy hover and stable horizontal trim. If you have not mastered buoyancy and trim, you will be constantly fighting all those other forces and vecotrs and it will both complicate and steepen the learning curve.

Ideally you should be able to stop swiming and just glide to a stop floating at a constant depth in the water column without tipping head down, feet down or to either side. With no part of your body moving, the only thing happening should be a slight rise and fall in the water column as you breathe in and out.

 

[john844]

Boyancy and trim are not bothering me at all. I can hover level with no difficulties. Well at least it feels really close to level. I will have someone watch me, so I can correct this first in case my perception is off.

Thanks for all of the comments.

Can you elaborate on what scull is? I am not familiar with that term. Does that mean do nothing with it, or letting it just drag somehow?

 

[BabyDuck]

'sculling' is that little flapping we try to avoid with hands. if you do it with your fins, you can adjust where you are in the water. but if you do it a lot, there's something likely wrong with your trim or weighting.

 

[john844]

Just watched some of those videos. Maybe I do have small issues with my bouyancy. I am curious why their breathing does not seem to affect their bouyancy. Are they just breathing much more shallow? I move up and down more than that while breathing. If I had to guess, it is probably close to a foot from the top cycle to the bottom of cycle. Maybe that means I am breathing too slowly? i tend to inhale for 4-5 seconds and exhale for the same time. Overall, I stay at the same level, but I am costantly moving up and down with each breath.

I guess that's a different topic. I will look for some more info to read about that.

I don't notice myself sculling with either my hands or feet, but I will look for it the next chance I get.

 

[BabyDuck]

nope, they're likely breathing deeply and very slowly. watch the bubbles to time it. i'd say my respiratory rate on scuba is usually 4-8 breaths per minute.