Video Transcript…. Kickboards are a training aid which can help to develop your lower body muscle groups and can help you to focus on your kicking technique for most swimming strokes. Made with a buoyant foam material, kick boards add buoyancy to you in the water, providing you with support. Choosing the right kickboard is important. Choose a kickboard which sits roughly shoulder width apart to give you the correct buoyancy in the water and support you. How to Use There are multiple positions in which to use your kickboard. Hold the kickboard by the front edge, elbows resting on top of the board. Your head can be lifted with your face down in the water and adding in your breathing pattern, whichever is most comfortable to you. Hugging the board whilst on your back is a technique often seen when trying to develop the back stroke and develop confidence in the water. By hugging the board to your body you are adding buoyancy in the water and support to your body and here you can relax your body in the water and allow a natural backstroke leg kick to be worked. You can try your kickboard with front crawl, backstroke and breastroke to help develop your kicking technique. Avoid using when working on your butterfly technique as you can cause back injury So to summarise:
- Kickboards are a great way to develop strength in the lower body and give an isolated workout.
- Choose a kickboard that fits to your body properly.
- You can use your kickboard to work breastroke, front crawl and backstroke.