Kiking with/without A Board

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

orca1946 — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 12:39:52 GMT

Just use all of it to float like a boat!!

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

Elaine Krugman — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 11:05:53 GMT

Most of the board kickers I see use the standard size blue hard foam board. However I also see some using a smaller, arrow shaped board made of harder material. Is there a reason for this other than personal preference? Some of those boards double as pull buoys.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

flystorms — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 08:03:30 GMT

Our coach has us using the smallest boards available - usually kids boards or the triangular ones. His theory is that the smaller boards put less strain on the shoulders, I guess because you're not pushing as much surface area down with your arms as you hold it. I'd never heard this before.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

joshua — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 03:09:32 GMT

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

Former Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 15:43:08 GMT

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

Swimspire — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 03:31:36 GMT

As with any tool, a kickboard has its advantages and disadvantages. If you have an excellent kicking technique and simply want to strengthen your leg muscles, the board can be a useful tool to accomplish this. However, as some have mentioned, the board tends to put more strain on the shoulders, especially if you have an inefficient kick and lean on the board more for support. Keeping your arms in the stretched-out position for long periods of time is a strain in itself. Kicking with a snorkel can also be a great drill, so long as you have a coach watching to make sure you are kicking properly (kicking from the hips, as opposed to the knees for example). Whether its a kickboard or a snorkel, those tools alone will not serve to improve your kicking technique or efficiency. All drills should be practiced in moderation. Improving your kick requires a combination of a variety of kicking drills (like kick at side) which serve to improve conditioning and strengthen other areas of the body, such as your core. Swimming is a total-body strengthening exercise in which both the upper and lower body work in tandem to get you through the water. As such, variety in your workouts is key to improving overall, whether it is your kick or any other aspect of your swimming.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

StewartACarroll — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 02:04:50 GMT

Good kickers will not be lying on the board and most aren’t high in the water. About a minute into the linked video is an example of a good kick position. www.youtube.com/watch Is it just me or does this lady have the weirdest cut on her suit? That cant be comfortable can it?

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

StewartACarroll — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 02:03:40 GMT

I began using a kick board for all of my kicking about 2 years ago and I've had some real improvement in my kick over this period of time. While the board does place you in a position that is not at all like swimming, I don't think it matters. The whole point of kicking, for me, is to work on building leg strength and endurance. As an added benefit, I find that using a kick board during a portion of my warm up helps to stretch out my arms and shoulders far more quickly than slow and easy swimming would. I too like using a board but ran into some neck pain earlier this year as a result of the added strain the board can put on the neck. As a result I have tried mixing up my kick sets and despite still using the board I will from time to time use my snorkel and kick in a streamline position, and also started kicking on my back.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

orca1946 — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 01:57:13 GMT

If it works for you ----- kick with it. More resistance = more muscle.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

orca1946 — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:19:15 GMT

I do fly kick on my back without a board. This make me kick up harder. When doing free kick, it is much easier to do flips without a board.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

joshua — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 07:43:11 GMT

Yes. Kicking with a board is faster and lets you talk to your friends. Otherwise it is inferior IMHO. I definitely am slower when kicking with a board.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

Allen Stark — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:06:27 GMT

Is this not more like the real free kick when integrated into the full stroke? Yes. Kicking with a board is faster and lets you talk to your friends. Otherwise it is inferior IMHO.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

secondheart — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 10:47:37 GMT

The only assistive device I use in workouts is a board for the breaststoke kick. Kicking with a board is definitely faster (increased floatation and more oxygen). I feel that using a board actually simulates the breaststoke kick better than no board, because the board replaces the floatation one would normally get from the pull. Also I love all that oxygen :)

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

orca1946 — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 04:52:22 GMT

BUT some on our team have said "with a board my shoulders hurt" I think they lay on it rather than just finger/hand hold it.

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

__steve__ — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 04:04:16 GMT

Boards actually give my shoulders a break i use a board with face down and snorkel on

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

smontanaro — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 03:37:38 GMT

Kicking with a board is faster and lets you talk to your friends. On some teams/clubs/etc they will have "social kick sets". They never made a lot of sense to me, as I could never keep up with my teammates, no matter how "socially" they were kicking. In the past year or two, I've dispensed with the board altogether. I like it because it puts my body in a more correct/streamlined position. I'm also somewhat antisocial when swimming, so it gives me a good excuse to have my head in the water and not chit chat. ;)

RE: Kiking with/without A Board

Rob Copeland — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 02:12:26 GMT

...good board kickers. They appear to be kicking in an unnatural position. They are high in the water and some seem to be lying on the board.Good kickers will not be lying on the board and most aren’t high in the water. About a minute into the linked video is an example of a good kick position. www.youtube.com/watch