Monofins For Freedivers: Part II
Posted By Aharon & MT Solomons on 25 April 2005
Compromises and adaptations
Unlike finswimming where the resistance experienced by a finswimmer is constant Messrs Archimedes and Boyle/ Marriot have ensured that the resistances opposed to the freediver are variable, hydrodynamics and buoyancy. The first part of the descent poses the maximum resistance together with the first part of the ascent. Here, unequivocally, the ‘classic’ style is preferred, but here again there is a big problem as anyone who is not capable of BTV (equalizing without use of the hands), is under a grave disadvantage. Therefore this has lead us to prioritise and develop effective techniques for teaching BTV to monofinners, though in the last analysis not everyone is physiologically equally capable of applying it.
The general feeling regarding changing styles during the dive concerns the debate of where resistance was minimal, i.e. during the glide on descent and during the last part of the ascent, where the buoyancy equation works in one’s favour and conservation of effort is a priority. Here the hands down position might facilitate equalization in the glide and would help with relaxation both in the last parts of the descent and ascent. However, most people experienced greater difficulties in maintaining direction or spiralled during the glide and reaching for the tag was more complicated. The conclusion was a slightly more relaxed version of the classic position during the glide and a breast-stroke pull down in the last few metres of the ascent before surfacing.
Monofin Training
Concerning training it became apparent from the start that the Russians take no prisoners. They had a murderous 40 minute stretching programme for us prior to getting into the pool for the 1200m – 1800m training sessions. For nearly every stretch the hands had to be held above the head to simulate the monofin position. Their attitude was NOT that if you find it difficult just keep your hands down whilst swimming but rather stretch until you have achieved the necessary mobility in the shoulders! As an old Indian yoga master of ours always says, under any difficulty, ‘Practice, all is coming!’
The morning sessions were totally restricted to using small rubber bi-fins of a particular type, which are rather like a small split monofin. There followed various exercises and 1200m of timed drills, i.e. interval training. The afternoon sessions were held in the bay on a 50m extended weighted line set in a depth of about 1.5m, where we did 100m drills using various techniques for style and speed. Most of the training concerned surface drills and interval training with a few sessions ending in subsurface sprint exercises.
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