Swim Fins and Flippers

Swim flippers and swim fins, also called training fins or fins, are training accessories that improve your kick, build muscle strength and correct your body position in the water. They increase the resistance with every kick, provide more propulsion and force you into the correct, horizontal position. Unlike a pull buoy that switches off the legs, swim fins actually activate the lower body: the calves, hamstrings and quadriceps are intensively loaded, which over time increases the strength and frequency of your kick. They are used by recreational swimmers, competition swimmers and triathletes who are working on their swimming technique.

In this range you will find short training fins for frequency and strength training, ultra-short zoomers for explosive speed work, long and floating fins for technique training with extra support, monofins for the dolphin kick and body undulation, and junior models for younger swimmers. The choice depends on your training goal, level and swimming style: a beginner who wants to improve their body position chooses differently from an advanced swimmer who is working on their stroke frequency and propulsion.

Which swim fins are there?

Swim fins come in several versions, each with a specific training goal. Insight into the differences helps you make the right choice for your technique and goal.

Short training fins

The most commonly used variant in swim training. A short fin extends the foot by five to fifteen centimetres and thereby increases the resistance per kick. That places more emphasis on strength and coordination in the kick and lets you swim faster without the fin doing most of the work. Short training fins are suitable for all strokes and are frequently used in combination with a swim board or kickboard for targeted kick training.

Ultra-short zoomers

Zoomers are extremely short swim fins, barely longer than the foot itself. They offer less propulsion than regular training fins but require a much higher stroke frequency: your legs have to move faster to make progress. That makes zoomers ideal for explosive speed and frequency training and for swimmers who want to increase their leg cadence without the fuller propulsion of a standard fin.

Long and floating fins

Long fins have a longer blade that provides more propulsion per kick. They are less demanding on the leg muscles and are used by beginners who want to improve body position and position in the water, and by advanced swimmers who do recovery training or want to work out the butterfly and backstroke technically. Floating variants have a buoyant blade that actively pulls the legs up, which gives extra help in learning the horizontal swimming position.

Monofins

With a monofin, both feet are in one shared blade, so that you can only move with a dolphin kick. Monofins are used for training body undulation, the core muscles and the butterfly kick. They are available in versions from supple and beginner-friendly to stiff and competition-oriented, with large differences in price and stiffness. The supple variants are accessible to advanced recreational swimmers; the stiffer models are aimed at finswimming and competition.

Which swim fins suit you?

The choice depends on what you want to improve, your experience level and the combinations you use during training. The scenarios below help you choose quickly.

You want to strengthen your kick and train in combination with a swim board: choose short training fins. The resistance they create with every kick places more emphasis on the strength and timing of the kick. Use them in combination with a kickboard for isolated kick sets, or alternate them with a pull buoy that switches off the legs for alternating upper- and lower-body training.

You want to increase your stroke frequency and train explosiveness: choose ultra-short zoomers. They require a high leg frequency without the extra propulsion of long fins, which trains you to kick faster and lighter. Zoomers are used by advanced swimmers and triathletes who are working on speed and frequency in their kick.

You are a beginner or want to improve your body position with support: choose long or floating fins. The extra propulsion helps you to gain more speed with less kicking effort, so that you can focus your attention on the position of your head, torso and arms. Floating models give extra help in keeping the legs up, which makes the horizontal position easier to feel.

You want to train the dolphin kick and body undulation: choose a monofin. A supple monofin is the starting point for anyone working with a monofin for the first time: you learn to understand the undulation of the upper body and the power of the hip movement. Advanced variants with a stiffer blade are for finswimming and targeted performance training.

You are looking for swim fins for a child: there are junior models available that are tailored to smaller foot sizes and less powerful kicks. They offer the same advantages as adult models but are softer in material and easier to handle, so that children build up their technique and enjoyment in the water.

What to look out for when buying?

Fin length and training goal

Short fins (including zoomers) are more demanding on the leg muscles and focus on frequency and strength. Long fins offer more propulsion and less resistance, which makes them suitable for technique training and recovery work. Monofins are a separate segment with their own learning curve and are used specifically for the dolphin kick and undulation. First determine your training goal before you choose a length: more strength requires shorter fins, better position and technique requires longer ones.

Stiffness of the fin blade

A softer fin blade works along with your leg movement and is less stressful on the ankles and calves. A stiffer blade offers more resistance and requires more strength per kick, which makes strength training more effective but also increases the risk of overload with too much use. Beginners preferably choose a more supple model; advanced swimmers who train strength specifically choose a stiffer blade. In any case, use fins gradually, certainly with stiff models.

Sizing and heel strap

Swim fins are available with a closed foot pocket or an open heel with an adjustable heel strap. A closed foot pocket fits more firmly and is nicer during intensive training; an open heel with a strap is easier to put on and take off and fits more size ranges. Measure your foot size accurately before buying: fins that are too loose cause chafing on the heels, fins that are too tight cause cramps in the calves and restrict blood circulation. Combine fins with hand paddles for a complete upper-body and lower-body training setup.

Our advice: start with short training fins if you have never trained with fins before. Build up the session duration slowly: ten to fifteen minutes of fin use per training session is enough for beginners. Your ankles and foot flexors are loaded in a different way during fin use than usual, which takes time to get used to. Only after that does it make sense to look at stiffer or shorter variants.

Who are swim flippers and swim fins suitable for?

• Recreational swimmers and lane swimmers who want to improve their kick, swim faster or correct their body position in the water.
• Triathletes who want to tackle the swimming component of their training more specifically and increase the efficiency of their freestyle technique and kick.
• Competition swimmers who train strength, frequency and explosiveness in the kick as a supplement to regular technique training.
• Swimmers working on butterfly or the dolphin kick who want to strengthen body undulation, the core muscles and the hip movement for the butterfly with a monofin.
• Children and beginners who are building up their swimming technique and benefit from the extra support and motivation that swim fins offer during the learning process.

Need help with your choice?

Would you like to buy swim flippers or swim fins but are not quite sure yet which model best suits your training goal and level? Then we are happy to help you further. You can reach our triathlon specialists by phone on +31 (0)413-256800, send an email or visit our triathlon shop in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about swim flippers and swim fins

What is the difference between short and long swim fins?

Short training fins increase the resistance per kick and focus on strength and frequency in the kick. Long fins give more propulsion with less kicking effort and are more suitable for beginners, technique training and recovery training. For building strength and improving frequency you choose short fins; for position and body posture, long fins are a better fit.

What are zoomers and what do I use them for?

Zoomers are ultra-short swim fins that are barely longer than the foot. They offer little propulsion but require a high leg frequency to make progress, which makes them ideal for speed and frequency training. Zoomers are used by advanced swimmers who want to increase their leg cadence and are less suitable for beginners or technique work where extra propulsion is desired.

What is a monofin and who is it suitable for?

A monofin is a fin in which both feet are placed in one shared blade. You swim exclusively with a dolphin kick and thereby train body undulation, the core muscles and the kick for the butterfly. Monofins are available in supple entry-level models for advanced recreational swimmers and stiffer competition models for finswimming. They require a good basic command of the dolphin kick before you can train effectively with them.

How long may I use swim fins per training session?

For beginners, ten to fifteen minutes of fin use per training session is a good starting point. Fins load the ankles, foot flexors and calves in a way that is different from normal swimming, and the body needs time to get used to this load. Advanced swimmers who use fins regularly can train longer per session, but they too regularly alternate with fin-free sets to prevent overload.

Can I use swim fins for all strokes?

Short training fins are suitable for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. For breaststroke, swim fins are less practical, because the breaststroke kick requires a specific bend of the ankles and knees that is restricted by a fin. Monofins are specifically for the dolphin kick and not suitable for the standard breaststroke kick. For freestyle and butterfly training purposes, training fins are the most versatile.