Pool training fins

[Jon]

I don't know if this should go under monofins or bi-fins, but I suddenly find myself in need of a new pair of training bi-fins to augment my monofin training.


I'v read that most monofin training is done in bi-fins, with only about 20% being done while wearing the monofin itself, so the question is what are other monofinners out there using for their training fins?

I had been using a 16+ year old pair of Mares Avanti Hp's, I guess I couldn't expect them to last forever, but now I don't know what I want to replace them with?

First the monofin breaks and now the pool fins.

Anyone know where I can buy a pair of fins like these?

Jon

[trux]

Yes, sure, these are the famous communistic Naiads. It was the only type of fins you could find in the East Block until mid eighties, but they were really excellent. Light, durable, and efficient multitalents. They were produced in Eastern Germany and possibly also under license in Czechoslovakia, but I think the production was unfortunately stopped long time ago. Time to time I still see them in some stores outside Prague. If you are really interested, I may still manage to get a pair for you.

EDIT: yeah, I forgot to tell - in that time they've cost something like one or two dollars the pair (new)

[Jon]

Hmmmm, let me think about that- I'm a size 43.

Trux, do you use a monofin and what other bi-fins are you using to train with?

I have a small pair of rubber siwm fins, which are too soft, and another pair of hockey fins, Sporasub Cruise's, but they seem way too stiff. I'm like Goldilocks looking for that semi-soft pair in the middle. I could just buy a new pair of Hp's, but it seems to me that there must be something more sport specific.

My mother and grandmother are talking about making a trip over there this summer- turns out our family is from Rybnik and they want to go visit the old family homestead. I'm sure that that they would like nothing better than to bring me back home a pair of fins.


Jon

[trux]

Currently I only use bi-fins, though am thinking about finally getting a monofin too. I train with my normal fins (C4 Flaps), but have always a spare pair of Mares Volo's in the bag. I think you would tell they are rather soft, though they are very efficient. It is maybe 20 years I did not use Naiads, but as much as I remember, although they were very light (I hitch hiked with them many times to the Black Sea and back - a 5000km trip), they were not too soft. We used them in that time also in our military scuba course (Svazarm).

The problem may be that they were made from plain rubber, so if there is no recent production and the fins come just from old stock, the rubber may be quite aged. I'll ask my brother though - he works in the chemical industry and has close relation to most of rubber factories in the east block, so he will know if they were produced later too or still are somewhere.

However, nostalgia apart, and although Martin Stepanek did some very ipressive dives with the Naiads too, I guess you can certainly find many good fins suitable for such pool training in every bigger diving store.

"Rybnik" - do you know it actually means "Pond" in English? I do not know where it is - they are several villages of that name here, but likely close to water.

[Jon]

My mom is pretty big into the whole Geneology thing and says that she has traced that part of the family back to the mid 1700's. After looking the place up on a map, and talking to some local "experts" it sounds like they were actually carp farmers in that village- my dive buddies got a pretty good laugh over that. It kind of looks like the whole area is one big marsh with not so good farm land but some great places to drop in a fish cage and raise some prize winning carp.

I can pick up any snorkeling fin I guess, but was wondering if there were something more specific for training in monofin swimming. I see that waterway sells small training fins- they call their's the "dolphin" model.

Jon

[trux]

I just checked - there are 225 towns and villages with Rybnik in the name in the Czech Republic, though possibly only 3 to 5 called directly Rybnik. Farm fishing and specifically carp aquaculture is a tradition in Czech lands since several centuries and I do not quite understand why your buddies laughed over that. It is a serious business and the carps rarely have chance to grow to receive any other prize than that the cook gets after an excellent dinner. We eat them quite small (1 - 3kg are best). They are the necessary part of each traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Few days before Christmas, there are tanks full of carps on every street corner of every town. People use to buy them living, bring home, keep in the tub and then prepare for the dinner on the Christmas Eve. It is absolutely necessary part of the Christmas magic, and unforgettable event for every child.

One of the Rybnik villages is in Southern Bohemia, near the town Cesky Krumlov, which is one of the most beutiful medieval cities in Czech Republic, and in Europe too. It is a must-see, but Southern Bohemia has many other beutiful treasures - besides thousands of ponds, and the best preserved nature in Czech Republic, it is full of castles often resembling those on French Loire, and is also the the place where the world best beers come from - Pilsen Urquel in Pilsen that gave name to all beers of that name (Pils / Pilsener means a beer brewed in the way originally invented in Pilsen), and also the original Budweiser (in the city Budweiss) which unlike the shameless and poor US brand plagiation, is an excellent beer.

That told, if you ever plan going to that region, I have a good friend close to Cesky Krumlov, who bought and reconstructed a nice farm there, and since he lived longer time in States, he often has American visitors there.

[Jon]

I'll get more details from my mom on which part of the counrty it's in. I'm sure it's part of Bohemia and I remberit being east of Prauge by an hour or so.

Carp don't hold the same high place in our society over here as they do where you live. I have a freind from Prague, Jitka, who told me stories abot growing up with the Christmas Carp. People here just laughed, but that may be because the carp we have are not native and have done quite a bit of damage to a number of our lakes.

I agree that the smaller ones taste better than the larger ones, especially when taken from the colder waters of winter vs. the warm water we get in late summer. I've only had them smoked, but I understand that there are many different ways to cook them.

Jon

[BennyB]

Jon I saw some of those Waterways fins last night at training, they are similar in size and shape to the ones Stepanek is holding in that photo.

The ones I use and think are great for mono training are just cheapies I bought from a sportstore, the type that normal swimmers use in their sessions. They are soft rubber and don't really propel that well but that's what you want. I would recommend getting a pair that are roughly twice the length of your foot.

I trained for 2 months straight with these fins and it feels terrible at first because you get no propulsion. Then you start using the right muscles and you get some movement and it feels fantastic, so much better than a mono in fact (though not as fast, it feels more fluid). Then try your mono again and see how you go. I put about 20m on my PB the first time afterwards I attempted a max, and for over 2 months I hadn't done more than 50m dynamics, mostly 25m's in fact.

I think I paid Aussie $20 for mine too, and picked up another pair in the UK for 13 pounds so you're not breaking the bank.

Cheers,
Ben

[Jon]

Thanks Ben that what the info I was looking for. I already have apair of fins like that, and have been using them since I broke the HP's.

You are right in that they have no thrust. I've resorted back to flutter kicking with them to go further than my dolphin, but I guess I need to switch back to the dolphin with them to work on my monokick.

jon

[Jon]

Trux,

This is the city they're looking to go to:

"The Rybnik we are looking for is located southwest of Rudelsdorf and Lanskroun in the district of Usti nad Orlici. Is is just outside of the border that includes Rudoltice, Ostrov, and Knapovec. Ceska Trebova is just to the north. "


Jon

[trux]

OK, I see. It is another one, not the Rybnik in Southern Bohemia I spoke about. On Google Maps there are not too many details (49°53'20.33"N / 16°28'21.91"E), but there is a quite detailed aerial photo on mapy.cz. I do not know that part well, apart passing by sometimes by train - it is near a major railway hub - you can see it just below the Rybnik village.

[rslomkow]

Looks like Polyorg.de sells something very similar that they call a "Russian Delphin" fin. Rubber latex fin.

No connection to Polyorg, I was just wondering around their site obsessing about getting a monofin.

http://polyorg.de/shop/product_info....17ff7a3edd40df

27.70 Euro.

[trux]

Yes, these look quite similar to the old Naiads

[mauiman]

I use rubber speedo's for training.

But I am interested in ordering cressi light's. They seem like good flippers for training. Anyone has experience with them?

[khel]

Originally Posted by rslomkow

Looks like Polyorg.de sells something very similar that they call a "Russian Delphin" fin. Rubber latex fin.

No connection to Polyorg, I was just wondering around their site obsessing about getting a monofin.

POLYORG WASSERSPORT Monoflossen Duoflossen Rettungssport Rettungsschwimmen Flossenschwimmen Apnoe Duofins Saverfins bifins duofin saverfin bifin monoaletasas aleta - russian rubberfins rubber fins finswimming Russian Rubber Fins "Delphin" GF 02

27.70 Euro.

Wow, sweet memories I grew up with those - they were great! And even after I've lost one fin (they were 3 sizes big to me) I continued swimming in one for another couple of years

Jon, here's a nice place to get ALL kinds of training fins Kiefer On-Line Swim Shop