Swimming with flippers for hands/feet

[TacoSunday]

I’ve recently got back into swimming again having not really been for about 15 years.

Since starting again I’ve noticed a new trend. The majority of people in the fast lane now use hand paddles and flippers (fins?) on their feet. What is the reason for this? Is it purely so people can swim faster (an ego thing?) Or do people do it to perfect technique?

If used properly both increase resistance so build muscle. Fins also can make your feet more “floaty” so you can concentrate on technique of upper body I guess visa versa for hand paddles and kick. Hand paddles also don’t really work unless they enter the water at the correct angle. I’m completely sure most people in public swim are using it to just go faster but if used properly they are meant to perfect technique.

Ooh, interesting.
Thanks for asking OP, I've wondered and now I want some!

Some pools don't allow them in public sessions. The one I go to allows hand paddles but not flippers (which are a bit lethal given how small and packed our lanes are now). Worth checking first. I use a kickboard to work on my leg technique (take the arms out and concentrate on proper kicking - but I am not very good still!)

I've only seen one woman at my pool use them (last 3+ yrs). I've no idea why. She's a middle lane swimmer.

They aren't allowed at all in my local pool, but I use fins as part of my training (in the lake) as they help me work on my body rotation and also on a flat body position. The hand paddles can make you much more conscious of how you pull your hand through the water as if you don't do it properly they flip off.

I always use hand paddles, never use flipper. This will helps to improving my swimming speed and also makes my body muscles into very well. Sometimes, i likes to swim in lakes.

I find that fins used alone unbalance me and force my head under the water.

I’ve never used them in a pool, only the sea.

I use fins to improve my lower body strength and make me use my legs, hips and feet properly. I do 100m with fins in a 1500m swim.

highly irritating when they are used in swimming pools - esp fins. fin wearers giving dirty looks to the usually 'fast' lane swimmers...

My DS uses them at swimming club it is to build strength and improve technique.

I only use mine when I have a lane to myself. I leave them on the side if the lane has other users.

Sorry I just had to add, I do not use them for speed. I swim in the fast lane because I am fast, fins do make me faster but that is not why I use them and as I said, only if I have the lane to myself (or if there is another fin user in there already). I also use a pool snorkel because of a neck injury and I get dirty looks about that but they can feck off with thier looks, I am still swimming, without it, I could not do more than a lap before my neck would give up.