Fin Question - Which suits my need best?

[mg6682]

Hello,

I dont currently dive, but spend a lot of time in the pool for exercise purposes. I picked up a pair of Jet Fins for kicking work and am wondering if there is a better design for what I use them for. I use the fins to develop pure leg strength - doing drills such as holding a bucket of water over the head while treading water, etc. Is there a better fin, such as a freedive style fin that'll provide more resistance on the legs? I'd also be interested in any fun pool drills any of you might be doing to develop leg power.

Thanks,

Morgan

 

[Teamcasa]

For exercise, why use a set of fins at all?
There are many other dry ways to strengthen your legs. Many moons ago, I would do the strength work in the weight room then moved to the pool for cardio and to stretch out the muscles.

 

[BarryNL]

Actually, I'd say if you're looking to get your legs into the best condition for diving then a combination of weights at the gym and running (or similar) would have better results.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

To respond to your question ...

I cannot say that they're the best ... but a stiff, full-bladed fin like the Jets will provide you with quite a bit more resistance than a lot of the softer fins generally available for diving these days.

I'd say for the purpose you described, you have made a good choice.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[mg6682]

Thanks for the replies - I'm not trying to get my legs in shape for diving - I'm just looking for another way to "blast" my legs. I squat 2-3 times a week, I just get bored with it and thoroughly enjoy the pool work. The Jet Fins I have work pretty darn good, but was just curious if there is another design that will require my legs to work more.

Bob - it sounds like "stiffness" is what I'm after, not necessarily length or blade design. The dive shop owner where I bought them kind of chuckled when I asked him what fins were "best" for what I wanted (he'd never had a request for the hardest fins) and said the used Jet Fins would work pretty good. Other than a little play in the toe area, they seem to work my legs pretty good.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Hook a rope on to the bucket and drag it around behind you when swiming.

 

[Gary D.]

Thanks for the replies - I'm not trying to get my legs in shape for diving - I'm just looking for another way to "blast" my legs. I squat 2-3 times a week, I just get bored with it and thoroughly enjoy the pool work. The Jet Fins I have work pretty darn good, but was just curious if there is another design that will require my legs to work more.

Bob - it sounds like "stiffness" is what I'm after, not necessarily length or blade design. The dive shop owner where I bought them kind of chuckled when I asked him what fins were "best" for what I wanted (he'd never had a request for the hardest fins) and said the used Jet Fins would work pretty good. Other than a little play in the toe area, they seem to work my legs pretty good.

Try and find some DuckFeet. They don't come much stiffer than them.

Gary D.

 

[nwhitney2003]

Try not using fins but maintain the same speed that you atain while using fins. As far as treadwater; what type of kick are you using? In my experience as a waterpolo player/coach and swimmer/coach I suggest not using fins while treadwater and to use a rotary (egg beater) kick while treading water. That will provide a solid base to support you and you can move around the pool just by modifying your body. Carring things above your head while moving across the pool while treading water is a great leg work out, this can be done moving sideways, forwards, or backwards. Also, try egg beatering moving forward and at predetermined spots using your legs and abs see how high you can get out of the water and how fast. For more indepth questions I'm sure some (not all) of the lifeguards would be able to answer them, just don't ask while they are actually lifeguarding. Hope this helps.

 

[seaducer]

for cross training, try cycling

 

[OceanObsessed]

Hello,

I dont currently dive, but spend a lot of time in the pool for exercise purposes. I picked up a pair of Jet Fins for kicking work and am wondering if there is a better design for what I use them for. I use the fins to develop pure leg strength - doing drills such as holding a bucket of water over the head while treading water, etc. Is there a better fin, such as a freedive style fin that'll provide more resistance on the legs? I'd also be interested in any fun pool drills any of you might be doing to develop leg power.

Thanks,

Morgan

Morgan,

I use short Cressi excercize fins and Cressi Gara HF 2000's in the pool.

One of the excercizes that I do with the short fins to burn my legs is to hold a kick board vertical in front of me so that it is half underwater and half above water and swim forward. The kickboard offers alot of resistance and will cause leg burn pretty quick if you go full force. We do back and forth sprints like this. You can lay the kick board down on top of the water so that it kinda planes when the burn gets too bad. In the end it sounds like it is working the legs in a similar fashion but with a different approach. I've tried this with longblades and short blade fins and no fins and I get much better & faster thigh burn with the short blades for this type of excercise.

You could also just try holding your hand out against the pool wall and kicking instead of using the kickboard or bucket.

The Cressi Gara HF 2000's are only about $100 and they are on the stiff side for freediving fins. They will work different thigh muscles compared to the short blade fins.