How's Your Finning?

[gtjason2000]

I would say pretty strong but I was on swim teams since I was a youngster.

[thesmoothdome]

I'm lazy by nature, so which ever kick I use gives me just enough propulsion to keep up with my buddy. I find frog kicking to be most comfortable, but for quick bursts of speed I use the flutter. My legs are definately not as strong as they were in my 20s, but I guess I'm just as efficient as I was, just not as fast .

[ScubaGir1]

I consider my kick to be pretty strong. I was a competitive swimmer for 13 years! LOL I sure hope its strong!

Funny thing, I never knew people did "frog" kick with the fins on, so when I was doing it I thought I must look crazy. hahaha It really is a nice way to go

[finflippers]

I would rate my finning strong.

[DivingsInMyBlood]

im going to say my finning is rank beginner, they should cover more on finning in ow certs.

[ianr33]

Originally Posted by Vercingetorix

I'd like to learn the backwards kick that allows you to back-up. Handy, when you're inches from a reef (photographing)and you don't want to use your hands to back-up. I've heard it's a reversed frog kick. I've tried that with no success.

What type of fins do you use? I could JUST go backwards in Quattros on a good day,switched to Jets and found it so much easier.

I understand that it is essentially impossible to do a backwards kick in split fins.

[Liv7301]

I would really like to learn a few more basic kicks and find the reverse one especially interesting. I am sure that when I get to more advanced stuff I will be more actively seek out some alternatives to the tried and true.

[in_cavediver]

I'd say my finning is lazy. The least effort for the most reward.

It took Advanced Nitrox and Cave training to learn them and really be able to do them but boy has it made OW dives nice. When I dm'd, I would do one frog kick (in drysuit/doubles) to a students 5-8 flutter kicks. AOW students got to a 1:3 ratio. Of course, many of them soon figured out what I was doing and wanted to learn themselves.

That said, best kicks to know:

1) Frog kick - teach it at OW
2) Flutter kick - teach it at OW
3) Modified versions of both - teach in OW

4) Helicopter turns - Intro OW, practice AOW
5) Back kicks/sculls - Intro OW, practice/learn AOW

There are others but these are the biggies. If more divers knew or were at least introduced to them, there'd be happier divers. (IE, they choose thier most comfortable kick)

[willardj]

My finning has never been a problem.. Once I started doing more research getting ready for my Cavern class. I started doing the frog kick more and more. now I have to say the frog kick Rocks.. That is pretty much all I use any more and It's so much more efficient. I now got my wife doing it all the time also.

[JugglingMonkeys]

Originally Posted by ianr33

I understand that it is essentially impossible to do a backwards kick in split fins.

why so? it works for me.

but i need to try frog kicking - that seems to be popular!