Why the heck do people swim with fins?

[Turkish]

I don't know what the point of fins is if you know how to swim? Its stupid. I was swimming next to this girl, and we began chit chatting... she was wearing fins. I asked her why she wearing them, and she said, I can do more laps in the same time period. Supposably she was trying to get in shape and I told her its pointless because you are not burning more calories...

It's so stupid, and annoying :|

Just wanted to rant.

 

[NYSTrooper]

Fins would probably be a good resistance workout. If I go diving and make 4 dives in a day I'm usually pretty worn out, and I'm in very good physical shape.

 

[MournSanity]

Because Red Bull gives you wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings!

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

I would think that if maybe you had weak ankles and wanted to work them out it would help?

 

[AvesPKS]

Sometimes it's more fun to swim with fins.

 

In a pool? Ocean?

 

[Ikonomi]

Swimming without fins is a better workout than swimming with them, but fins are fun for the same reason -- because they make you go fast with less effort.

I mean, unless you're snorkeling or scuba diving or something, in which case they're standard kit.

 

[bdjohnson]

they are more efficient and let you swim much faster.

 

[Mallow]

they weren't born with DD wide feet like me

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: Phocas
In a pool? Ocean?

I hope it was in a pool if she was doing laps!

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: Cyberian

Originally posted by: Phocas
In a pool? Ocean?

I hope it was in a pool if she was doing laps!

Yes, it's the pool.

The pool is 50 yards long anyways, I mean it's stupid

bdjohnson: how are they more efficient? its not like they let you get a better exercise with same effort.

 

[PrincessGuard]

I used fins during swim practice. They let you move a lot faster so you notice things like drag (caused by bad form) more easily. And if you kick at normal rates with fins on, they give your legs a pretty good workout.

 

[ApacheXMD]

try paddling a boat with a spoon. same way fins are more efficient than feet

-patchy

 

[MrDudeMan]

you are being a real idiot, no offense. why do some people buy less efficient cars to go the same distance? who knows? who cares? i used to swim all the time, and i used flippers occasionally. it makes the workout a lot more fun. by the way, pools are measured in meters.

 

[abracadabra1]

Originally posted by: bdjohnson
they are more efficient and let you swim much faster.

right on the head...:shocked:

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
you are being a real idiot, no offense. why do some people buy less efficient cars to go the same distance? who knows? who cares? i used to swim all the time, and i used flippers occasionally. it makes the workout a lot more fun. by the way, pools are measured in meters.

LoL... did you read the original post? Her goal is to get in shape, and she was telling me how good swimming is for it and blah blah blah... I swam in Junior Olympics, so I am pretty sure I am more knowledgeable than 99% of the people out there (about swimming), and I know although fins maybe more fun, it doesn't give you a better workout. I mean, you don't have to be a swimmer to know this, its just common sense.

Anyways, I know pools are measured in meters, but I swim in this weird frickin pool and it really is 50 yards

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

The number of laps doesn't matter. It's the amount of time and the amount of energy used in that time period. Fins increase resistance, which means she'll have to use more energy to move her leg the same distance up and down as it would without the fins.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
The number of laps doesn't matter. It's the amount of time and the amount of energy used in that time period. Fins increase resistance, which means she'll have to use more energy to move her leg the same distance up and down as it would without the fins.

Yeah but her goal was 20 laps or something, which amounts to a mile i think? Even though you add resistance, the distance traveled is the same, and without fins, you will use more energy to travel the same distance.

I am 99.99% sure its a better workout to not use fins if the distance is constant.

 

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
The number of laps doesn't matter. It's the amount of time and the amount of energy used in that time period. Fins increase resistance, which means she'll have to use more energy to move her leg the same distance up and down as it would without the fins.

Ah, the first person here who isn't a retard.
Yes, it's time spent, not laps.
And YES, fins provide much greater resistance meaning more effort to move them.
If you were to swim 40 mins with fins, you'd get a much better workout than without. You'd also swim a lot further.
Even if you only swam 20 laps with or without fins, even though your fins workout would be shorter, it would still be more intense.
Also, the faster you travel, the more effort it takes to move.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

The number of laps doesn't matter. It's the amount of time and the amount of energy used in that time period. Fins increase resistance, which means she'll have to use more energy to move her leg the same distance up and down as it would without the fins.

Ah, the first person here who isn't a retard.

Yes, it's time spent, not laps.

And YES, fins provide much greater resistance meaning more effort to move them.

If you were to swim 40 mins with fins, you'd get a much better workout than without. You'd also swim a lot further.

Even if you only swam 20 laps with or without fins, even though your fins workout would be shorter, it would still be more intense.

Also, the faster you travel, the more effort it takes to move.

Kinda like a necell

</nerd>

 

[BurnItDwn]

They let you swim faster. Perfect for scuba or snorkeling. Also nice if you want to cover long distances in short time. Though I agree it is pointless for laps. a standard 25 yard pool is too short as it is since you have to constantly do flip turns.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

The number of laps doesn't matter. It's the amount of time and the amount of energy used in that time period. Fins increase resistance, which means she'll have to use more energy to move her leg the same distance up and down as it would without the fins.

Ah, the first person here who isn't a retard.

Yes, it's time spent, not laps.

And YES, fins provide much greater resistance meaning more effort to move them.

If you were to swim 40 mins with fins, you'd get a much better workout than without. You'd also swim a lot further.

Even if you only swam 20 laps with or without fins, even though your fins workout would be shorter, it would still be more intense.

dude, you are the worst. you are contradicting yourself. first you say

Yes, it's time spent, not laps.

THIS IS CORRECT. I AM NOT ARGUING THIS!

but then you say:

If you were to swim 40 mins with fins, you'd get a much better workout than without.

and then you go by:

Even if you only swam 20 laps with or without fins, even though your fins workout would be shorter, it would still be more intense.

I mean come on people, have some common sense. Her goal was not 30 minutes or any other period of time, her goal was simply swimming 20 laps. Have some common sense. jeez. :roll:

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

You have your answer. Even if she swims the same distance, she's going to have more resistance. I'm fairly certain that the amount of energy spent to move that distance with more resistance (anaerobic) is greater than moving that distance with more movement with very little resistance (aerobic).

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
You have your answer. Even if she swims the same distance, she's going to have more resistance. I'm fairly certain that the amount of energy spent to move that distance with more resistance (anaerobic) is greater than moving that distance with more movement with very little resistance (aerobic).

Maybe in some sports, but not at swimming.

The thing with 90% of the population is, they don't know the proper technique. Heck, I get darn surprised when I see someone using their feet when they swim (without fins). Its like they don't have their lower body. Once you start using feet, I am 99.99% sure you will spend more energy than with fins.

I agree with you and AIWGuru if time is the measure of exercise.

 

[jsbush]

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
You have your answer. Even if she swims the same distance, she's going to have more resistance. I'm fairly certain that the amount of energy spent to move that distance with more resistance (anaerobic) is greater than moving that distance with more movement with very little resistance (aerobic).

Maybe in some sports, but not at swimming.

The thing with 90% of the population is, they don't know the proper technique. Heck, I get darn surprised when I see someone using their feet when they swim (without fins). Its like they don't have their lower body. Once you start using feet, I am 99.99% sure you will spend more energy than with fins.

I agree with you and AIWGuru if time is the measure of exercise.

Dude!!!!!

Its been mentioned many times, it offers more resistance!!!!!!! Same exact thing as biking in first gear, or in last gear. You'll go a lot faster in first gear, but they'll be a lot more reistance. Same thing as weight training also, do many reps at low weights (swiming without fins), or do less reps at high weights (swimming with fins,,, more reistance.