Personally, I think kickboards are evil, evil, evil. When I was swimming 20 years ago in high school I didn't see the point, and now that I'm 38 I still don't see the point.
Happily though, I've read in several books and seen on a few video tapes that many coaches have come around to my line of thinking, "Kickboards put you in an unnatural heads-up position, emphasize the least effective part of the stroke (the kick), and keep you from rotating."
Since I see people swim with kickboards every day I know many people disagree with me. But, there's no way they're going to change my mind. Instead - let's vote!
i kick both ways- with and without a board. personally, i'm much faster with a board than without. but without one, i can concentrate on more than just my kick (ie body rotation, head position, etc)...
Former Member
I completely agree with you. I don't see the need for kickboards. I have the adults I swim with and the kids that I coach avoid using kickboards. I don't like the way it feels when you use them. My back hurts and it just doesn't feel right.
You can also go a lot faster without one!!
Former Member
I kick on my back with one or two hands above my head so I don't knock myself out on the wall. I have used a kickboard before but when used in a shoulder friendly position it is very uncomfortable and inefficient. I think it was stated above but I'll say it again, the kickboard acclimates your body to kicking uphill. Who wants to kick uphill when you don't have to?
Former Member
I think kickboards have their place.
I went to an intensive training camp this weekend - if you hear of a reputable club/coaching staff putting on a camp or clinic - save your pennies and go! This weekend was amazing - I learned so much. The coaches and fellow swimmers at the Walnut Creek Intensive Training camp were awesome. I have a lot to work on but I'm looking forward to improving my technique, getting stronger and watching my times drop!
Anyway, Debbie Santos (one of the coaches) taught us a really cool drill over the weekend that uses a kickboard that helps to keep your legs in the proper position while kicking breastroke on your back.
What you do is you kick breastroke on your back while holding the kickboard over your thighs (as you kick). If you're kicking right, your knees will not bounce up against the board. If you're not kicking properly, your knees will bounce the board up (does that make sense?) instead of just resting on the tops of your thighs.
You can use kickboards for balance as well. I read an article about Dara Torres using them this way - she would put a kickboard under her torso while laying face down in the water, balancing herself. You can also spread your arms and legs back and forth (like you're making upside down snow angels in the water). You keep adding kickboards as your balance gets better; Dara got up to 10! I've tried it with 2 or 3 and it's actually harder than it looks.
Just my 2 cents....
(Hi Brian!)
:)
Former Member
I am with those who think that kickboards are useless.I do not see the point of using them...
Former Member
I had to check the "useful training tool" even though I wished there was a category of "have their uses". When I kick without a kickboard I aggrevate my asthma because I forget to breathe regularly (if I'm not taking strokes, I forget to breathe regularly, thus triggering an asthma attack). But I realize that they're not the best thing for training.
Ditto on the fins. I use them because, without them, I get frustrated kicking and therefore, don't do it. I'm working on the whole balance/ FQ swimming thing, but I still have problems with my kick getting me anywhere.
Kae
Former Member
My .2 cents on fins....
I love them. I think they (for me at least) are completely appropriate for training. For one thing, my ankles have become very, very flexible, which I believe are a direct cause of using fins for some kick sets. We do do kick sets without fins, which is necessary, but we also use them.
Our coach has us use fins 3 times a week for kick and/or drill sets. For example, there are some really good backstroke drills that we do using fins.
I can see how folks can become "addicted" though....I have an addictive personality myself, so I can only use them in moderation! ;)
Here's one of my favorite fin sets:
12 x 25 fly on :45 - with fins. The 25's are all out - with lots of rest.
Former Member
i hate using a kickboard... it feels so unnatural in the water. plus, i hate the way it places my body in the water, it makes my shoulders feel weird. PLUS, i don't use pull buoys or paddles anymore... i think they make things worse... the only swimming "appliance" that i will use in the water are fins!
when you kick without a board, you can still work on your flip turns!
so... i agree, kickboards are evil pieces of plastic!
s.
Former Member
Any swimming aids/equipment is like a trades persons tool kit. They are only usefull if used in the correct way.
Kickboards are great to work on power and muscular endurence as are fins. They also help with different drills and with different focuss on stroke. for example if you had a swimmer that was not relaxed during their arm recovery you could put fins on them and have an over exagerated slow relaxed arm recovery. You could not do this without fins because then the swimmer would sink.
I don't use a kick board or fins or pull buoy or paddles in training.
We don't get to use them in a meet.
I am a big believer in training to become very good at streamlined underwater dolphin kicking.
as far as other equipment:
I would love to use an electronic timing system and touch pad in training to get accurate splits and times for sprints and race simulation training.
Ande
