Swimming Fitness Fins for Legs
~ shinfin™ Swim Fitness Benefits ~

If you are already swimming for fitness, or wish to start fitness swimming, then I have written this page for you. It describes the evolutionary benefits of shinfin™ swim fins for swimming fitness programs.

Good swimming fitness fins should exercise the big muscles in your thighs, buttocks, stomach and torso. They should exercise these muscles in the same muscle sequence as swimming without fins. They should be comfortable and not strain your feet, ankles, Achilles tendons and calf muscles. Good swimming fitness fins should benefit cardiovascular fitness and help reduce unwanted fat. They should work for slower swimming exercises, through to faster swimming with a faster kick rate. Good swimming fitness fins should also help you swim with a smooth, efficient and streamlined technique so your natural swimming without fins becomes better too. The better your swimming technique, the more you will enjoy your swimming fitness programs.

I have designed shinfin™ swim fins to offer all these benefits for swimming fitness, and more. They achieve this by connecting power directly to your legs, above your ankle joints. This transfers your swimming fitness workout to the big muscles in your thighs, buttocks, stomach and torso - the muscles you most want to exercise. In fact, these are the same muscles that good swimmers use for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. With shinfin™ swim fins, your feet and ankles are comfortable and free to move naturally. Your feet, ankles, Achilles tendons and calf muscles are not strained like they are with foot flippers. So shinfin™ swim fins help you exercise the right muscles without hurting other parts of your body. At the same time, they guide you towards a natural streamlined stroke like good swimmers do. This is why shinfin™ swim fins are a true evolution for swimming fitness programs.

shinfin™ ~ Fitness with the right muscles
~ exercise thighs and buttocks
~ exercise stomach and torso (core muscles)
~ tone muscles and reduce fat
~ strengthen same muscles as without fins
~ no extra calf muscle strain (unlike foot flippers)
~ improve swimming fitness and strength
~ improve cardiovascular fitness and lung capacity

shinfin™ ~ Fitness with comfort and safety
~ relaxed, comfortable feet and ankles
~ relaxed, comfortable calf muscles and Achilles tendons
~ safer water entry and exit
~ normal dive - curl your toes over the edge
~ flip-turn and easy push-off from wall
~ safer walking

shinfin™ ~ Fitness with better technique
~ for freestyle, backstroke, butterfly (not breaststroke)
~ swimming fitness with correct technique
~ horizontal, streamlined swim position feels great
~ fin power connects directly to your legs
~ your feet move like without fins
~ your ankles flex like without fins
~ extra speed from up and down kicks
~ swim fitness for sea and surf too

shinfin™ ~ Swimming fitness programs
~ legs lift horizontal, even for slow swimming
~ avoid bent knee "bicycle kick"
~ for full stroke and kick-only programs
~ use with or without a kickboard
~ exercise with slow, medium or fast kicks
~ water-walking and treading water exercises
~ swimming fitness for adults and children

shinfin™ ~ Swimming fitness ~ More from the inventor/designer
The benefits of shinfin™ swim fins help swimming fitness for all levels of swimmer, adults and children. These benefits arise because I designed shinfin™ swim fins to match natural streamlined kicking for freestyle, backstroke and fly. Since about 1990, I have developed over 50 prototypes. I have studied swimmers with shinfin™ swim fins, with foot flippers and without any fins, using underwater video equipment and biomechanical analysis. Testing has included beginner and intermediate swimmers through to elite swimmers at the Australian Institute of Sport and in the Australian Olympic Team. Testing has also included physically and intellectually disabled swimmers. I found that the same shinfin™ design biomechanics apply to all swimmers who wish to do a natural streamlined kick.

This is why shinfin™ swim fins guide swimmers of all levels into a natural, streamlined kick with more benefits for swimming fitness. You feel how they help to keep your body horizontal for less drag. You feel how they guide you to kick from your hips, with only a little knee-bend. You feel the power of shinfin™ swimming fins coming from the big muscles in your upper legs, buttocks, stomach and torso. These are same muscles you should use for good "no-fins" swimming (without straining your feet, ankles and calf muscles like foot flippers). You also feel how they give the correct body balance to support your arm stroke. With shinfin™ swim fins, you know you are exercising the right muscles and strengthening a good natural kick - you can feel it. This is why they also improve your "no-fins" swimming fitness, technique (arms too) and speed. I offer you shinfin™ swim fins as biomechanically advanced swim fins, an evolution from all foot flippers for swimming fitness programs.

Foot flippers cannot give the same swimming fitness benefits basically because they attach to your feet. Most good swimmers, coaches and swimming teachers know that foot flippers corrupt your kick. They stiffen and cramp your feet and ankles, and disrupt water flow. Foot flippers change your body position and your ankle, knee and hip movements, often to a "bicycle-kick" with knees bent too low. Foot flippers work more from your calf muscles and ankles - you can feel it. They don't exercise your your upper legs, buttocks, stomach and torso like shinfin™ swim fins do . This is why foot flippers cannot give you the same swimming fitness benefits.

shinfin™ ~ More swimming fitness testimonials


My 2nd week with the shinfin™ fins has been promising; my kicking is feeling more comfortable and natural, and my lap times are now comparable to the foot fins. My aim is to become a stronger swimmer with the shinfin™ fins, with the proof being my lap times and overall fitness level. – Ron from Adelaide, Australia.


I am 50 years old, very active sports wise, do yoga twice a week in a class and swim a mile four days a week. They are all you say they are and I am very glad to have them….I have been wearing them every time I swim since receiving them. I did have a little problem getting them on at first but that has gone away now that I am used to them. Takes no time at all now to do it. The foot (flipper) problem has disappeared and no more rubbing the side of my foot and having cramps. The only thing I can complain about is that I found some muscles that had not been used. You can tell the difference right away…and months later…I am still using my shinfin™ fins. They are still so much better than anything I have used in the past. I am now back to swimming at least three days per week. I would not change back to anything else. All those problems the others cause are gone now thanks to the shinfin™ fins. Thank you so much for asking and thank you for shinfin™ fins. - Martha from Tennessee, USA.


I've used them twice and they were great; very comfortable and easy to keep my natural rhythm. Made my legs & gluts work hard. Attracted interest from other swimmers, as well as my physio. No hesitation recommending the shinfin™ fins to them. – Graham from Perth, Australia.


I have been using my new shinfin™ fins about once a week every week since I received them. I use them for lap swimming at the YMCA…they are a lot of fun. They are giving me the enhanced workout that I was looking for…and months later…I am still using my shinfin™ fins. I am still very happy with them. They are in good condition. - Lori from Los Angeles, USA.


I feel that the shinfin™ fins have made me a stronger swimmer. Can tell a difference in leg strength and tone. For a granny I can keep up with the younger swimmers. I do feel the action of the legs more and other people have commented on how smooth I swim and that I do not splash water like some others. I am also impressed with the long wear of the fins. Mine look almost brand new after all this time and use. The straps have not stretched or broken. I look forward to many more hours with my shinfin™ fins. - Martha from USA.


I've been using them quite a bit... Freestyle is my worst stroke... Breast stroke is my best... and the one I rest with... they don't work for breast stroke... but for freestyle, butterfly and back stroke they are great. I am enjoying them quite a bit... allows me to get a good workout without being totatlly winded. Gotta run... great product. - Ryan from Doha, Qatar.


They give me a great workout especially the thighs and the entire trunk area.....which is a pleasant surprise as I'm always trying to increase my strength in my lumbar/abdominal/buttocks area. I'm swimming twice a week for about 45 min each time. So yes I like them a lot, and yes they are just what I need for my strength training. As for one, I'm back doing the front crawl steadily with more authority now.....before my back/ trunk muscles weren't strong enough to allow me to just let loose.....not quite perfect yet but I've noticed a big difference in my lumbar/trunk stability.....a very nice surprise....my knees are feeling better, as I'm getting more power in my legs........and my ankles couldn't be happier....I can't wait to get swimming now as I'm seeing results quite quickly. - Mike from Ontario, Canada.