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!
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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.
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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.
