Flippers are not longer connected to scuba diving, as they can be successfully used for enhancing water performance while swimming. Featuring a variety of sizes and styles, flippers enables swimmers to glide through the water easier. Still, there are several things you have to know before deciding to swim with flippers.
The first thing you have to do is choose the right flippers.This is not as easy as choosing women or mens fitness clothes. They should fit your feet comfortably without tightening your feet in a negative way. Flippers should have two major characteristics: on one hand they should to be tight enough to remain on your feet while swimming, on the other hand they should not cause pain. There are flippers that need a bootie to protect your feet, but there are also flippers that go right onto your feet.
Warming up is another rule to follow when you want to swim with flippers. It is very important to warm up by swimming for a couple of minutes without flippers. You will probably experience shin and ankle strain if you start swimming with flippers without a previous warm up.
After the warm up, put the flippers on and enter the water, but do not forget to use booties if they are required. Glide through the water keeping your arms extended straight out in front, while your hands are aligned beside each other. Start flutter kicking with your legs by moving them up and down in the water. This movement must come from your hips. While moving your legs up and down, make sure you slightly bend your knees.
Move one arm down in order to take a stroke while keeping the other arm outstretched in front of you. Stretch both arms in front again so that the stroke to be completed. During this time, you can either rest your legs while gliding through the propulsion or continue the flutter kicking. Take another stroke with your other arm using the same principles while flutter kicking or resting your legs.
It is recommended to swim with flippers for 500 meters then remove them and swim without flippers for another 500 meters. Apply this 500 meters method for about three weeks. This way, your shins and ankles will get strong enough to enable you to swim with flippers for longer distances and time. Using the flippers is great as it allows you to improve your swimming skills. Swimming is one of the most efficient and comfortable sports. You don’t need any fancy mens fitness clothes in order to practice it but you are able to build up your muscles and strength.
