Pull buoys and kick boards-I just hate them SO much!

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 Kicking without a board is much better for your swimming. Not only do you avoid shoulder and neck pain, you are able to work on your body position- streamlining, hip rotation, etc.- when you kick without one. Using a kickboard does not help your swimming (other than working your legs), however it gives you the benefit of being able to socialize a little while you swim! As far as pull buoys go, they are a much more useful tool for working on your stroke. They force you to work on balance as you rotate in freestyle and backstroke, and they also help you focus on what your arms are doing. As uncomfortable as they might seem, pull buoys are a good tool for working on body position. But if you don't want to use these tools, don't. I really don't think people will mind, especially if you are conscientious about where you should go in the lineup.

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 Kicking without a board is much better for your swimming. Not only do you avoid shoulder and neck pain, you are able to work on your body position- streamlining, hip rotation, etc.- when you kick without one. Using a kickboard does not help your swimming (other than working your legs), however it gives you the benefit of being able to socialize a little while you swim! As far as pull buoys go, they are a much more useful tool for working on your stroke. They force you to work on balance as you rotate in freestyle and backstroke, and they also help you focus on what your arms are doing. As uncomfortable as they might seem, pull buoys are a good tool for working on body position. But if you don't want to use these tools, don't. I really don't think people will mind, especially if you are conscientious about where you should go in the lineup.