Do distance swimmers spend less time w/kicking workouts

The group I train with (a USAS team) does a minimum of 1000 kick each AM, usually 100's on the 2:00 - which I can barely make after about 4. I like to put on my zoomers because a) I keep the interval easier, and b) believe it or not, for some reason I actually work harder (on my flutter kick) with them on! Today our 2nd kick set was 8 x 100 on 2:00 - and I put on my zoomers for the last four. Question to you guys, was this a mistake? Should I leave them off? Or go ahead with this because I'm working harder on my kicking? And BTW - for those of us who have achy joints (RA) - I find that kicking with a kickboard does NOT help my shoulders one bit - it actually makes things worse for my shoulders and my neck. So if my shoulders hurt, I either do ***, or put on my zoomers. (Luckily that doesn't happen too much!) Yes, use your fins if you're really working the set. Fin work transfers if you're doing it at high intensity. Don't use a kickboard if it bothers your shoulders. I rarely do, only if I feel like breathing more. I agree with everything Clydesdale and Chris have said. But it's really about what X swimmer wants out of training. If you really want to improve and swim faster, then kicking is one place to start. But it won't happen overnight; it's a long term overhaul.

The group I train with (a USAS team) does a minimum of 1000 kick each AM, usually 100's on the 2:00 - which I can barely make after about 4. I like to put on my zoomers because a) I keep the interval easier, and b) believe it or not, for some reason I actually work harder (on my flutter kick) with them on! Today our 2nd kick set was 8 x 100 on 2:00 - and I put on my zoomers for the last four. Question to you guys, was this a mistake? Should I leave them off? Or go ahead with this because I'm working harder on my kicking? And BTW - for those of us who have achy joints (RA) - I find that kicking with a kickboard does NOT help my shoulders one bit - it actually makes things worse for my shoulders and my neck. So if my shoulders hurt, I either do ***, or put on my zoomers. (Luckily that doesn't happen too much!) Yes, use your fins if you're really working the set. Fin work transfers if you're doing it at high intensity. Don't use a kickboard if it bothers your shoulders. I rarely do, only if I feel like breathing more. I agree with everything Clydesdale and Chris have said. But it's really about what X swimmer wants out of training. If you really want to improve and swim faster, then kicking is one place to start. But it won't happen overnight; it's a long term overhaul.