Surface swimming is tough

[SanFranDiver]

So I figured that if I couldn't do a flutter kick at the surface, the solution would be to try it at the bottom of the pool. I got a 50AL from my LDS ('cause I didn't think I'd need an entire 80AL).

So here's the picture: a 50 instead of an 80, booties that could float a treasure chest, and FFs which are significantly less heavy than my split fins.

Commence the dive. Instead of my usual foot-dragging trim, I'm now doing headstands, with my ass and fins pointing to the sky. Additionally, due to the change in lift @ my feet, I can't keep my legs straight and flutter kick from the hips. Instead, my knees insist on bending, and my leg muscles (did I mention that I got the FFs because of knee problems and weak quads?) almost don't have the strength to go from bent-knee to fully-extended leg.

The awkward forward propulsion I managed to achieve was about 1/4 the speed of my split-fin flutter kick.

Unless someone has some suggestions, I don't think I currently have the leg strength to push the FFs thru the water using a flutter kick (or a scissor kick).

 

[uncleavi]

I have two torn ACL's that need fixing and arthritic feet so, I guess our ouches are different yet I have no problem kicking Force Fins. If your Quads are that weak call Force Fin and ask about the fins they make for Fraser Bathgate and his handicap diver fins. As a person who has chronic pain I am with you and I am sure there is a fin for you made by Bob Evans

 

[meesier42]

in general, divers that are new to Force Fins generally think they are going 1/4 their normal speed but in fact are going about 20% faster. trim problems... well I am sure you will figure that part out. just keep it up for a couple more practice sessions but get your trim under control and you will find they work very well with your knee issues.

 

[SanFranDiver]

in general, divers that are new to Force Fins generally think they are going 1/4 their normal speed but in fact are going about 20% faster.

Trust me, taking over a minute to do one lap in a 32ft pool while "audtitioning" my Force Fins is not 20% faster than I'm able to swim wearing my Tusa Xpert Zoom split-fins.

I'm not giving up, but I am puzzled as to what to do next. Maybe 1 pound weights on each ankle to level me off and un-bend my knees?

 

[meesier42]

I would try a comfort instep and loose the booties for a bit. Taking the buoyancy away, adding weights to your feet is likely to make your knee issues worse as you have to move more mass.

Trim with a AL50 is going to be screwy, its such a short tank there is no weight down on or below your hips, adjust your weight to sit low on your waist, so that when you are not kicking you are level. if moving the lead doesn't help enough, try duct taping a couple of pounds to the bottom of the tank, you can use an old style weight belt and solid lead and strap them to the boot of the tank. They sell tank boots with weights built into them, but I wouldn't recommend buying one until you know you need it, your LDS may have one you can rent/borrow.

 

[SanFranDiver]

I decided to avoid the scuba tank this morning, put on a less buoyant pair of booties + comfort instep -- and snorkeled.

Here's what I found swimming the diagonal of my 15x32 pool:

1. TUSA Xpert Zooms - 5-6 frog kicks required to cross the pool diagonal
2. Force Fins - 8-10 frog kicks (but felt less water resistance due to smaller surface area of FF )

The frog kicks were "leisurely", that is, I was going for distance/kick rather than speed/kick.

3. Force Fins -As was recommended, I can flutter/scissor kick at surface while laying on my side, but it's slower than either face-down or face-up straight-leg flutters with the TUSAs.

4. Force Fins - face down flutter kick - I can stay stuck in neutral for about as long as I want; no forward movement.

 

[Bob Evans]

SanFranDiver, reading your posts is bringing tears, time to give you a full refund. Best, Bob

 

[meesier42]

I am not surprised about the Frog kicking, they don't do that very well.

flutter kick is very surprising to me, I have used those Tusa fins and they were far and away the worst fins I have ever tested, lowest static thrust, lowest speed, lowest distance per kick. I actually have a pair of swimming fins from speedo that outperformed the Tusa fin.

If kicking on your back is slower, something seems amiss to me. Are you having problems kicking the fins at a reasonable cadence due to your knee problems. I appreciate all the effort you are putting into learning the new fins, but at the same time I think you may be trying too hard. Try relaxing more, kick at a more relaxed pace for 15-20 minutes on your back.

 

[SanFranDiver]

SanFranDiver, reading your posts is bringing tears, time to give you a full refund. Best, Bob

Maybe I need to take a remedial kicking class - for the life of me I dont' know what I'm doing wrong. I just picked up an 80AL and tomorrow morning I'm going to try again.

I think that a lot of my problems stem from not having much muscle strength to extend/straighten a bent leg - so my "power stroke" is a bit lacking.

Bob: I'd welcome any other thoughts/suggestions/incantations that you might have.

 

[SanFranDiver]

flutter kick is very surprising to me. . . . .

If kicking on your back is slower, something seems amiss to me. Are you having problems kicking the fins at a reasonable cadence due to your knee problems. .

meesier42: I think the problem is that I don't have much power in the down/power part of the kick (or if I'm on my back, the "up" kick). The up/recovery part is easier (since I'm primarily engaging the hamstrings rather than quads) which is why I think I'm being more successful with the frog kick.

Don't know if your familiar with the leg-extension exercise machine where you sit with a bent knee with a padded roller over the instep and then lift/straighten leg -- but for my bad knee, not only can I not lift my leg with any weights on the machine, but I need to assist my leg to overcome gravity and the weight of the roller by using the cheater handle which manually helps to lift the roller.

Simply sitting in a chair I can lift my left leg until it's parallel with the ground (fully extended). My bad knee/leg only comes up 75% of the way. And that's after Physical Therapy and regular exercise!