Top tips for using a monofin

Swimming with a monofin is an exciting step for all mermaids, and will help you to perfect your mermaid swimming technique. Here, we share our top tips for using a monofin, and how you can have the most fun with it.

How to put on your monofin

Putting on your monofin can take a bit of practice, so try not to get frustrated if it takes a few tries to get it in place. Sit down at the side of the water, put your feet into the foot holes, and pull up the ankle cuffs so that your ankles are covered. Your monofin should feel like it’s firmly in place to ensure that it doesn’t slip or fall off while you’re swimming. If you’re wearing a mermaid tail too, put your monofin into the tail and roll the fabric down until you can easily put your feet into the foot holes. Once in place, you can pull the tail up to your waist as normal. Always put your monofin on just before you get into the water as it’s not safe to walk or hop along whilst wearing it, and this could damage your fin too.

Swimming with a monofin

To be able to swim with your monofin, you need to master the dolphin kick. This swimming stroke creates a wave motion down your body that propels you through the water.

1. You should practice the dolphin kick without your monofin first to get used to it - as it can feel a little strange to begin with. Hold your legs together, put your arms out in front of you with your fingers together, and push down with your chest to create a ripple effect that moves all the way from your fingers to your pointed toes. Your body should always be parallel to the bottom of the pool in a horizontal position.
2. When you feel comfortable with the dolphin kick, you can add your monofin. Practice in shallow water to begin with - you might even like to hold onto the side of the pool for extra support. You’ll find that the dolphin kick is actually easier to do with your monofin, as you don’t have to concentrate on holding your feet together and can focus on the movement itself.
3. Next, you can try swimming with your monofin and your mermaid tail - we still recommend trying this out in shallow water first. Your tail should always be fully submerged under the water whilst swimming to ensure that you’re moving forwards and not towards the bottom of the pool. Remember not to bend your knees - your body should remain completely straight to ensure that you achieve the correct movement.
4. When swimming with your monofin, it’s important that you know how to get out of it quickly if necessary. The quick release method is the best way to do this. Simply pull one foot out of the monofin and use it to kick at the fin until your second foot is free. If you’re wearing your mermaid tail, roll it down over your hips and swim out of it. You should also do this if your feet accidentally come out of the monofin while you’re swimming.
5. If you want to share your monofin and mermaid tail with friends and family, make sure that they learn the quick release method for ultimate safety too.

How to look after your monofin

Looking after your monofin properly means that it will last for a long time, so taking care of it is very important. As mentioned previously, you should not try to walk or hop in your monofin as this can damage it. You should also keep it away from rough surfaces as these can have a bad impact on the fabric. In addition to this, you should always wash your monofin with clean water after use to remove any salt or chlorine, this will ensure that it's in a great condition the next time you want to use it.

Experiment with your monofin

Swimming like a mermaid doesn’t have to stop at the dolphin kick, you can have fun experimenting with lots of styles. The same move can be tried on your back or side, or you can try different arm movements - like you would whilst doing the butterfly stroke or front crawl. When you feel confident using your monofin, you can even try out flips, spins, and other tricks, or time yourself to see how fast you can go! You’ll find that performing the dolphin kick in a small, rapid motion will help you to zoom through the water - so why not give it a go?

Find out more about what a monofin is, or browse and buy your own monofin today!