Underwater kicking using the foil movement during the first 15 meters on starts and turns has become very important and will take on more importance in the future! This same foil movement is used in all of the kicking during the full stroke on butterfly, backstroke and freestyle. To maximize your performance in the pool, it is absolutely necessary to developing this kicking movement to the most precise level possible.
Jason Dunford practices his dolphin kick with the Foil
The FINIS Foil Monofin can greatly assist the development of the foil movement in your kicking. The FINIS Foil Monofin was designed with the right flexibility to give you the feel of that fish-like movement and develop the skill to get that “snap” at the end of the major power phase of the kick that is so important. (Pull this out for a block quote): The fin helps you coordinate that summation of forces by using your core body strength to develop more “distance per kick.” The unique size of the FINIS Foil Monofin was designed for great control and maintaining the ability to actually swim the whole stroke, with good rhythm on butterfly. The FINIS Foil Monofin is great for breaststroke workouts – swimmers do breaststroke arms and an accentuated dolphin kick with breaststroke coordination and rhythm.
The FINIS Foil Monofin also adds an element of safety for use in training groups, as compared to the composite materials of performance monofins. The “mono” aspect of the FINIS Foil Monofin adds the developmental elements of “kinesthetic awareness and tactile feel” for developing a great foil movement not found in regular fin practice.
I believe that the FINIS Foil Monofin is the best tool that you can get to help you develop your kicking for the starts, turns and full stroke swimming. I have seen the sensational results in performances from swimmers that developed with me; like Misty Hyman, 200 Butterfly Olympic Champion and more recently Cindy Tran, 100 Yard Backstroke NCAA Champion, 2011 and 2012. These and many other swimmers have used mono fins as a major component of training during their development and performance years. If you watch these swimmers in major competitions, you will see the amazing difference that this skill of foil movement kicking can make in winning!
Bob Gillett, Swimming Coach
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The mono fin is great for helping people get way better at the fly motion….