I recently tried a new technique for dynamics w/ my mono and had pretty good results. Basically, the technique that I tried was to make a few fast strokes and then glide. According to a several papers that I skimmed on the dynamics of swimming fish, optimal thrust requires that you maintain a certain ratio between speed, stroke frequency and stroke amplitude. As you go faster, the stroke amplitude must increase or the stroke frequency must increase (or both) in order to maintain optimal efficiency. My "theory" is that using a stroke and glide technique, you can get the optimal thrust efficiency and still keep the stroke frequency and amplitude within a range that human muscles can deliver. If you are constantly finning, you end up going faster and faster and the efficiency of the stroke inevitably declines because the strokes need to be imposibly fast and impossibly wide to provide optimal thrust. In addition, the water resistance goes up exponentially as you go faster (basically, you have to strike a balance between speed and the rate of oxygen consumption and going too fast causes the cost in terms of O2 consumption rate to exceed any benefit that you get from the greater speed).
On the other hand, I've never seen films of world-class dynamic swimmers using this kick & pause technique, so maybe it's not the best approach for some reason. According to the aforementioned papers, it is possible for an undulating body to generate drag below that of an equivalent rigid body if you move in the right way (Gray's paradox). Maybe that's why the "big boys" don't seem to do much gliding during monofin dynamics.
At any rate, if someone has the secret and is willing to share it ...
On the other hand, I've never seen films of world-class dynamic swimmers using this kick & pause technique, so maybe it's not the best approach for some reason. According to the aforementioned papers, it is possible for an undulating body to generate drag below that of an equivalent rigid body if you move in the right way (Gray's paradox). Maybe that's why the "big boys" don't seem to do much gliding during monofin dynamics.
At any rate, if someone has the secret and is willing to share it ...