Sporasub-par

[sinkweight]

Hey-ho, everybody...

I've been swimming in the lap-lanes...underneath people...since last Wednesday. It gave me a chance to try out my new Sporasub Dassaults. My first pair of fins.

Here's the dealy-o.

Right now, out of practice thanks to old man winter, I can go about 2 1/2 laps without fins. I suppose thats about 60-sump'm meters. Not that impressive as of yet, I know. I don't kick much but one scissor-kick per breast-style stroke and then glide.

The troubling thing is, that I can go further without fins than with fins. Granted, I've only been swimming with the buggers about 5 times.

I'm not bicycle kicking, in fact I barely give it much force. How fast does the average diver travel with such fins (sporasub dassaults)?

I wonder if it just takes getting used to. I can't help but get discouraged, and practice my dynamics without fins. I can only hope I'll be used to them by the time I take my clinic in May. I'm really taking the clinic to learn how to breath up and train, but I don't want this fin situation to get in the way.

Well that's my problem. Right now hands are winning over fins, as far as energy preservation is concerned. I'm starting to think that my sporasubs are meant to be purely diving as opposed to light dynamic.

What do the good Deeperblue citizens think?!

 

[Roan]

Dessaults aren't the stiffest fins around, the blades are on the softer side.

 

[sinkweight]

What kind of swimming/diving do you DO, and what fins do you prefer?

I'm really relying on the 'subs for beginner/intermediate performance in deep diving, but what do you feel the Jack-of-all-trades fin is, as far as dynamic/diving?

 

[Roan]

I do freedive spearfishing in the Pacific Ocean. I wear Sporasubs 90% of the time off the coast of Southern California. When I dive off of boats I'll sometimes wear Cressi Gara 3000's, I can get more power out of them.

 

[JMD]

Your laps will improve as your technique improves, give it some time. Try to go sloooowwww with the fins on. Use as little force as possible kicking from the ankle where possible.

 

[cdavis]

Longfins take some getting used to, don't despair. Dynamics are a good way to do that and yours are a good all round choice, plenty for 100 ft cw or 100 yards dynamic. Go slow is good adice, wide, but not super wide, stroke , knee slightly bent at the top of the up stroke. Try to avoid too much knee bend, bicycle kick is fast but not efficient. Get your hands above your head for better streamlining. You will figure out what works. At this point, technique is more important than distance. With practice, your 'with fins' dynamics will go way up. Pelizzari's book has some good illustrations and exercises. One exercise you might try, do the longfin stroke swimming straight up, head above the surface, without moving forward or back. If you can do that, your stroke is probably pretty close to right. Keeping your shoulders above the surface for very long is killer.

Oh yeah, I'm pretty certain I could not do 2 1/2 laps no fins.

On lap times, going slow for me is about 26 seconds for 25 yards, flat out is 13 seconds. I wear specialfin hybrids barefoot in spora pockets. Your slow should probably be slower and your max will be slower.

Good luck with practice

Connor

 

[island_sands]

Hey-ho, everybody...

I've been swimming in the lap-lanes...underneath people...since last Wednesday. It gave me a chance to try out my new Sporasub Dassaults. My first pair of fins.

What do the good Deeperblue citizens think?!

well i was wondering what you were looking at swimming underneath people in the lap-lanes... rofl

I was using my Dessaults yesterday, i was in the water 3 hours and at the end of it my ankles were aching.. does that happen to you too?

 

[JMD]

Yep your ankles will build up strength as you go...

 

[sinkweight]

well i was wondering what you were looking at swimming underneath people in the lap-lanes... rofl

Well, Sands, I can tell you my eyes are easily turned away from some of the Beluga-people that take to the water after the young, slender, women student-swimmers leave for the evening. Heh-heh. Yes, 8:00 to 10:00 is the time where all of Dallas' Dugongs come out to exercise. Now, there is the occasional mermaid that comes to practice the breast-stroke....haw-haww-hawwww.

I was using my Dessaults yesterday, i was in the water 3 hours and at the end of it my ankles were aching.. does that happen to you too?

Are you talking about rubbing, or muscle fatigue?

I only get sore ankles when I sprint in my cowboy boots to my friend's car to ride shotgun. (I tried it in Birkenstocks, but they seem to fly off and knock elderly people unconscious...and if they ever match up the footprint impacts on their faces to my shoes, I'm in trouble)

Actually, the top of my foot is so arched that my pockets tend to squeeze a little too much. They start to feel like the crap dress shoes that my best friend made us all wear during his wedding.

The last couple of times I tried dolphin kicking in the 'Subs, and got a suprise from how effecient the stroke is. I might look into buying a mono. Does anybody have a high-paying position open at their company?