Freestyle

Freestyle fin reviews

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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 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.”

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Backstroke & freestyle ankle surgery recovery fins


Shannon loves her shinfinTM fins for fast backstroke and freestyle kicking, to help her recover from her recent ankle surgery. Also, they do not aggravate her past knee injury. This is because shinfinTM fins strap to her lower legs just above her ankles, leaving her feet free to move naturally. So, unlike regular foot fins, they avoid the potentially damaging, twisting forces on her ankles and knees. Instead, her ankles can remain comfortable, supple and relaxed as she kicks. She also uses them for water walking exercises.

Shannon’s review from Friday Harbour, USA

“I love my shinfinTM fins!! LOVE! I thought fun, fast kicking was out for me but shinfinTM fins have restored that experience. YAY!!! I’m in my doctor approved third week of post-surgical swimming after ankle surgery. I have to do a lot of backstroke due to other nerve issues affecting freestyle sometimes. Backstroke is great.”

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National team freestyle training fins


Yiannis’ daughter uses her shinfinTM fins for freestyle swim training and is a member of the National Swimming Team of Cyprus. They help her to train for better freestyle swimming because they encourage her to kick from her hips with a streamlined kick, keeping her body horizontal in the water. As shinfinTM fins are so adjustable, they fit her even though she is very tall and has very thin feet. This is because the fins flex to wrap around her leg and the straps adjust to secure the fins snugly above her ankles. In contrast, she found that no regular foot flippers fit.

Yiannis’ review from Nicosia, Cyprus

“The shinfinTM fins are the perfect solution for my daughter, gold medal at freestyle and member of Cyprus National Team. Because she is very tall and has very thin feet, none of the regular swim flippers were fitting! Now she uses shinfinTM fins everyday for training!! Thanks. I think you must advertise more this magic solution!!” 

https://shinfin.com/leg-fins-flippers-images/national-swim-team-freestyle-training-with-shinfin-fins-2.mp4
National swim team freestyle training with shinfinTM fins
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Two fused ankles: lake & pool swimming fins


With two fused ankles, Dave’s shinfinTM fins allow him to enjoy his pool and lake swimming again. Now, with the stronger kick from his fins, he swims freestyle faster. Furthermore, he can turn his head to breathe more easily. He also uses his fins to swim back crawl and breaststroke arms with a dolphin/butterfly kick. Like other people with fused ankles, Dave finds it more comfortable to adjust the position of his fins to be a little higher up his shin, so that the fin tips reach about the middle of his feet. Overall, he finds his shinfinTM fins to be well-designed, unique and valuable.

Dave’s review from Baraboo, US

“I have two fused ankles, and because I can’t point my feet parallel to my legs, my freestyle kick was very ineffective. Thanks to shinfinTM fins, I can swim freestyle enjoyably again! I’d forgotten how a strong kick is necessary for easily turning my head to breathe. Thank you for producing a unique and valuable product. I’m finding that if I pull them up just a little higher than the normal position, they work well. With freestyle and back crawl, the shinfinTM fins give me a big boost in speed. With breaststroke, I’ve figured out a sort of bent-knee dolphin kick that works adequately. Thank you for making a well-designed product.”

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Feet disabilities: para-swim training fins


Owen, with disabilities in both feet, has been para-swim training with his shinfinTM fins for about five years. They adjust to fit on his legs. He has been so successful, that he has reached number one UK rankings in his para-classification. These include 50 metres freestyle, 100 metres freestyle and 100 metres breastroke. He is also captain of the University of Nottingham swimming team and on the England Para-swimming Talent Development squad. Owen finds shinfinTM fins extremely helpful for improving his kick action because they lift his thighs and body horizontal. This gives him the best swimming style. Furthermore, he finds them extremely helpful for improving his leg strength because they encourage proper kick power from his hips.

Owen’s review from Nottingham, UK

“shinfinTM fins have been extremely helpful in helping improve my kick action and leg strength, letting me participate in sessions I previously wasn’t able to.”

Mark (father): “So, thank you. The fins have been really effective and they allow Owen to train with able-bodied swimmers. We purchased two pairs of shinfinTM fins and Owen hasn’t looked back since. Now when kicking drills are ordered in training, he can match the able-bodied swimmers and the session is no longer an exercise in disheartening futility!”

Champion para-swimmer wearing shinfinTM fins
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Residual limb water exercise fin


Rachel finds her shinfinTM fins great for moving better in the water, and for exercising her residual limb to build strength ready for using a prosthetic. She likes wearing one fin on her below knee amputation stump and kicking holding a float in front of her. Kicking with just her residual limb ensures that it does all the work. Furthermore, she finds this technique also builds her core strength because her core strength stops her rotating in the water. When she tried kicking without her shinfinTM fin, she found she didn’t seem to move anywhere! Later, she also started using her shinfinTM fin for front crawl, enjoying going faster. She plans to experiment wearing two shinfinTM fins in the pool, and also to swim in the sea.

Rachel’s tibia is slightly protruding at the end of her stump. So she wears a modified diving sock to pad her stump, to stop it rubbing on the fin. Padding options include stump socks, neoprene knee supports and sleeves, wetsuits, and sleeves cut from wetsuit legs, arms and socks.

Rachel’s review from Oxford, UK

“I’ve been enjoying using the shinfinTM fin, which has enabled me to exercise my residual limb more and to move better in the water. So I wanted to find a way to exercise my residual limb, by increasing it’s resistance in the water, to maintain and build strength ready for using a prosthetic. Swimming with a float, leaving my healthy leg floating in the water, so my residual limb has to do all of the work. Initially, I tried doing this without a shinfinTM fin, but I didn’t seem to move anywhere!”

“You recommend wearing shinfinTM fins on both legs. I haven’t done this yet, because I specifically wanted to work my residual limb really hard. Also, I find when swimming with just one shinfinTM fin, that I am using my core strength to stop me rotating in the water, which is also very useful exercise!”

6 months later: “I’m getting on really well with the fin. I still only wear one and I mainly use it to exercise my residual limb, by swimming with a float and only using that leg. I’ve started doing a few lengths front crawl and I enjoy being able to go faster. I’m slowly increasing the number of lengths I do with the fin. It’s a great product and I’m really glad I found it.”

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Better kick, stroke, breathing & endurance: technique fins


Over many years, the swim technique encouraged by shinfinTM fins has given Rick a better kick, improved stroke, relaxed breathing and a dramatic increase in endurance. He tends to swim freestyle about 5-6 km a week, fitness swimming in pools and in the ocean. What’s more, these benefits carry over to his no-fins swimming style too. This all flows on from the better aligned, streamlined horizontal body position that he feels the fins promoting. Importantly, he feels the incredible workout in his thighs, glutes and abdomen because the fins guide him to kick from his hips. Rick can see clearly that regular foot fins don’t come close in comparison.

Rick’s review from Perth, Australia

“Thank you for prompt service and a great product. By the second session I was already noticing marked improvement in my kick, but also more generally in my stroke and breathing, as a flow-on from the better aligned body position the fins promote. What I hadn’t really considered (the added bonus I suppose) is the dramatic improvement in my endurance, allowing me to extend my lap distance each session. And my no-fins kick is also improving. So, good on you for taking a strong concept all the way through the process of invention and manufacture, to realise an extraordinary Aussie design innovation.”

4 months later: “I’m still using my shinfinTM fins three times every week, swimming an average of 5-6 km a week at present. I’ve found them kind of addictive! My endurance has improved dramatically, and so has my general fitness. I’m now much more relaxed in the water, and breathing smoothly and easily. The improved horizontality of body position has helped me work on my freestyle stroke, to streamline my swim technique. I’ve been able to really concentrate on technical aspects of my stroke, like kick beat, or bilateral breathing. The long, slow, strong 2-beat kick provides an incredible workout for my abdomen, glutes, thighs, and even my shoulders, as my arms are working stronger, to maintain momentum. I’m happy to help encourage more people to adopt shinfinTM fins, because I believe in the quality of the design and product!”

4 years later: “I swear by the fins, for promoting a good horizontal body position, improving my stroke and working my thighs, quads and glutes. Regular fins don’t come close in comparison.”

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Freestyle retraining fins: no knee or foot issues


Importantly, after following the fin fitting tips and positioning her fins to suit her kick, Tamra really loves her shinfinTM fins for retraining her freestyle, and without foot or knee issues. They allow her to smooth her stroke so they retrain her away from a choppy freestyle. She really feels the difference in her hip flexors and back. This is because the fins are designed to lift her hips and encourage power from her hips using the stronger muscles in her thighs and torso. She uses them daily, enjoys her pool time again and bought a second pair of fins about six years later.

Tamra’s review from Albuquerque, USA

“I am loving my fins!! Sending people to your website. Really notice the difference in my hip flexors and back. Awesome in helping me retrain my choppy “fight the water” freestyle. No issues with knees or feet. Gets easier putting them on and taking off. Just enjoying pool time again! Thanks for inventing these beauties! I use them every day!! I love my shinfinTM fins more than any piece of equipment I own!!”

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Exercise & deep water running fins


Megan loves her shinfinTM fins for her daily exercise including freestyle swimming, kicking practice and deep water running with a float around her waist. They don’t hurt her back, hips, knees and ankles like normal foot fins. This is because they encourage her to kick from her hips with a smooth kick thrust. Overall she finds they give her good workouts and help her to get more out of her exercise.

Megan’s review from Townsville, Australia

“I love my shinfinTM fins. I find them easier on my body (ankles, knees, hips, back) than normal fins and I swim every day. Mostly freestyle and lots of kicking practice. shinfinTM fins help me get more out of the exercies. I use a float around my waist for deep water running. It is a good workout.”

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Swimming with tumble turns & aqua aerobics fins


Loving her shinfinTM fins, usually daily, for nine years and more, Gillian uses them for pool swimming with tumble turns and a tougher aqua aerobics workout too. It only took her a short while to become comfortable swimming, doing tumble turns and adjusting her fins without much strength in her hands. She “motors down the pool” with great swimming style doing freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke arms with butterfly legs. The fins guide her into a streamlined kicking technique from her hips. This review shows Gillian’s progression with her fins over her first few days and then at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 2 years, 5 years and 9 years. shinfinTM fins are strong and long-lasting!

Gillian’s review from Blakeview, Australia

“I found them terrific for backstroke. Wow! I swim from the hips anyway, so had no problems adjusting to this type of swimming. Foot flippers always made my shins, ankles and knees ache. My program consists of 50m freestyle, 50m reverse fly kick, 50m fly with breaststroke arms, 50m backstroke, repeated until I run out of time. Generally between 1000m and 1600m. I feel as though I am “motoring” down the pool. I can now do tumble turns at both ends of the pool. Using them to keep me mobile. Love the fins. I’ve shown them to a lot of people at the pool, usually the older generation, like me. I’m happy that my fins have outlasted five pairs of foot flippers. Two years of discomfort before foot flippers snap across the middle!”

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