What would you consider as the most important reason to include kicking in your workouts?
Also, what do you see as the main difference and purpose between the exercises kicking with a board and kicking without a board?
Do you compete in the pool? Kicking is important for going fast.
I don't think kicking with a board and kicking without a board serve different purposes. A board allows you to breath the entire set while face down does not.
Kicking different speeds on the other hand, does. Be sure and include a fair amount of hard kicking. For sprinters especially, I think a couple all out 25s are more valuable than a 200 at moderate pace.
My kick was slow and useless until I added sprint kicking to my workouts. All out 25s with lots of rest finally got me over the hump were I can kick 100s and 200s at a respectable pace. I was always dropped in under a 50 during kick sets when I was a kid.
I think it's a good idea to do some kicking both with and without a board. Without a board you have to work on proper body position, and that in and of itself is valuable. Some folks I know have a hard time kicking on a board - stresses either the shoulders or back. I would also add that I think it's useful to kick on your tummy, on your back and on both sides. Try sprint kicking free on your side - it's a great core workout as well as a kicking workout.
I agree with Qbrain - if you race in a pool at a distance of 500 or under, you should work on your kick and if you are a triathelete and need to speed up to pass folks - work on your kick.
--mj
Do you compete in the pool? Kicking is important for going fast.
I don't think kicking with a board and kicking without a board serve different purposes. A board allows you to breath the entire set while face down does not.
Kicking different speeds on the other hand, does. Be sure and include a fair amount of hard kicking. For sprinters especially, I think a couple all out 25s are more valuable than a 200 at moderate pace.
My kick was slow and useless until I added sprint kicking to my workouts. All out 25s with lots of rest finally got me over the hump were I can kick 100s and 200s at a respectable pace. I was always dropped in under a 50 during kick sets when I was a kid.
I think it's a good idea to do some kicking both with and without a board. Without a board you have to work on proper body position, and that in and of itself is valuable. Some folks I know have a hard time kicking on a board - stresses either the shoulders or back. I would also add that I think it's useful to kick on your tummy, on your back and on both sides. Try sprint kicking free on your side - it's a great core workout as well as a kicking workout.
I agree with Qbrain - if you race in a pool at a distance of 500 or under, you should work on your kick and if you are a triathelete and need to speed up to pass folks - work on your kick.
--mj
