Lap Swimming, better with flippers or without?

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MickeyBoo
MickeyBoo Posts: 196 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Bit of an odd question, but one that's been bugging me. I go swimming and do laps as part of my cardio for the week. I see these fantastic lap swimmers while at the pool and have noticed that pretty much all of them wear flippers while swimming.

So what are the benefits of using flippers? Would you burn more/less calories? Don't tire as easily? Easier on the legs? Or is it just a better ease of movement?

Replies

  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
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    The guys using fins all the time are in the pool for an ego boost as they end up swimming a lot faster than they can do normally

    The ones only using fins while doing certain drills or for shorter periods are proper swimmers.

    I have fins but one really use them when doing drills. They are supposed to help increase ankle flexibility in the long run which will give you a more propulsive kick which will increase your speed in the long run.
  • pds06
    pds06 Posts: 299 Member
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    I would talk to one of the swimmers. I would think it makes it easier to swim longer?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    It's kind of cheating- it makes it much easier to swim.

    Maybe they just want to go for a really long time? IDK I wouldn't wear them in a pool, personally. Yes if I was in the ocean snorkeling, no in a lap pool.
  • strongestgirl10
    strongestgirl10 Posts: 26 Member
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    I only use fins for my warm up - about 10 minutes doing various stroke drills to limber up, then take them off for the real cardiovascular work.
  • waltbran
    waltbran Posts: 19
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    It helps with body positioning and form, it helps with ankle flexibility, if you don't have a strong kick it promotes using your legs/helps your kick which would in theory burn more calories. I wouldn't say it is easier on the legs but you will feel like you are moving faster through the water. They also say it helps with neuromuscular conditioning. My swim workouts are a combo of unassisted, fins, kick board and pull buoy (the figure 8 shaped foam thing you may see swimmers put between their legs)

    Hope this helps!
  • abheshek
    abheshek Posts: 525 Member
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    i prefer without.
  • blytheandbonnie
    blytheandbonnie Posts: 3,275 Member
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    It definitely increases the resistance. I would think that since the higher density of water vs air is part of what makes swimming burn more calories then, say, walking, due to the higher resistance, then anything that increases resistance would burn more calories?
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
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    I would talk to one of the swimmers. I would think it makes it easier to swim longer?

    Not sure i agree with that. To swim longer you generally will kick less but if you have a small flutter kick wearing fins will increase that kicks effectiveness and also help pick your legs up to level your body out.


    To the OP, just checked your profile and i see you suffer with injuries. If you have anything ankle injury wise i would stay away from fins as they are very tough on the ankles
  • MickeyBoo
    MickeyBoo Posts: 196 Member
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    I would talk to one of the swimmers. I would think it makes it easier to swim longer?

    Not sure i agree with that. To swim longer you generally will kick less but if you have a small flutter kick wearing fins will increase that kicks effectiveness and also help pick your legs up to level your body out.


    To the OP, just checked your profile and i see you suffer with injuries. If you have anything ankle injury wise i would stay away from fins as they are very tough on the ankles

    Thanks for all the responses, very interesting!

    Although it's not my main injury I do have weak ankles, that are basically a flow on effect from other knee/back injuries. I did a bigger than usual swim yesterday (no flippers) and found that my stronger ankle was seizing up/cramping at the end during my stretches, took about five minutes or so to weight bear on it properly so I could climb out of the pool, while the weaker one was fine :/ I definitely wouldn't want to put more stress on those joints though so thanks for the advice.
  • eryquem
    eryquem Posts: 66 Member
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    Actually, wearing fins will increase the resistance, giving a higher burn over the same length of time swimming.
  • MickeyBoo
    MickeyBoo Posts: 196 Member
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    and just to add on, I borrowed a pair of flippers for my swim today, ended up swimming a lot faster and somewhat smoother, but also felt like my legs were barely working and that I wasn't breathing as hard compared to swimming without. Coupled with a stupid cramp in my calf while wearing them I think I'm happy with just swimming normally and knowing that I'm putting a lot more effort in to do so LOL
  • Bunnyfrog73
    Bunnyfrog73 Posts: 1
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    I have been lap swimming for over 2 years now. I got some flippes and webbed gloves about a year ago because it felt like I wasn't getting enough exercise any more. Even though I could feel I'm working much harder wearing them, I wanted proof. I recently got a heart rate monitor and my findings were amazing. Without wearing flippers or gloves, swimming an average speed of 50 strokes per minute, my heartrate was between 120-130. Next I put on the gloves and still going at the same pace, my heartrate climbed to around 140-150. When I put the flippers on, my heartrate shot up to 170-180. I only had a small difference of 5 seconds faster on my laptime so speed wasn't that much faster but my legs and arms felt like jelly for at least the 1st three months after I started using these. I now swim 60 out om my normal 80 lengths with flippers . I would challenge anyone who says its just an ego boost to put these on and try to proove me wrong. The higher the heartrate, the harder you are working and the more calories you are burning.....
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
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    So what are the benefits of using flippers? Would you burn more/less calories? Don't tire as easily? Easier on the legs? Or is it just a better ease of movement?
    I used to be a competitive swimmer and still drop by the pool every so often (not as often as I should, tbh). I don't use flippers since I find them awkward, and avoid webbed gloves because they put too much strain on the fingers, but use paddles. My take on them, and swimming aides in general:

    - At first, I'm actually faster without paddles. It's counter-intuitive but true, the movement is smoother without.
    - The paddles force you to keep your technique more uniform, they rotate your hands to face the water.
    - My speed is, as a result, more constant with paddles and I'm less likely to pick up bad habits.
    - Swimming with paddles is a bit like doing resistance training with heavier weights.

    I usually swim without aides for the first 300m - 1k, depending on the shape I'm in, then switch to using paddles so that my speed doesn't drop as much (yes, vanity). I definitely tire more quickly though.

    As for flippers specifically, they will increase your speed a lot and might help a bit with your technique but I find that they make moving around in the pool when not swimming awkward, get in the way when turning and increase the chance of leg cramps a lot. Not a fan.

    Just my 2c...
  • melissamarah
    melissamarah Posts: 168 Member
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    So what are the benefits of using flippers? Would you burn more/less calories? Don't tire as easily? Easier on the legs? Or is it just a better ease of movement?
    I used to be a competitive swimmer and still drop by the pool every so often (not as often as I should, tbh). I don't use flippers since I find them awkward, and avoid webbed gloves because they put too much strain on the fingers, but use paddles. My take on them, and swimming aides in general:

    - At first, I'm actually faster without paddles. It's counter-intuitive but true, the movement is smoother without.
    - The paddles force you to keep your technique more uniform, they rotate your hands to face the water.
    - My speed is, as a result, more constant with paddles and I'm less likely to pick up bad habits.
    - Swimming with paddles is a bit like doing resistance training with heavier weights.

    I usually swim without aides for the first 300m - 1k, depending on the shape I'm in, then switch to using paddles so that my speed doesn't drop as much (yes, vanity). I definitely tire more quickly though.

    As for flippers specifically, they will increase your speed a lot and might help a bit with your technique but I find that they make moving around in the pool when not swimming awkward, get in the way when turning and increase the chance of leg cramps a lot. Not a fan.

    Just my 2c...

    I was a competitive swimmer, too! I'm also a children's swim instructor in spring and summer.

    Once or twice my coach would let us use flippers, for fun. Yes, they give more resistance, but you go so much faster, so I never thought they were worth it.

    Now paddles.... ooooh, I HATED paddles in high school. They really work wonders though. They help with stroke competency, and everything else the other person said. We always used them with a pull-buoy to only focus on upper body. Then to balance it out, we'd get to use the kickboards, my favorite! Sorry, I was always a better kicker than puller, and I was a breaststroker.
  • JourneyCap
    JourneyCap Posts: 2
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    No expert but from 6 years of year-round swimming I'd say without. We would cheer when the coach put fins on the board because of how much easier it makes the sets. Most often they were used form form. I had to wear them all practice once because my back half was sinking too low in backstroke. It did work. Yes, you have more resistance but you go SO much farther swimming SO much slower. Also watch for foot cramps and charlie horses when wearing them, then your workout is basically over because those cramps will come back all day.
    Hope this helps!

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