Swim training with bifins

[waterman503]

Did a reasonable (5k) swim today in open water. Swam the first 2.5 without fins and the second half with my Cressi Gara 3000 LDs.
I found it quite different to coordinate my normal freestyle arm sequence with the fins on. Sort of a mismatch feeling. I don't have this problem with my rescue/training fins (much smaller, higher frequency kick).
I'm training to see what distances I could comfortably cover when wearing the cressi's.
Anyone else distance/endurance train with the long bifins?

 

[Simos]

I hate swimming in my Cressi long fins nearly as much as I love swimming in my Cressi swim fins

They're just not made for swimming on the surface, I think there is hardly any point in trying in my opinion unless you enjoy it

 

[waterman503]

That's a perfect response, sort of what I expected. So what is the most efficient way to surface swim using an aid such as fins? What sort of fins?

 

[Simos]

If you swam 5k you should be giving me advice lol

I have a few pairs of short, swim fins (Cressi, alpha and some rubber swim fins). I still like the Cressi ones which are the first I had bought, they give decent propulsion without being tiring and you can get into a nice crawl rhythm using them. The foot pockets are also comfortable...

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004071ULW/ref=asc_df_B004071ULW8201197?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B004071ULW"]Cressi Light Swim Fins: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41oPcBuZTZL.@@AMEPARAM@@41oPcBuZTZL[/ame]

 

[growingupninja]

Did a reasonable (5k) swim today in open water. Swam the first 2.5 without fins and the second half with my Cressi Gara 3000 LDs.
I found it quite different to coordinate my normal freestyle arm sequence with the fins on. Sort of a mismatch feeling. I don't have this problem with my rescue/training fins (much smaller, higher frequency kick).
I'm training to see what distances I could comfortably cover when wearing the cressi's.
Anyone else distance/endurance train with the long bifins?

I don't train for distance in long fins but I used to enjoy long surface ocean swims, mostly freestyle and butterfly. I didn't use them but duckfeet like Simos is talking about would have worked.

I use a stiff longfin for spearing and sometimes cover a lot of distance. I can't use my arms with a gun but even without a gun I don't use my arms, I either kick just under the surface, kick sidestroke, or sometimes kick on my back. I don't use a snorkel. In my opinion arms recovering out of the water get in the way with longfins. And longfins are more efficient with a large amplitude kick so crawl is very inefficient...your body position is wrong to take advantage of the fin.

 

[waterman503]

Would a monofin be better (more efficient) than bifins for distance surface swimming?

 

[growingupninja]

Would a monofin be better (more efficient) than bifins for distance surface swimming?

I don't use monofin but some of the people I train with are mostly monofinners... I seriously doubt a mono would be better than long bifin, probably worse for surface swimming. Body position is just always inefficient. If I was going to cover a lot of surface distance in long fins in the most efficient way possible, with my hands unencumberred, I would kick along a few feet under the surface either dolphin or flutter and whenever I needed a breath I would do a one arm butterfly stroke and kick, breathing to the side. Butterfly has a natural dive motion to it and dolphin kick works to drive me down from the surface without needing to fully duck dive. This would still take me more energy than just using a traditional surface stroke, though.

 

[Mullins]

I seriously doubt a mono would be better than long bifin, probably worse for surface swimming. Body position is just always inefficient.

Why is this?

 

[growingupninja]

Why is this?

Re: inefficient body position.
As stated before I am not a monofinner but swam seriously for many years so this is partly conjecture. For surface swimming you get the best speed and efficiency when horizontal and by being more on top of the water. Same as planing a boat; if the rear end/propulsion is too low there is a lot of resistance to push through the water. It is very common mistake with people trying to swim butterfly; they think they are suppossed to come up when they breathe but if they are doing it right the head really pushes forward. Of course to do that the swimmer has to fit enough to be moving pretty fast. It is easier though to swim butterfly in the ocean (waves aside) since saltwater is more bouyant.

Long fins do nicely with a relatively wide kick, moreso I think if the fins are soft or if the swimmer/spearo is encumbered (creating drag). So more of the leg needs to be submerged to take advantage of the kick.. And so if you are trying to keep your head near the surface you would end up with a body position that is creating additional drag.

Solution is to swim underwater or perhaps use a snorkel. I swim underwater mostly since I don't use a snorkel.

All that being said I watched one of the monofinners in the pool the other day swimming on the surface and she was doing well swimming on her back, head out. I do this is longfins frequntly to rest and cover ground; seals and otters like it too. Problem is that you can't really see where you are going.

What is your take?