Pull buoys and kick boards-I just hate them SO much!
Former Member
Am I all alone in this?
I am a newer swimmer, aspiring to join our local masters group, however, I loathe pull buoys and kick boards! I love doing kick drills with no board, it feels purer and more ergonomic. Kick drills with a board torque my neck up and shoulders out of line and make me feel like a slow barge to nowhere. As for pull buoys, I just don't get the benefit. They throw me way off balance and are so distracting that I can't really focus on just my arms. Wouldn't using fins for the arm-focused drills be equally beneficial?
I ask because these crutches I mean tools seem to be an intrinsic part of the masters workout, and I'm worried that if I eschew them, I will throw off the timing of my lanemates, or somehow not fit in to the group flow.
Am I a budding purist or an inflexible whiner? Should I just get over it and use the board and buoy? Or is it acceptable to adapt the workout without these items?
Willow
I'm not a purist, but I hate pull buoys and kickboards too. They hurt my shoulders, and I feel like I'm going backward with pull buoys. When my lanemates use paddles and pullbuoys, I use fins. Just make sure you're in the right place in your lane. I'm sure no one will mind if you don't use these devices. And if they do, too bad. You are a masters swimmer, after all, do what works best for you, not others.
I'm not a purist, but I hate pull buoys and kickboards too. They hurt my shoulders, and I feel like I'm going backward with pull buoys. When my lanemates use paddles and pullbuoys, I use fins. Just make sure you're in the right place in your lane. I'm sure no one will mind if you don't use these devices. And if they do, too bad. You are a masters swimmer, after all, do what works best for you, not others.
