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10 years of fitness: freestyle & backstroke fins

For 10 years, Gary has been loving his shinfinTM fins for pool fitness, mainly freestyle and backstroke, swimming at least 75% of the days. Swimming in both salt and chlorinated pools, he finds the fins strengthen his lower back and improve his kicking technique, which continues even when he is swimming without the fins. This is because the fins encourage him to kick from his hips. Plus, they don’t hurt his ankles like regular foot flippers. Gary varies his fitness routines, sometimes using a kickboard, snorkel and hand paddles. He also uses them for water walking exercises, walking backwards wearing his fins to strengthen his back. He has just replaced his straps and is now looking forward to another 10 years or more with his fins.

10 years of swim fitness with shinfin™ fins for freestyle and backstroke
10 years of swim fitness with shinfinTM fins for freestyle and backstroke

Gary’s review from Central Coast, Australia

“As the months went by I found my kicking style improving with every swim. Now I just love them. When I swim without them, I notice that my kicking technique is much better than most. Certainly no ankle problems like most flippers. I also have a lower back problem and found that the shinfinTM fins really help strengthen my lower back.”

I have just had to replace the straps after 10 years’ use. While I didn’t swim every single day of those 10 years, I can guarantee that I swam at least 75% of the days in those 10 years. I highly recommend this product for any type of swimmer. Also, correspondence with Marc is, and always has been, exceptional. Anyway that’s all for me and I hope that you enjoy your shinfinTM fins as much as I have. I hope to get as much joy and fitness out of them for another 10 years or more.”

Gary’s review: 10 more years of fitness: backstroke & freestyle fins

“How long ago did I get them? I’ve used them constantly since then. Just rinsed them after use and kept them out of the direct sunlight. But now my straps have finally finished. Did I buy regular or longer straps? As they snapped off, I just adjusted them. It was always the end of the strap.”

“I have also been promoting the product constantly since then. Where I saw them (The New Inventors ABC TV show), where to get them and how good they are!!”

“I’m a walking, talking advert for your product.”

Reply

I just checked our records. You got your fins with regular length straps, about 10 years ago. 

Thank you for spreading the shinfin™ word. Personal recommendation is the best thing for helping a new idea like this along, so I really appreciate it. And the shinfin™ word is spreading well, thanks to people like you.

Can I ask a favour please? Would you be able to email me back some more details about how you have been using your fins and how they have benefited you over the years, with your permission to put some extracts from your emails on the website? I think it would be useful for other people to read what you have experienced.

Gary

“I am writing to you about your product shinfinTM fins. I have only ever written about other products for the problems they have caused. So I felt obligated to tell you about my experience with your product.”

“I saw shinfinTM fins about 14 years ago on the TV show on the ABC called The New Inventors. I purchased my pair of shinfinTM fins about 10 years ago. The purchasing process was very smooth. Package arrived promptly.”

“All I wanted this product for was pool swimming alone, in both salt and chlorinated pools. Having watched the video on on technique and fitting, along I went to the pool. Fitting was a little bit cumbersome in the beginning but in the end, I only took 15-20 seconds. Following the video instructions on technique, I found it pretty easy to get used to them, and was kicking away nicely.”

Better kicking style

“As the months went by I found my kicking style improving with every swim. Now I just love them. When I swim without them, I notice that my kicking technique is much better than most. Certainly no ankle problems like most flippers. I also have a lower back problem and found that the shinfinTM fins really help strengthen my lower back.”

Long lasting

“I have just had to replace the straps after 10 years’ use. The instructions for care are quite simple. Rinse with clean water and keep out of direct sunlight, which I did. I found the straps did break after about 8 years but only at the end that was used the most when putting them on. So I was able to just adjust the straps, move them along slightly and kept using them as I said, for at least 10 years. While I didn’t swim every single day of those 10 years, I can guarantee that I swam at least 75% of the days in those 10 years.”

“People are always asking me about my shinfinTM fins, as they are quite unique. I am always happy to let them know how they work and give the contact details for shinfinTM fins.”

“Oh, I highly recommend this product for any type of swimmer. Also, correspondence with Marc is, and always has been, exceptional. Anyway that’s all for me and I hope that you enjoy your shinfinTM fins as much as I have. I hope to get as much joy and fitness out of them for another 10 years or more.”

Reply

Thank you for your kind endorsement of shinfin™ fins and your permission to use it. I really appreciate it. It is wonderful to hear how you love your fins, for your fitness swimming in salt and chlorinated pools most days over the last 10 years or so. Yes, as you say, they really do improve your kick, helping to keep you fit and strong. All without straining your feet, ankles and calves, unlike regular foot flippers.

And yes, the polyurethane fins are highly durable, so you should get another 10 years’ benefit from them with your new straps.

Can I ask please, what strokes do you swim? And how long or far do you tend to swim each time?

Gary

“Freestyle and backstroke. I just try to swim for anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes. Depends on family, work or just life in general.”

“Also, I like to walk backwards in the pool for my back. Don’t have to take them off!! Then recommence swimming. I also use them with a kickboard and with a snorkel.”

Reply

I see that you vary your routines in the pool quite a bit, using a kickboard, snorkel and hand paddles too (from your photo). Yes, they work great for freestyle and backstroke, and butterfly too if you ever do that.

It is interesting that you like walking backwards, for your back. People use their shinfin™ fins for various aqua aerobics activities, including water walking.

Gary

“Marc believe it or not I was never taught butterfly. Or how to tumble turn. Breaststroke and backstroke I taught myself. It was just laps of freestyle!”

“Backstroke can only be done in indoor pool. I need something to look at to keep straight (roof beams). In an ocean pool, I’m all over the shop! Ran into someone once!”

Conclusion

You will love your shinfinTM fins, lightweight and durable for 10 or more years of fitness (in salt or chlorinated pools) swimming freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. They strengthen your lower back and improve your kicking technique, improvements that carry on even when you swim without your fins. This is because the fins guide you to kick from your hips. You can use them with a kickboard, snorkel or hand paddles to expand your fitness routines. You can also wear them for water walking exercises, for example walking forwards or backwards to strengthen your legs, back and torso. Furthermore, unlike regular foot flippers, they don’t hurt your ankles. If the straps wear out over time, when you replace them you can look forward to another 10 or more years of fin fitness swimming.

Related reviews illustrate getting a better workout with no foot or toe cramps, natural swim training without bad ankles and swimming backstroke and freestyle for recovery from ankle surgery. Further reviews show walking and snorkeling even with both ankles fused and avoiding foot cramps.