Believe it or not, there are numerous ways to move your body while scuba diving. Most beginners begin with the flutter kick finning technique and progress to other styles that suit them better. There are six main types of scuba diving fin techniques, each of which is useful for different situations and types of diving. It’s a good idea to learn some of them so you’re prepared and can move as efficiently as possible underwater.
The following are the six most common scuba diving finning techniques:
ALSO READ : Biodiversity combines with Ecotourism: Raja Ampat
1. The Frog Kick
Dive professionals and experienced divers prefer the frog kick over the flutter kick. This is due to the fact that it requires less energy and is simple to rotate or reverse in the frog kick position.
Frog kicking entails moving your legs in the same way that you would in breaststroke swimming. The legs begin straight and together, then bend at the knees, and the feet come up and apart. The feet then rotate outwards until they meet with straight legs again, and the action is repeated.
This finning technique can be difficult to master and does not come naturally to most beginners. Breaststroke may be second nature to you when swimming, but it can be more difficult when you have fins on your feet.
Remember to avoid using your arms when finning; it is unnecessary and wastes energy. Scuba diving is all about going slow and staying relaxed.
2. The Flutter Kick
The flutter kick is the first scuba diving kick we learn, and it is likely the one that comes most naturally. A flutter kick is done by kicking each leg back and forth.
This prevents you from performing a “bicycle kick,” in which you bend your knees as if cycling. Doing a bicycle kick wastes a lot of energy. To make the most of your fins, keep your toes pointed while flutter kicking.
3. Modified Flutter Kick
As you might expect, the modified flutter kick is similar to the flutter kick. The modified version, on the other hand, requires you to bend your legs at the knees so that your feet are higher up, and then kick small and fast with your fins.
The modified flutter kick is not commonly used by beginners or in recreational diving, but it can be useful in confined spaces.
The modified flutter kick is a great choice when you are sharing air with your buddy, or you want to avoid kicking up sand or silt from the ground.
ALSO READ : No-Decompression Limit (NDL): What Affect’s NDL, How to Calculate and What Are the Limits
4. Backwards Kick
How to reverse backwards without turning your entire body around is one of the best scuba diving skills and finning techniques you can learn. This allows you to get closer to rocks and corals and look inside cracks, and then simply move backwards when you’re finished.
Many divers will use their hands to pull their bodies around when attempting to turn around. Unfortunately, this means they have less control over their equipment and may end up colliding with another diver or a piece of coral or rock as they turn.
A good backwards kick is essentially a frog kick done in reverse. Begin by hovering with your legs straight out behind you and together. Next, slightly bend your knees and rotate your feet in the opposite direction of a forward frog kick.
This causes the fins to scoop the water forward, propelling you backwards. This can be difficult to master, and you may feel silly while doing so, but remember that everyone did when they first tried!
If you want to be a dive professional one day, the backwards kick is a must-have skill for keeping an eye on your students.
Practise this finning technique in confined water, away from any hazards, and make sure you are neutrally buoyant before you begin.
5. The Scissor Kick
The scissor kick combines the frog kick and the flutter kick. To perform a scissor kick, open your legs as if performing a frog kick, but then quickly bring your legs together and straight to propel yourself forward. The legs move towards each other in a scissor motion.
The scissor kick is difficult to master, but it generates a lot of power with little effort. The scissor kick technique is used by many technical divers and scuba professionals.
ALSO READ : 6 Underwater Wide Angle Photography Techniques
6. The Helicopter Turn
The helicopter turn is an advanced finning technique that is frequently used by technical divers and when drysuit diving. It’s a useful skill to have when diving near wrecks or in small spaces.
The helicopter turn allows you to rotate your entire body to begin diving in a different direction without using your hands or moving forward.
To perform a helicopter turn, begin with slightly bent knees and your feet apart, then alternately turn your feet in opposing directions while rotating your ankles. This difficult manoeuvre requires a lot of practice but will come in handy if you want to try tech diving.
