Triathlon training with shinfinTM fins streamlines Charles’ body position, balances his breathing, lengthens his stroke and properly uses the larger muscles in his glutes. This all happens because shinfinTM fins lift his body more horizontal, train more powerful kicking from his hips and give him correct freestyle timing. Most importantly, this transfers to give him a faster, smoother and more efficient freestyle technique.
Charles’ review from Queens, USA
“In a nutshell, I luv em! My shinfinTM fins recruit the larger muscle groups in my glutes. So I am now using less energy for the same amount of distance. They assist me in developing a feel for proper body position in the water. I was able to stretch out and really get a feel of my stroke. So I could definitely feel a better balance as far as my breathing goes. Which in turn encourages me to lengthen my stroke. WAY COOL! I am definitely improving. I was able to keep proper form for a longer period of time. Thanks for such an innovative product.”
Charles’ review: Triathlon training fins for proper body position, breathing & overall freestyle stroke
“Marc – Thanks for the inquiry. In a nutshell – “I luv em!””
“They did take some getting used to, but after two weeks (I’m in the pool approx 3 times a week) I started getting the hang of them in relationship to my swim style. As you advertised, my shinfinTM fins recruit the larger muscle groups in my glutes. So I am now using less energy for the same amount of distance.”
“They assist me in developing a feel for proper body position in the water. My triathlon teammates find I look funny with them on and the shinfinTM fins do require a bit of extra time to put on and take off. So I swim the warm up with them on. This way when we do drills (usually right after our warm up) I can be ready. The detailed instructions on the proper way to use the straps were crucial, thank you. Some kind of buckle would be nice if at all possible.”
“Steve Tarpinian, my coach, is not quite convinced as yet, but as I told him when I lent them to him, they do take some time to get used to. I look forward to my time in the pool even more so these days, just so I can use the shinfinTM fins.”
“Thanks for such an innovative product.”
Reply
Many thanks for your kind feedback Charles. I’m happy to hear that you are getting on so well with them. We get a lot of great feedback like this. Their real strength from a training perspective, is the fact that they work with the correct biomechanics (unlike foot flippers). I hope you manage to completely convince Steve Tarpinian of this, as from what I have read about him, he is really interested in the biomechanics and physics of swimming too.
I think your first couple of weeks with them were probably overcoming old foot flipper kick habits. Maybe a bit too much knee bend, calf power, ankle rigidity etc. Would you agree? My firm belief is that foot flippers often do more harm than good if you want to swim properly.
And yes, shinfinTM fins do look funny but at least you can walk! Ask them to imagine the first time they saw someone wearing foot flippers!
Charles
“I would be honored should you decide to use parts of my message on your website. Thanks for the follow-up information. It’s quite useful and certainly helps me to explain to my teammates (several of whom are doctors and lawyers) the biomechanics behind why I’m so darned excited about the shinfinTM fins.”
“On a side note, last night the pool where we practice was in the 50 metre configuration for the first time since I’ve had the shinfinTM fins. (It’s been in the 25 metre configuration for several weeks.) So we all had to adjust to swimming continuously for 50 m instead of 25 m. I was able to s-t-r-e-t-c-h out and really get a feel of my stroke and boy you certainly hit the nail on the head.”
“I use alternate side breathing when I swim. So I could definitely feel a better balance as far as my breathing goes. Which in turn encourages me to lengthen my stroke. WAY COOL!”
“After warming up for 600m and doing drills, I removed the shinfinTM fins and we went straight in 6 fast 50’s followed by our main set of 3 descending 300’s.”
“Usually I’m great on shorter distances, but tend to fade rapidly on distances over 200m. Well, last night I found I had good speed on the 50’s (as expected). But to my pleasant surprise, I was able to maintain my position and finish the main set without getting my toes tapped by the swimmers behind me and having to drop back. It is a small thing, but it means I am definitely improving. I was able to keep proper form for a longer period of time.”
“Again, in case you missed it, I luv ’em, luv ’em, luv ’em! With appreciation, Charles.”
Reply
Thank you for your kind permission and for your further feedback. As a designer, this kind of detailed feedback from swimmers is just what I need to continue with my work. I guess your swimming improvements will do much to convince your fellow swimmers about the benefits of shinfinTM fins.
Conclusion
Triathlon training with shinfinTM fins streamlines your body position, balances your breathing, lengthens your stroke and properly uses the larger muscles in your glutes. Furthermore, this transfers to give you a faster, smoother and more efficient freestyle technique, with a natural rhythm. shinfinTM fins achieve this by lifting your body more horizontal, training more powerful kicking from your hips and giving you correct freestyle timing.