14 Benefits of Swimming with Fins, and How to Use Them Well
Short training fins are one of the most useful pieces of swimming kit. Used for part of a session, they help with technique, strength and confidence.
Benefits for technique
1. Better body position
Fins add propulsion, which lifts the hips and legs. Swimmers whose legs sink get to feel what a flat body position is like.
2. Time to focus on the arms
Because the kick is doing more work, you can slow your arms down and concentrate on the catch and pull.
3. Easier drills
Drills such as single-arm and kick on your side are much easier with fins, so you can do them properly. See 14 swimming drills for beginners.
4. A feel for rotation
Kicking on your side with fins lets you hold a balanced, rotated position and practise breathing.
5. Better kick technique
Fins exaggerate what your feet are doing, so a bent-knee "bicycle" kick feels wrong quickly. Many swimmers learn to kick from the hips this way. See how to kick in swimming.
6. Learning the dolphin kick
The wave-like dolphin kick used in butterfly and after turns is much easier to learn with fins.
Benefits for fitness
7. Stronger legs
Kicking against the extra surface area of fins builds strength and endurance in the legs and hips.
8. Ankle flexibility
Fins gently stretch the ankles into a pointed position, which helps the kick over time.
9. Longer sets
Fins let you swim further at the same effort, which helps build aerobic fitness while you work on technique.
10. Variety
Mixing fin sets into your sessions keeps training interesting.
Benefits for confidence
11. Feeling of speed
Moving faster through the water is motivating, especially for children and nervous learners.
12. Less fatigue while learning
Learners can practise for longer before tiring.
13. Smoother progression
A coach can use fins to help a swimmer feel a new skill, then gradually take them away.
14. Open-water preparation
Some open-water swimmers use fins in training to build leg strength and practise sighting. Read our ocean swimming tips.
How to use fins well
- Choose short training fins rather than long diving fins. They are more like your natural kick and easier on the ankles and knees.
- Use them for part of a session, such as a kick set or drill set. Swimming all the time with fins can hide weaknesses in your kick.
- Build up gradually. Fins load the ankles, calves and knees. Start with short sets, and stop if you feel cramps or pain; see how to prevent cramps.
- Check pool rules. Some pools limit fins in busy lanes.
- Fins are not a safety device. Learners still need supervision and to be able to swim without them.
Learn with a coach
A coach can decide when fins help and when to take them off. See our swimming equipment list, and our kids and adult swimming courses.
More in kit and pool life
- Why shower before and after swimmingCleaner pools, healthier skin and hair
- Swimming equipment listWhat you need, and what you don't
- Why proper swimming attire mattersSwimwear for comfort, safety and hygiene
Further reading
- World Aquatics, Swimming reference card. The official stroke, start and turn rules used in competition.
- ActiveSG Circle (Sport Singapore), SwimSafer. Singapore's National Water Safety Programme, combining swimming skills and water survival.
Want to improve your kick and technique?
Tell us how you swim now and what you want to improve. We will suggest a suitable course, format and pool. Lessons run at public swimming complexes, private venues and condominium pools across Singapore.