Effects of fin-based kick training on 50m freestyle performance in adolescent swimmers
Jurnal Penelitian Guru Indonesia July 30, 2026 Volume 11, Number 2 4 authors
Abstract
Sprint freestyle performance is influenced by lower-body propulsion, kick efficiency, and ankle plantarflexion range of motion. Swim fins are widely used to increase kicking intensity during training; however, evidence regarding the effectiveness of structured fin-based training in adolescent competitive swimmers remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a systematic fin-based kick training program on 50-m freestyle sprint performance. A one-group pretest–posttest design was conducted involving nine male competitive swimmers aged 12–17 years who were recruited from a swimming club through purposive sampling. Participants completed a six-week intervention consisting of 16 training sessions (three sessions per week, approximately 90 minutes each). The training program included fin-assisted kick drills, sprint drills, board kick drills, and streamline kick drills. Freestyle 50-m sprint time was measured before and after the intervention. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, while pre- and post-intervention differences were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test. The results showed a significant reduction in mean sprint time from 32.40 ± 7.32 s to 31.74 ± 7.24 s, representing a mean improvement of 0.66 s (2.3%; p < .001). These findings indicate that a structured fin-based kick training program may provide a practical method for improving sprint freestyle performance by enhancing lower-body propulsion. Nevertheless, the lack of a control group limits the ability to attribute the observed improvements solely to the intervention. Future randomized controlled studies with larger samples are recommended to confirm these findings.
Authors
Mhd Fadlan Mustaqim
Universitas Negeri Padang
Masrun Masrun
Universitas Negeri Padang
Pringgo Mardesia
Universitas Negeri Padang
Anisa Sholiha Mia
Universitas Negeri Padang
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Mhd Fadlan Mustaqim; Masrun Masrun; Pringgo Mardesia; Anisa Sholiha Mia (2026). Effects of fin-based kick training on 50m freestyle performance in adolescent swimmers. Jurnal Penelitian Guru Indonesia, 11(2), 1053-1060. https://doi.org/10.29210/027160jpgi0005
Mhd Fadlan Mustaqim; Masrun Masrun; Pringgo Mardesia; Anisa Sholiha Mia. "Effects of fin-based kick training on 50m freestyle performance in adolescent swimmers." Jurnal Penelitian Guru Indonesia 11, no. 2 (2026): 1053-1060. https://doi.org/10.29210/027160jpgi0005
Mhd Fadlan Mustaqim; Masrun Masrun; Pringgo Mardesia; Anisa Sholiha Mia (2026) 'Effects of fin-based kick training on 50m freestyle performance in adolescent swimmers', Jurnal Penelitian Guru Indonesia, 11(2), pp. 1053-1060. https://doi.org/10.29210/027160jpgi0005
Mhd Fadlan Mustaqim; Masrun Masrun; Pringgo Mardesia; Anisa Sholiha Mia. "Effects of fin-based kick training on 50m freestyle performance in adolescent swimmers." Jurnal Penelitian Guru Indonesia, vol. 11, no. 2, 2026, pp. 1053-1060. https://doi.org/10.29210/027160jpgi0005