Why You Should Train with Fins

Why Wear Fins at All?

Swimming fast means training fast, and fins help you do that. They can also relieve stress on shoulder joints—something most swimmers experience from time to time. Training with fins also helps build muscle while improving your up-kick, ankle flexibility, overall body positioning, and conditioning. All good! What’s not so good, however, are the bruises and blisters that many fins leave behind.

Am I Doing it Wrong or Is It my Fins?

During the down-kick, most of the pressure is on the top of a swimmer’s foot. A fin should have two mid-foot flex points that will enable flexion of your foot as it’s releasing at the kick. If your fins are tight or rigid, they can cause cramping, cutting, or bruising. When you’re working to increase kick cadence with ease and fluidity, the last thing you want is to inhibit your technique.

What Should I Look For?

Fins should be comfortable but snug, with plenty of room in the toe pocket for all your toes. The foot pocket should be soft and flexible and support your foot’s contour. The fins should meet your training and racing needs and be engineered to enable, not inhibit, good technique. Medium-blade fins that can be used for both sprint and distance training offer the most versatility, so you only need one pair in your swim bag.

What’s the Solution?

The new Speedo Switchblade Fin offers a new angle on training. A 10-degree integrated blade angle maximizes distance and promotes a proper kick cycle while preventing the blade from breaking the surface. The Switchblade’s stable blade shape engages hip rotation and down-kick drive, and its early blade engagement makes for incredible propulsion. For sprint sets, the perfectly sized blade allows for quick cadence and increased speed. For distance sets, foot pocket comfort allows swimmers to swim longer while increasing leg strength. It’s got everything that you want in a fin, and nothing you don’t. Say goodbye to the bruises, blisters, and cramps, and hello to pain-free training with the fin you’ve always wanted, the Speedo Switchblade.