Flutter kick technique, ankle flexibility and fin stiffness

[ronscuba]

Just got back from a liveabord in Belize and wanted to share some thoughts on experiences on flutter kick technique, ankle flexibility and fin stiffness.

A few things about me and how I dive.
- Being a warm water recreational diver, I mainly flutter kick
- I am a small guy, 155 lbs.
- Over 500 dives
- Shoot video and photo
- Have owned many different fins, settled on preferring full foot fins
- This is my 3rd week long trip with free dive fins


After spending some time on the free dive forums, I read more about flutter kick technique.
- narrower width kicks are more efficient and faster
- narrower width kicks propel you forward rather than up or down because you are pushing water directly behind
- ankle flexibility and ankle strength is important because you want pointed toes on both up kick and down kick
- knees are pretty straight

- I started doing a little ankle stretching and strengthening to my infrequent exercise routine.
- Initially I would get cramps in the ball of my feet when keeping toes pointed on simulated up kicks. This went away as the muscles in my feet got used to it.

So after this trip, I found all of the above to be true. I also found that with the straighter knees, constant pointed toes, and narrower kicks, what I previously thought were soft fins, ended up working perfect.

I think when a fin is too stiff, you naturally bend your knees more in an effort to feel the fin blade flex and it is harder to keep the toes pointed on the up kick. This feels like power, but in actuality, you are moving a little up and down, instead of straight ahead.

Pointed toes on the down kick is natural because the resistance of the water pushes your ankle in that direction. Pointed toes on the up kick takes effort because the water is pushing your ankle in the opposite direction.

Anyway, sorry for the long ramble, but after having over 500 dives, it is kind of neat to learn new things.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

So your favorite fins for scuba are large "freedive" type fins?

 

[ronscuba]

So your favorite fins for scuba are large "freedive" type fins?

Yes.

Warm open water boat diving, I like my free diving Leaderfins.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Yes.

Warm open water boat diving, I like my free diving Leaderfins.

I have a strong preference for freedive fins as well. I haven't used a "normal" scuba fin in ... I don't remember when.

I have a pair of fiberglass/carbon fiber hybrid Leaderfin blades, but those are my most expensive fins.. I save them for freediving... for scuba I normally use fiberglass blades. Took me years to figure out how much better I can swim with these.

 

[ronscuba]

I have a strong preference for freedive fins as well. I haven't used a "normal" scuba fin in ... I don't remember when.

I have a pair of fiberglass/carbon fiber hybrid Leaderfin blades, but those are my most expensive fins.. I save them for freediving... for scuba I normally use fiberglass blades. Took me years to figure out how much better I can swim with these.

I have fiberglass Leaderfins blades with their footpocket. Ordered direct. Surprisingly affordable even with the shipping to US from Estonia. $150 shipped to NYC.

Did some good shore diving in Bonaire & Curacao, but it's all boat diving for me now. Getting too old to lug around tanks. No need for booties, so long fins for most dives, but Mares Superchannel full foots if I will be diving in tight spaces or travel space restrictions.

 

[dmaziuk]

Interestingly enough, this also happens to be the technique they teach competitive swimmers. And the one that apparently works best with split fins. And force fins.

That's one of the things that always amuses me about "do you need to learn to swim to scuba dive"-type threads: no, you don't. Except for, well, about everything to do with water and being in it.

 

[REVAN]

After spending some time on the free dive forums, I read more about flutter kick technique.
- narrower width kicks are more efficient and faster
- narrower width kicks propel you forward rather than up or down because you are pushing water directly behind
- ankle flexibility and ankle strength is important because you want pointed toes on both up kick and down kick
- knees are pretty straight

- I started doing a little ankle stretching and strengthening to my infrequent exercise routine.
- Initially I would get cramps in the ball of my feet when keeping toes pointed on simulated up kicks. This went away as the muscles in my feet got used to it.

Good for you! Too many divers treat scuba diving like a couch sport. A little attention to training and kick technique can go a long way. Combine that with some equipment streamlining and descent long blade fins and you can basically get the performance of a DPV for very little expense and travel weight. Like you, I basically scuba dive exclusively with freediving fins. The only "scuba" fins I have here are used for engineering and performance reference points. I never "dive" them anymore.

 

[Hitham]

i started scuba after being a freediving.. and hell yea diving scuba with freediving fins the superep.. but u need to know how kick them right (minimum knee bending with ankle flexibility) i still haven't mastered frog kick yet.. so even when i dive with heavy fins like sp Jet fins i kinda use same technique and works fine for me..
but at some point the freediving fins wont have enough power to move you forward when diving with heavier gear..

 

[dumpsterDiver]

i started scuba after being a freediving.. and hell yea diving scuba with freediving fins the superep.. but u need to know how kick them right (minimum knee bending with ankle flexibility) i still haven't mastered frog kick yet.. so even when i dive with heavy fins like sp Jet fins i kinda use same technique and works fine for me..
but at some point the freediving fins wont have enough power to move you forward when diving with heavier gear..

I have heard this before but have seen no evidence of it. I dive with a good bit of gear, sometimes 3 tanks, a big catch bag, a speargun and other misc stuff clipped off to my BC. Freedive fins are still my strong preference.

 

[Hitham]

I have heard this before but have seen no evidence of it. I dive with a good bit of gear, sometimes 3 tanks, a big catch bag, a speargun and other misc stuff clipped off to my BC. Freedive fins are still my strong preference.

by heavy gear i mean stage bottle and even doubles.. thats why im trying to learn how to use jetfins now