How important are kick boards? Can I ditch my kick board and just use a snorkel so I can put my head down and breathe or is there a benefit that kick boards offer that I wouldn't get if I did ditch the kick board? It gives me such a headache.
I believe that a kick board is a useful device for the *** stroke. With a kick board, you can concentrate on the proper kick without the distraction of breathing and timing.
Have you tried breaststroke kicking on your back?
Thanks for all the input! After weighing what everyone had to say, I decided to ditch the kick board. I also discovered an added benefit to ditching the kick board -- my swim bag now has room for more "toys"! :woot:
BR kick on my back seems to hurt my knees. PS I am not a very good br kicker.
I am a breaststroker and my knees don't like kicking br on my back either... :)
I am a breaststroker and my knees don't like kicking br on my back either... :)
I do different things for different reasons:
Kicking on my back helps me focus on keeping the extension from my torso to upper legs (not tucking the knees in) and to stretch out the thighs.
Kicking without a float on the front is good for working feel and distance per kick.
Kicking with a float I find good for 'training' reps - the board creates some resistance and I do a lot more kicks than I would without
