Swimming&Diving with Lunocet Monofin

[Chipswim]

I think it would be accurate to call these threads "summit meetings of innovators"!!

We get to see stuff first, use it first and some times even dream it first. These gatherings accelerate all that!

Great swim "as usual" this morning.... But vastly different from the swims a year ago.... Two or three years ago!

In no small measure thanks to you posters!

So how about a year or two or the in the future???

I know some of the ways we are testing and prototyping to go.... On my own I attempt to imitate what I think is coming which has given me a peep hole into the Imagineering of others.

Let me say we are NOT at the pinnacle! Great stuff just ahead!

I'm now running two complete rigs. Both really nice. The beauty is I can either have a guest or modify one while using the other.

Here's a photo of the "harem" of Lunos:

Always have the next set in mind. NO DOUBT!! It's going to be even more incredible!

 

[cdavis]

Raffy,

Thanks for your comments. There aren't many posting who have serious experience with hyperfins or good technique. Your views are valuable, especially to me. Keep'em coming.

On agility, I had the same experience with the Dol-fin vs normal monos. I think it is the smaller surface area of foil fins that makes the difference. Also think that is the root of why the foil fin works for my kind of diving. Would love to see a close comparison of that issue between the Luno and a Dol-fin. I suspect the Dolfin is better at it, just because of its lower surface area, but could be wrong.

Another subject. My undulation technique could use some help and I don't do undulation on the surface well at all. Could you point me to a good source if info on exactly what and how to do the surface practice thing?

Connor

 

[cdavis]

Chip,

I'd love to see some more video of your setups, at a medium, very relaxed speed. Very interesting idea.

 

[Chipswim]

Hi Cdavis!

Actually it might fit with your surface question too. Have to test with snorkel tomorrow.

I've been experimenting with a method where I focus on the front fin and just let the rear fin do what comes naturally..... Instead of the focus on the rear..... At least my perception is that knee bend disappears and all flex moves toward the center of the body. Both are form flaws for me. Feels almost like slip free propulsion. Will find a time for Taylor to make a fresh video. Imagine it to be a "prettier" stroke for me. Speed and distance similar so far. Effort a bit less.

I like the word "feedback" from above. I lock my Lunos down to the point there IS substantial feedback!

 

[Raffy]

Another subject. My undulation technique could use some help and I don't do undulation on the surface well at all. Could you point me to a good source if info on exactly what and how to do the surface practice thing?

Connor

Thanks Connor. I'm just figuring these things out as I go along, so I'm glad if any advice I have helps you.

About your question, I mentioned Mike Maric, who I took a monofin workshop with a few years ago. For me, he's the best source. He published a book called "Learn the Monofin" a few years back and now it is translated into English. Everything you would need to learn about good monofinning technique is all in there, from the basics to practice, perfecting, and adapting your own style. If interested, I think you would have to request it directly from the publisher (go to http://www.mikemaric.com/index.php?id=219 and follow purchase instructions). I don't know which other distributors who carry it.

About the surface practice I mentioned, specifically,
1. to start, get rubber short fins (soft) if you can and a frontal snorkel.
2. Use a kickboard for your hands, and then try to keep your fingertips and your forehead level with the surface of the water as you undulate.
3. Try to get amplitude out of the up and down movements and keep your legs together (don't bind them in any way). Also try this without fins.
4. Don't bend your knees, but don't lock them either. There is a middle ground - you'll feel it when it's right.
5. When you get better at keeping your fingertips and forehead at the surface, following the water line, remove the kickboard and let the palms of your hands glide on the surface.
6. Maintain the water-line with your forehead as well. It will be difficult at first, but you'll get it with practice.
7. Remove the snorkel and try doing single lengths that way. The important thing here is to concentrate on the technique, not on the apnea.
8. Then you take it underwater and you'll be amazed at how much more hydrodynamic you feel.

Try to give steps 2, 5 and 7 around 15 minutes each. It takes a some core strength to do this, by the way, so if you've got it, great. If not, you might be feeling a bit achy afterwards - but it's a good ache, since you're strengthening those abdominal and lumbar muscles needed for good monofinning technique.

 

[cdavis]

Thanks, I'll try that and get the book if that looks necessary.

 

[Chipswim]

This time of year there are some extra cool things to see under water!

For the first time this morning we had two complete Lunosapiens at once! It is even more fun to Luno with someone to observe.

In the past if I loaned my Luno to another swimmer I was back to regular fins so I couldn't keep up. Today it was more like formation flying than swimming. Liked it.

One of my Lunocet fore fins is weighted, the other is light so we traded off experimenting with those. I like them both a lot. Once you've used one it becomes a strong preference to enhance hands as well as feet for diving.

 

[Chipswim]

Loved my '68 Charger when I was a kid. Thought it was neat when it would break loose, get squirrelly and waste power.

I love my Lunocets for the opposite reason. They DON'T break loose get squirrelly or waste power!

Looking to find examples to express the attributes I ask of my fin......led to the wave like image~~~~~~ of gears meshing. The non-slip implications fit too! I want the fin to stay hooked up and efficient whether just rolling along or striving for maximum speed under full effort.

That's what my Lunos have provided every day this week. At some point during each swim I think these have to be the finest swimming equipment in the world!

Strangely, I already know the next one is going to be even better partly because of what we have learned from these!

 

[finSailor]

Nice one, Chip. As always. Mine is working perfecly too, no reasons to complain at all.

I've been diving pretty regularly nowadays, just enjoying and focusing on technique. 75-80m DYN goes pretty easy, and I'm not even pushing to samba limits yet. I know it's not much comparing to my divebuddies going over 200m, but at least I've tripled the distance in 5 months. And I feel that thanks goes partly to Luno, since there are no problems to exercise long hours. No leg cramps whatsoever.

The only really sad thing here is that war going on in another thread

 

[neurodoc]

At last...the water is waiting for me, glassy and tickling my nostrils with the familiar scent of chlorine as I sit before it. I slip under the surface and feel its caress as my body somehow remembers what to do. My Lunocet provides the smooth acceleration I remember, helping me to slip through from my stressed and fatigued reality to the underwater realm where relaxation rules and the noise above is drowned out. I smile as I feel my body respond to the call of the water. I am home.

It's been a really long month without any swimming! I closed my clinic, packed it all up in a big trailer and drove to Maine and back. Got my daughter from college and picked out a new location for my office! A whole lot of busy packed into a month. It was so good to get back underwater again.

 

[Chipswim]

Welcome back Doc!

Incredible stuff in the works!

Today show link from ultimateswimfin.com

Two first time Luno swimmers in the piece on their first use.



There are two undeniable qualities of Lunocet:

1. The visceral response to the design... That makes sense... I want one!

2. When you put it on you swim successfully on first attempt.

 

[Marco_W]

all stuff to pack one`s bag swimm suit; luno;action cam repairing stuff and tomorrow on the way to croatia... hope to find some dolphins watching me and wondering which kind of animal is passing...
back in three weeks with hopefullysome cool vids...

 

[Ichthys]

One thing that video makes me realize is that I would prefer to have shoes which are a different color than the fin itself. Ordinarily I would prefer dark/black shoes, because I'm partial to dark colors, but those white shoes allow the fin to stand alone, visually, which really looks much better IMO.

It might be neat to go with a reflective/chrome look for everything but the spring and fin (causing it to sort of take on the hue of the surroundings)...

 

[neurodoc]

I like the way you're doing your turns, finsailor! looks pretty smooth. When you get the buoyancy right you'll see a good improvement as well of course.

 

[neurodoc]

Wow, just got to watch the Today show episode. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing it, Chip! It's really nice to see some visibility for the Lunocet, as I've come to just love the thing. It's really sweet swimming. Raffy, thanks so much for the technique advice and book link. I'm always looking for ways to improve my dolphin kick and swim better. Every few months I compare to old videos and see I'm still improving. I know two years ago I had huge issues with drowning the snorkel on surface swimming due to my upper body and head moving up and down too much; now that just never happens at all.

 

[Marco_W]

it´s quite interesting that my third spring is already broken, and no one will give feedback to me.
Am I really the only one with these Problems???
I used the Luno in croatia, daily at least for 4 hours per day... and again issues....
I´ll be greatfull for any advise what i can do!

 

[finSailor]

@Marco_W, are you saying that the spring is useless after so few hours? It does soften very much in the beginning, but after that I added 2nd pin and it's been constant since..

 

[Marco_W]

the worst one is this on the first axle... the others are not yet so deep

 

[Marco_W]

i sad its broken not complet useless! it has it function, as i see it ,the spring is taken his space what it needs to work, and this means space around the first axle...the oblong hole in the fluke frame parts is useless, the pin there is not moving by bending, cause the spring form on the ends fix it there.

 

[Marco_W]

interesting, that the first spring began also on the same length to cut and brake ,untill it was complete useless...