Learning to Swim - Fins for Legs
Learn to Swim Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly
~ shinfin™ Swimming Aids ~

I have written this page for people who want to learn to swim, or are already learning to swim and want to swim better. shinfin™ swim fins are an evolutionary way to learn to swim freestyle, backstroke and butterfly (they are not designed for breaststroke). Good swimming aids must use the same swimming stroke that you will use without the swimming aids - that is common sense. Otherwise, like foot flippers, the swim aids will give you bad habits and will not help you learn to swim properly at all.

To learn to swim properly, your swim fins must teach you a horizontal body position with a natural streamlined kick from your hips. Kick power must come from your thighs, buttocks, stomach and torso - the same muscles that good swimmers use. Whatever your speed, your swim fins should help you learn to swim using a smooth, efficient and streamlined stroke. Learning to swim using a good kick helps you develop a good arm stroke too. Learning to swim the same technique with and without fins, helps you learn to swim better and faster. Then learning to swim is even more enjoyable.

I have designed shinfin™ swim fins to offer all these advantages and more, for learning to swim freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. By connecting directly to your legs, just above your ankles, your kick power comes from the correct muscles in your thighs, buttocks, stomach and torso. Your feet, ankles and calf muscles are not strained like they are with foot flippers. Instead, your feet and ankles are learning to swim naturally. So shinfin™ swim fins teach you to use the right muscles, in the right sequence, without restricting your feet. They help to keep your body horizontal and they teach you a natural streamlined kick like good swimmers do. This is why shinfin™ swim fins are a true evolution from foot flippers for learning to swim.

shinfin™ ~ Learn to swim using correct technique
~ learn freestyle, backstroke, butterfly (not breaststroke)
~ learn to swim streamlined with a horizontal body
~ learning to swim using a natural, streamlined kick
~ lift your legs horizontal with straighter knees
~ avoid bad techniques like bent knee bicycle-kick
~ avoid common mistakes of beginner swimmers
~ aids adults and children learning to swim

shinfin™ ~ Learn to swim using correct muscles
~ fin power connects direct to your legs
~ extra speed from up and down kicks
~ correct kick muscles: thighs, buttocks, stomach, torso
~ strengthen the same muscles as without fins
~ your feet and ankles are free to move naturally
~ improve cardiovascular fitness and lung capacity

shinfin™ ~ Learn to swim in comfort and safety
~ relaxed & comfortable feet, ankles, Achilles, calfs
~ no extra calf muscle strain (unlike foot fins)
~ learning to swim slow, medium or fast kicks
~ learn to dive and push-off from wall
~ easier to walk
~ easier water entry and exit

shinfin™ ~ Learn to swim classes and teaching
~ excellent for learn to swim classes
~ aids full stroke and kick-only exercises
~ learning to swim full stroke or using a kickboard
~ swimming aids for breathing exercises
~ swimming aids for arm technique
~ adjust fin on leg to optimise kick technique

shinfin™ ~ Learning to swim ~ More from the inventor
These many advantages of shinfin™ swim fins for learning to swim apply to all levels of swimmer, from children to adults. I specifically designed shinfin™ swim fins to match natural streamlined kicking for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. Since about 1990, I have developed over 50 prototypes by observing swimmers without fins, with foot flippers and with many variations of shinfin™ swim fins, using underwater video equipment and biomechanical analysis. Research included swimmers learning to swim, intermediate swimmers, elite swimmers at the Australian Institute of Sport and Australian Olympic Team swimmers. Testing also included physically and intellectually disabled swimmers. I have developed the shinfin™ design biomechanics to suit all swimmers learning to swim using a natural streamlined kick.

Whatever your learn to swim level, you feel the shinfin™ swim fins guiding you into a natural, streamlined kick which helps you learn to swim better. You feel them teaching you to keep your body horizontal for less drag. You feel how they teach you to kick from your hips, with only a little knee-bend. You feel the power of shinfin™ swimming fins coming from the correct muscles in your upper legs, buttocks, stomach and torso (without straining your feet, ankles and calf muscles like foot flippers). You also feel them training your correct body balance for a better arm stroke. With shinfin™ swim fins, you know you are learning to swim powered by the proper muscles and a good natural kick because you can feel it. I offer you shinfin™ swim fins as a true evolution from all foot flippers for learning to swim.

Foot flippers cannot give similar advantages for learning to swim because they attach to your feet, so they corrupt your kick. Foot flippers stiffen and cramp your feet and ankles, and disrupt water flow. Foot flippers change your ankle, knee and hip movements, often to a "bicycle-kick" with knees bent too low. Most swimming teachers know all this. Good swimmers also know all this because they feel the changed kick even with short foot flippers. They can't kick at their normal rate, they use different muscles and their body position changes. This is why foot flippers often do more harm than good for learning to swim.


shinfin™ ~ More learn to swim testimonials


They really performed wonders to my swim style. Congratulations, you have really created a little miracle, which will certainly help countless others with my similar predicament. I will certainly recommend it to friends. In particular, I liked the fact that it prevented my feet and calves from cramping, something which occurred after 2 laps with ordinary fins. Also breathing was made much easier, and I now look forward eagerly to the next session. - Tony from Singapore.


I have been learning to swim for only 3 months now and using the shinfin™ fins twice a week now for about 8 weeks. Now, I find it very boring and slow swimming without them. I could not get a kickboard going forwards without them. Now, I do a few laps with the kick board for the exercise. The shinfin™ fins work well for me. They do all the things that that you claim but in addition they make swimming more enjoyable. (I can keep up with the other swimmers now.) I will continue to use them for my twice a week lap swims. - Chris from Perth, Australia.


Been using the fins about 3 times a week. Lots of interest from other ladies in the lap lanes! I find that shinfin™ swim fins make learning to swim feel very easy, which is a great confidence booster, but almost too easy, so that I'm not sure that I am expending sufficient effort! It is incredible to me that I can swim 50-60 25-m laps without feeling tired, whereas about 30 laps used to be my limit before. But what is really exceptional is the fact that there is no cramping in feet or toes - wonderful!! I took your suggestion of learning to swim after removing the fins, after having done a number of laps with them. I couldn't believe how much stronger my 'normal' swimming was! I kept my legs straight when kicking, and moved with more power and efficiency through the water (and so far, no cramps!) I am sure this is due to my body having been 'trained' into the correct position when using the shinfin™ swim fins. I think there is a lot of potential for shinfin™ swim fins to be used in learn to swim classes (esp. with adults), so I hope you are doing a roaring trade! - Margo from Weetangera, ACT, Australia.