Dynamic with fins and turning

[Killa]

This is the first winter I'm putting some time in the pool to try and better my apnea for summer spearfishing. So everything I do is only for improving my spearfishing and I don't have any intention of competing in competitions. I started with the beginning of February, and have been at the pool 8 times since then. Everything I do in the pool is with long fins (leaderfins carbon waves with leaderfins footpockets).

So I usually go to the pool 3-4 times a week. It's a 25m pool and I'm diving alone (yes I know about the safety concerns, but I don't have a buddy yet and my spearfishing is also 90-95% alone).

My maximum is currently at 50m. I can do 50m but not really comfortably, 40m is what I can do whatever I want, but 50m is usually a bit of a strugle. And as I am alone I also don't push it, so if I don't feel right I abort ~40m.

And the main reason for this thread is this question - how do you turn in the pool without loosing too much strenght. It seems to me, that I could easily swim 50m in a 50m pool, as I'm totaly relaxed and full of breath when I come to the turn, and after the turn it gets hard really fast. I tense up and can't do it smoothly. I've looked at some DYN videos but they are usually in 50m pools and the camera is somewhere in the middle, so I can't really see the proper technique. Any suggestions are wellcome.

 

[allinapnea]

So I usually go to the pool 3-4 times a week. It's a 25m pool and I'm diving alone (yes I know about the safety concerns, but I don't have a buddy yet ......).

My maximum is currently at 50m. I can do 50m but not really comfortably, 40m is what I can do whatever I want, but 50m is usually a bit of a strugle. And as I am alone I also don't push it, so if I don't feel right I abort ~40m.

And the main reason for this thread is this question - how do you turn in the pool without loosing too much strenght. It seems to me, that I could easily swim 50m in a 50m pool, as I'm totaly relaxed and full of breath when I come to the turn, and after the turn it gets hard really fast. I tense up and can't do it smoothly. I've looked at some DYN videos but they are usually in 50m pools and the camera is somewhere in the middle, so I can't really see the proper technique. Any suggestions are wellcome.

I'm at the exact same spot as you: I'm alone - which is stupid and not done really - and almost always aborting at 40m. I did 50 twice in a 25m pool, but that's really my max... for now. I guess it's the best we can do until we both find a dive buddy (and/or club!) to train properly and safely, like we should... Sigh...

 

[vali]

it is important how deep is the pool!!!
some of the pools are shallow but others have 2m depth at both sides [in shallow waters, the turn over is very dificult...especially with that kind of fins]
the turn over will drain you serriously of energy and oxygene, because many muscular groups are involved...
perhaps is better to reach slowly the end of the pool and turn easely with minimum effort...
ussualy a 50m pool can be done easyer than 2x25m pools
my comfort zone end arround 40-45m in a 50m pool, yet i manage to go near the wall at 50, turn over an do annother 10 or 15m, even the contractions are really bad [with safety buddy of course]
unfortunately you can't use monofins [with proper techniques, with monofins u can actually gain some good meters], as at the hunting you don't use such devices...
so!
to answer to your question:
when i do pools with bifins, i glide not in a hurry and i turn at 50 very slowly....
my advice: go and find a 50m pool and some buddy divers
perhaps other can help you more than i did....however, you must understand, that in DYN, the technique is essential; you must have perfect lestation and glide very correctly under water...a good technique is more important than how long your statics are!!!
hope that my advices was helpfull [however the spearo situations under water are farr more complex than the freediving ones ]
cheers!

 

[growingupninja]

Just practice turning. 25m (short course) pool is perfect for that. Start maybe 5m from the wall, swim to the wall, turn, continue 25, then do another turn, take a few kicks then surface... 2 turns in 35m of swimming.

Also, if you are doing sets of 25's, never stop at the wall--do a turn then stop. Otherwise you are training your mind to give up at the wall.

DYN is a pool swim; when I used to swim competitively another lifetime ago we were always trained to accelerate into the wall and hit turns aggressively with full commitment.

 

[Killa]

Just practice turning. 25m (short course) pool is perfect for that. Start maybe 5m from the wall, swim to the wall, turn, continue 25, then do another turn, take a few kicks then surface... 2 turns in 35m of swimming.

Also, if you are doing sets of 25's, never stop at the wall--do a turn then stop. Otherwise you are training your mind to give up at the wall.

DYN is a pool swim; when I used to swim competitively another lifetime ago we were always trained to accelerate into the wall and hit turns aggressively with full commitment.

This is some really good advice.

The pool is 1.2 m deep at one end and 3.5 m deep at the other. So when I do 25m legs I do them from both ends, and for 50m legs I always start in the shallow part of the pool so the turn is in the deep part.

But my training will be much less often now. Apparently a guy blacked out in a pool 25km away from mine, and the lifeguards are being very panicky now, so they don't allow apnea diving alone. Now my training is bound to another free diver, that has time only twice a week. :vangry

Today I will do 25 + 5m legs, so I can practice the turn. Maybe even the 5+25+5 if I'm actually able to do them

 

[dimitris33]

Mainly there are two ways to turn. First, by pushing off with legs and second by pushing off with hands.

The first one, for me is very energy drain and stressful cause of the knees bending up pushing belly up and pushing all air up as a consequence.

The second is best for me cause no bend of knees is involved nor leg pushing which is energy loss.

You can see the first here: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9ZkAJz8J7U]WWC2010 - Dave MullinsDYN (257) .MP4 - YouTube[/ame]

and the second here: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIsFOo9Q7Ag]Goran Colak, Denmark 2009 WCh Dyn 244m.wmv - YouTube[/ame]

The principle remains the same for either monofin or bifins.

Both videos from world champions.

 

[allinapnea]

Great info! Love it, thanks!

 

[growingupninja]

This is some really good advice.
But my training will be much less often now. Apparently a guy blacked out in a pool 25km away from mine, and the lifeguards are being very panicky now, so they don't allow apnea diving alone. Now my training is bound to another free diver, that has time only twice a week.

You can see great training benefit from hypoxic cardio swimming, and this is something you can do at a regular lapswim. Do laps or interval sets, surface swimming but where you breathe less often; ie if you ordinarily breathe every 3 strokes, force yourself to breathe every 7, etc.

 

[anthropisces]

I am diving in a 4' deep pool. My turn goes like this;

As I approach the wall one hand goes to the bottom, the other goes to the wall. My fin tips come out of the water and I swing so that my fin tips begin to cut a circular motion. My hand on the bottom is the center of that circle that I am pivoting about. The arc continues until the upper tops of my fins are against the wall and the tips of my fins are out of the water and above the edge of the wall. I then push off with the tops of my fins which propels me forward nicely. I am using Gara's in the pool, which I'm not worried about scratching.

One of my training buddies nearly stands up at the end of the pool during his turn. Whatever works.

 

[Killa]

I started diving 2 times per week with a buddy, who is more experienced and showed me his turn. I'm still not executing it smoothly enough but I'm getting there.

And there is no way I'll push off from the edge with my fins

 

[wjohnson100]

As far as turns go, I have a lot of videos on my IG channel @walter_johnson_770

And on my youtube chanel also with some instructional videos.

https://youtube.com/@wjohnson100?si=jRg5g4QLX6tyBCt6