Hi all,
It's so funny--sometimes I see people at the pool who really go at it with the kickboard...and then other people wouldn't touch one if their life depended upon it.
I'll admit, I don't use one--mainly becuase I'm impatient, feel like I'm not going anywhere, and am a purist to a fault sometimes.
But, if you think that it's worthwhile, I would incoporate it, all for the sake of improvement.
The great questions are:
Will training with a kickboard make me a better, faster, super awesome swimmer?
And, if you train with one--why? Or, why not?
Thanks everybody (you know you're my outlet!)
JoAnne -aka, Jerrycat ;)
Parents
Former Member
I do not use a kickboard, I stopped about 5 years ago. Thanks to total immersion for that. I was never a big kickboard fan anyway. I find that my swimmers are kicking very hard to get through the TI drills, and some of the arm recovery drills that I give them. After 500 meters of the drills I think that they have worked enough on thier kick.
I use zoomer fins for the reasons that Matt mentions. I also find that I can do a lot of "core body" strengthening. By using dolphin kick on back, sides and front. They are very useful for the triathletes that I coach and they like them.
My tutor on my latest coaches course mentioned that using a kickboard for fly kicking sets was to be avoided. There is a great amount of harmfull compression of the lower vertebra that takes place, especially bad for developmental children.
I feel that there is over stretching of the shoulder occuring on long kickboard sets. A few swimmers seem to have no problem with it, but with from 35 - 50 % of swimmers having experienced shoulder pain, anything that stresses the shoulder should be avoided.
Kickboards make great cushions when sitting on the pool deck !!
I do not use a kickboard, I stopped about 5 years ago. Thanks to total immersion for that. I was never a big kickboard fan anyway. I find that my swimmers are kicking very hard to get through the TI drills, and some of the arm recovery drills that I give them. After 500 meters of the drills I think that they have worked enough on thier kick.
I use zoomer fins for the reasons that Matt mentions. I also find that I can do a lot of "core body" strengthening. By using dolphin kick on back, sides and front. They are very useful for the triathletes that I coach and they like them.
My tutor on my latest coaches course mentioned that using a kickboard for fly kicking sets was to be avoided. There is a great amount of harmfull compression of the lower vertebra that takes place, especially bad for developmental children.
I feel that there is over stretching of the shoulder occuring on long kickboard sets. A few swimmers seem to have no problem with it, but with from 35 - 50 % of swimmers having experienced shoulder pain, anything that stresses the shoulder should be avoided.
Kickboards make great cushions when sitting on the pool deck !!
