Fin kicking improvement

Hello.

A free diver from Okinawa.Like thisis.

This time, we will talk about fin kicks.

If you can become good at fin kicking, not only will you be able to take advantage of the propulsion power that comes from the fins, but in free diving it will affect the duration and distance you can hold your breath, and in skin diving it will make your swimming style more graceful and will undoubtedly look good in photos and videos.

This is a point you should definitely keep in mind.🙌

Fin Features

Long fins are often used in free diving and skin diving, but the characteristics of the fins vary depending on the manufacturer and model. It's like individuality.

However, the same features can be said for all fin models:Pushing water aside with the blade surfaceThis is what gives it its impetus.

Whether or not you understand this will have a big impact on your improvement in fin kicks.

And this is,Not only the front surface of the blade but also the back surfaceUnderstanding this will help you improve your fin kicks.

Fin kick tips

Kick with your fins without bending your knees. If you have learned free diving or are interested in it, you may have heard this before. In other words, you should kick with your fins while keeping your legs straight. However, the tip I want to share with you today is,Just keeping your knees still isn't enoughAnd let me add one more thing.

Don't even bend your ankles!

The reason is the same as not bending your knees, and it's because this fin kicking method puts the most muscular strain on your legs.

I can almost hear you thinking, "Huh? What? What do you mean?"😂

The most efficient way to use fins for propulsion is when the blade surface pushes through the water. When pushing through the water firmly, the surface experiences resistance from the water. This makes the surface feel heavy, and requires muscle strength.

Going back to the point about not bending your ankles, when you kick the fin back after kicking it forward, the underside of the blade also experiences resistance from the water. If you are not conscious of this, your ankles will succumb to the weight of that resistance and bend, which will cause the water resistance to escape and prevent you from getting maximum propulsion.

So, the tips I have in mind are:Be aware of not bending your knees when doing a front kick and your ankles when doing a back kick.is🤝

Common examples

The ankle of the kicking leg is bent almost at a right angle. This means that the water cannot be caught by the blade and escapes, resulting in insufficient propulsion.

Good fin kick

The kick extends all the way to the toes, making full use of the fins' characteristics.

Practice Method

Even if you try to practice not bending your knees when doing a front kick and your ankles when doing a back kick while diving, it often doesn't lead to immediate improvement.

So,Treading water on the surface while wearing finsIt is recommended to practice with.

Have someone observe and point out what is happening to your knees and ankles while you are treading water, and practice while understanding which kicking technique will put the most strain on your legs.

You will immediately feel the difference in weight between a normal kick without thinking about it and a kick that is conscious of the weight and encounters more resistance from the water!

lastly

What I have talked about today is about fin kicking by understanding the characteristics of the fins, but it does not apply to all free divers or skin divers. Some people may end up using more force than before, and even if you kick in the same way, your knees may or may not bend depending on the length and hardness of the blade. You may also feel stressed by being too conscious of this and be unable to hold your breath.

It is very important to stay relaxed while diving, so I think it's a good idea to become aware of and get used to how to use your body, and then practice so that you can swim efficiently while staying relaxed.