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Training with fins and snorkel
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Wanted to know if any of you train with fins and snorkels. I have been using my speedo fins and finis snorkel for swim training and I am liking the improvements I am seeing in my stroke body rotation and kick. I also purchased the techtoc and really can see how it has helped with my body rotation and shortning my stroke count. What drawbacks can you see in me using this for my training or how can you see this helping me in my swim times for racing.
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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I would think that investing time in learning how to bilateral breathe would benefit you more than snorkle training.

I had a friend with fused vertebrae that couldn't turn her head to breathe, and she swam with a snorkle, so it made sense in her case.

Train how you race and I don't know of any races that allow fins.
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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QRgirl I do train/swim without them. Just wanted to know since they were recomended by a swimming/triathlon coach. Its my forst time using them
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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If you are seeing improvements in your stroke, use them - but don't swim your entire workout with them. Use them as any other training tool - like a kick board, paddles, bouy, etc. Do a small portion of your workout with them to work on your stroke technique, then dump them and work on having the same body rotation, etc without them.

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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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I'll occasionally swim with my snorkel - and try to not drown - when I feel like my head position is getting a little wonky or I just have a long set & am able to just cruise. If I do a lot of open water (which I am now), my head position starts to creep up due to the sighting, so it's good to reinforce my head-down position sometimes.

Likewise, I'll put my fins (though I use Zoomers, not big fins) on for maybe a tough kick set to make it harder and/or get my legs to move faster. I try to focus on really moving my feet & kicking hard if I have them on though - not slacking & using them as a crutch. They're intended to reinforce the proper kicking - ankle flexibility & full-motion kicking from your hip not your knees.

I don't use them together & probably never will, the combination would put me so far from my "real" stroke that I'd probably do more damage than good. Like putting my fins & paddles together...no no no (makes my shoulders & glutes hurt just thinking about it...). I use one tool at a time in order to focus on whatever it's intended to improve, then work on reinforcing that improvement into my "normal" stroke without any toys.

The Techtoc thing looks like it would drive me absolutely batty, too much noise & something creating resistance around my waist...how is that helping to shorten your stroke count? And why are you trying to shorten your stroke count? Are you just trying to speed up turnover or are you trying to increase distance per stroke? I usually take around 14-16 strokes per 25 SCY & am knocking out 1:15 100s comfortably....if I ratchet that up too much I just get sloppy. Of course, YMMV, but quicker strokes are only better if they're more efficient. Just curious!

Like has been said otherwise though, bi-lateral breathing to balance out your stroke and enough variation to work the "benefits" of the tools into your stroke are where the real benefits come from. Creating the muscle memory so that with or without them your stroke feels the same is the end goal, this will translate into speed.

AW
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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I swim with fins and snorkel (and band) every session (not the entire session, of course).
The snorkel and band really help me with streamlining, keeping my core engaged and increasing stroke rate.

The fins just help me feel what it would be like if I actually had any speed in the water (and more).
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [AWARE] [ In reply to ]
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I use the small fins speedo not long ones nor the short zoomers. I got them be uase i took a swim seminar at Tower 26 with Gerry Rodriguez and he recomends using them to help with getting the right body alignment stroke and catch and hel with good technique. The snorkel is used to take the worries out of the breathing part so you can focus on your technique and fins just to help move you along. I use them on and off depending what I am working on. Not really for lowering my stroke count but more for helping with speed body alignment and technique. When I dnt use them I can see the improvements in my swimming. They are not a crutch for me just an aid in my swimming. Paddles I dont use since he does not recommend them because they can create shoulder injuries.
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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Gerry Rodrigues rocks.
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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I'm taking swim lessons from a top-level coach, and all of my drills for now are being done with a swimmer's snorkel and fins - I just "graduated" from my Churchill fins to a smaller pair of Sporti fins, and hopefully I'll advance to zoomers and eventually my bare feet. I've always had a smooth stroke, but I've never had any speed. Then I tore up my shoulder and had surgery, and I've had shoulder issues off and on ever since. I've learned that I can't get away with any flaws in my technique now, so we basically started back at square one - the first two sessions were mostly about balance and core, I didn't even take a stroke until the 3rd lesson, and in lesson #4 we started to do some kicking drills. The fins let me "slow down" my motion so I can think and better feel what I'm doing, without worrying about my legs sinking so quickly. The snorkel takes the breathing motion out of the equation (although it does cause some interesting "other motion" when I swamp the stupid thing and suck in a lung full of water!). At our neighborhood pool (not many "real" swimmers there) I've gone from being "the lady who swims forever with the pretty stroke" to "the goofy-looking lady with the snorkel, nose clip, fins, and bag full of toys who does goofy-looking drills." But hey, if that's what it takes....

Diane
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [mdiane630] [ In reply to ]
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Great write up kinda of what I have been doing and I am also the geeky lady with the fins and snorkel and toys.....get some uglynlooksmfrom the uberr swimmers and wannabes
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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not really, snorkle training helps you with body position all the time, bilateral breathing is really only efficient if you do both sides the same way and since most people don't breathe right anyway (only one eye should be out of the water when you do) chances are you're a lot less efficient on the 'bad' side.

There is a purpose to the snorkel, but it's not to be used all the time.

Fins also help with body position, but again, don't use them all the time. They also give your legs a good workout. Get some fins that are meant for swimmers, to strengthen the kick etc, not just any fins will really do this.
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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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It is okay to use for some of your session, but don't rely on it. Some of the best tools for triathletes are pull buoy and paddles together (snorkel too if you like). Upper body and pull strength is what you need in distance swimming.



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Re: Training with fins and snorkel [spintela] [ In reply to ]
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I use my snorkel a lot (as per my coach instruction). I tend to move my head too much which causes my hips to drop. I'll use my snorkel intermittently to get the right feel. I wasn't an avid swimmer as a child, and I'm a bit of an oversighter in open water. I need to train myself to kept my head stable. I also have some posture problems from sitting at a desk all day. The snorkel helps me align my spine.
I don't use fins too much, and I've never tried the techtoc, but swimming is one of those things that is so darn technical that I would strongly recommend getting some good on deck feedback. I would never have realized the effect of my oversighting if my coach hadn't pointed it out. And I've got other problems that we're working on!
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