Long vs. Short Fins and Their Purpose

A Beginner's Guide to Swimming Fins

By Dan Novikov, Founder of DanSwim
September 10, 2024
If you're just starting to swim, you probably wonder how to maximize your time in the water. Learning to swim can be frustrating - between mastering the proper stroke technique and building strength, there's a lot to focus on.

For over a decade of coaching, I tried almost every piece of swim gear to find tools that could help improve my students' performance.

Among them, swim fins have become integral to my training method.
SPOILER
Fins aren't just for the pros.
Instead, swim fins are one of the most helpful tools a beginner can get. They make you swim faster, improve your kick, and boost confidence in the water.

This article will help you choose swim fins, covering everything a beginner needs to know about swimming fins. We will review some of the best swim fins available and teach you how to choose the right pair.

Get ready to explore the transformative power of fins and take your swimming skills to the next level.

Let's dive in!
best swim fins for beginners and intermediate swimmers
PART 1

What are swim fins?

Fins (or flippers) are long, flexible extensions that attach to the foot and are used to increase propulsion in the water. They vary in shape and size, from stiff, short blade fins to long, flexible ones. The most common material used is rubber or silicone. Fins are designed to enhance movement in the water by increasing the surface area of your feet, giving you a stronger push with each kick. They allow swimmers to swim faster, keep proper body position, and improve leg strength and their swimming technique.

Types of swimming fins

Long blade fins

The name itself is pretty self-explanatory, but long fins are indeed fins that have longer blades and add more surface area to your foot. Most long swim fins are about 20-24 inches in length. These fins are designed to provide greater propulsion than short fins, thus allowing you to travel further with each kick.

Longer finds are ideal for beginners building their kick strength and endurance, as they provide more power and make swimming feel easier.

Short blade fins

Short blade fins are generally shorter in length, about 12-16 inches. Unlike the long ones, these training fins are typically used for technique and speed. Short fins provide less propulsion with a smaller surface area than long ones, allowing you to maintain a faster kick.

For beginners, shorter swim fins can be particularly useful in learning proper kicking technique, improving kick tempo, and building leg strength without overly relying on the added propulsion of long fins.
PART 2

Swimming Fins Benefits

Speed and Power Enhancement

One of the most immediate benefits of wearing fins while swimming is an almost effortless and substantial gain in speed.

When learning to swim, it can be challenging to keep going, especially when your kick isn't that strong or effective yet.

Thanks to the added surface area from swimming fins, your legs can create a more powerful kick. The wider surface area means that with every kick, you can move more water, and as such, you may go faster than you would with your bare feet.

For a beginner, this increase in speed makes an unbelievable difference. You will feel like you can swim at a pace that makes staying on top of the water much more manageable.

The added speed would help you focus on other more critical parts of your technique, like that arm stroke or your breathing, without getting frustrated with slow progress.

Eventually, as you develop more confidence, the kick becomes much more effective, even without the fins.
speed and power training fins

Improved Leg Endurance & Strength

When starting your swimming journey, you may struggle to maintain your swimming technique for an extended period. The fins will help you swim with less effort while maintaining a higher speed.

You can easily swim longer without getting as tired and gradually build up your endurance. Additionally, swim fins will help you stay at an even pace throughout your swim workout, which is exactly what you need to build up your aerobic fitness.

The more you practice the kick cycle with fins, the stronger your muscles become, especially in your legs, which, when translated, means better stamina and, therefore, power in your kicks even without using the fins.

As time progresses, you'll notice that you can swim longer without getting as tired, preparing you for more advanced swim training.
closed heel fins

Great Tool For Refining Technique

One of the most critical aspects of learning to swim is focusing on your technique. The challenge here is to control everything about your technique, like body position, arm movement, and breathing, while you can hardly stay afloat or move forward.

Fins can eliminate hassle and make things easier, allowing you to swim more efficiently while perfecting your form.

Wearing fins automatically helps you kick from your hips instead of the knees, a common mistake beginners make. Over time, training fins will build and perfect your kicking technique. Their extra propulsion will keep you from feeling like your legs are sinking, so you can stay more streamlined and reduce drag.

Rest assured, the more you practice, the more streamlined and smooth your swimming will become, even without fins.
swimming equipment for beginners to improve confidence

A Confidence Booster For Beginners

Sometimes, learning to swim can be intimidating, as it's not a skill that comes naturally to everyone. One of the underrated benefits of using swimming fins is the confidence they provide beginner swimmers.

The fins provide this kind of power and speed to help you have greater control over where you are going. This allows you to focus more on improvement and less on frustration from slow progress. Fins make swimming more accessible for a beginner and, therefore, more fun.

Greater speeds and efficiency will allow you to tackle new drills and perfect the ones you have learned with maximum control, all of which contribute to a much more positive experience in the water.

As time progresses and your skills improve, move into swimming without fins and carry over the lessons you learned from them.
best fins for beginners

Improve Ankle Flexibility

One of the most overlooked but important aspects of efficient swimming is the flexibility and mobility of your ankles.

Good ankle flexibility allows competitive swimmers to travel farther with fewer kicks and less wasted energy because the foot works like a natural fin, pushing water backward more proficiently.

In many beginners, however, the ankles tend to be stiff, limiting their range of motion and reducing their kick's effectiveness.

When swimming with fins, the feet remain pointed, ideal for strong and efficient kick. Repeated flutter or dolphin kick motions with fins will lightly stretch the muscles and tendons around the ankle joint while strengthening them.

Consistently using fins helps beginners develop the kind of ankle mobility and flexibility advanced swimmers rely on for powerful, effective kicks.

Over time, you'll notice that your kick improves even without a swimming fin, which makes you a faster and stronger swimmer.
open heel fins
PART 3

Best Swim Fins For Beginners and Competitive Swimmers

Tried, Tested, and Recommended
BEST SHORT BLADE FINS

Arena Power Fin Pro

Of all swim fins, the Arena Power Fin is by far my favorite. It's snug fit and ergonomic design adds significant propulsion to your kick, which is precisely what you want to improve: technique, kick speed, and leg strength.

Phenomenal durability and comfort make these swim fins worth an investment.

My current pair has been used for over five years and still performs as new.

This longevity speaks to their build quality and makes them excellent investments for long-term training.
stiffer fins made out of rubber for lap swimmers and experienced swimmers
Why I Recommend Arena Power Pro Fin:
  • Durability

    These fins tend to have minimal wear and tear after five consecutive years of use while maintaining excellent propulsion without losing stiffness.
  • Comfort

    This model has an open-heel design, providing a snug fit without slippage. Powerful and firm, they don't cause discomfort, even during a prolonged swimming session.
  • Performance

    The short-bladed design allows fast, controlled kicks ideal for swimmers looking to improve kick frequency and style in free and fly.
BEST LONG FINS

Finis Long Floating Fins

Finis Long Floating Fins are other very good fins that I highly recommend, especially to those swimmers who would want to increase the strength and endurance of their legs.

Their longer blades cause greater resistance in the water, hence enhancing solid kicks.

One of the basic features of the fin is its capability to float, making it perfectly suitable for beginners who need additional buoyancy in water.
softer fins for leg endurance
Why I Recommend Finis Long Floating Fins:
  • Durability

    As good as the Arena Power Fin, the Finis Long Floating Fins are also very durable. They can withstand heavy use during hard training and present with very little wear and tear after a long period of time.
  • Comfort

    The floating design offers additional support within the water, making it considerably easier for a beginner swimmer to tackle kicking endurance.
  • Performance

    Even though these fins have a long blade, they can be comfortably worn for a prolonged period without causing blisters or irritation to the skin.
I want to hear from you

Have you found a pair you love, or are you still searching for the perfect fit?

I’d love to hear about your journey—leave a comment below, and let’s chat about how fins have helped (or could help) improve your swimming!