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!
Former Member
Lindsay,
Just the opposite. Not using kick boards allows more drills to be done in the same time frame, and be done correctly.
Bob is correct, kick boards are evil. They are the reason so many people have problems with breaststroke.
Originally posted by mrcnwmn
I think this poll is turning out to be pretty interesting.
It certainly is! A majority of the respondents so far (31 to be exact) have indicated that kickboards "are a useful training tool", yet I've counted only 2 who were able to state any reason why they think this.
Originally posted by Bob McAdams
It certainly is! A majority of the respondents so far (31 to be exact) have indicated that kickboards "are a useful training tool", yet I've counted only 2 who were able to state any reason why they think this.
Actually the poll is set up in a way that you can say that the numbers of people thinking that a kickboard is a useful tool and those thinking the opposite are almost even since poll answers 1,2 and 4 obviously do not mean that a kickboard is a useful tool(evil/useless/chance to talk), making the number of people thinking that 30 against 31 thinking the opposite.
I use the kickboards to work my legs, not to improve my swimming. I have red zoomers that I put on and do about 500 yards a workout with my zoomers and the kickboard (with my arms extended in front of me). I can really feel my thigh and calf muscled burning that way...
Actually I used to coach women with "excessive" thighs.
Using any fin they had, the board was turned flat 90 degrees to the waters surface. The deeper the board was pushed into the water, the more resistance. This really work their legs, and yes it did work:p
I don't use a board. doing fly & free kicks on your side as fast as you can is great. It sorks on balance & speed. I've also noticed that an older man hasstarted to do it & he seems better balanced also. the misalignment the board causes really hurst my neck!
Kickboards are good for improving kicking strength, as they isolate the kick. You have to take it seriously, of course. I just find that I "cheat" with too much pulling/sculling when I don't have a board. I do think boards are pretty useless, even for this purpose, for backstroke and butterfly kicking. Backstroke kicking can be done in a streamline just fine and butterfly kicking is more about form that kick strength (core strength is a different matter). Breaststrokers benefit greatly from improved leg strength. If kickboards don't teach proper form, well, that's what drills are for!
Kickboards are good for improving kicking strength, as they isolate the kick. You have to take it seriously, of course. I just find that I "cheat" with too much pulling/sculling when I don't have a board. I do think boards are pretty useless, even for this purpose, for backstroke and butterfly kicking. Backstroke kicking can be done in a streamline just fine and butterfly kicking is more about form that kick strength (core strength is a different matter). Breaststrokers benefit greatly from improved leg strength. If kickboards don't teach proper form, well, that's what drills are for!
I hate kickboards because they hurt my shoulders. Never use them. But I can see that they might be useful for BR kick, possbily flutter kick as well (although I don't use a board for flutter kicking). I can't see any use for kickboards for backstroke or dolphin kick though. Midas and Willow are right. For that, get a monofin or do shooters and longer kicks sans board.
kickboards are helpful, but I think they can mask problems such as poor streamline, poor ab strength, poor flexibility, ...
I don't think kickboards are meant to simulate the same kicking that is done during a stroke, but rather to give the swimmer a chance to work on their leg fitness and power, while having a steady supply of air.
If I was trying to work on the technique of my kick, I'd try and do it while swimming the stroke itself because kicking in the context of a stroke is quite different than isolated kicking. I can see how some tools such as zoomers would be helpful here as they don't interrupt stroke mechanics but can provide a bit more responsiveness to changes in the kick.
I do think that the arm position and head position are very odd though and might cause injury if held for too long. I find I have to be careful after using a kickboard because my arms and shoulders can tighten up a lot.
