Not All Kickboards Are Equal

Swim kickboards come in various shapes and sizes, designed to serve different purposes in swim training. While recreational swimmers may focus on comfort and buoyancy, triathletes require a more specific set of features to optimize their training. If you’re looking for the best kickboard for triathletes, you need to consider functionality, durability, and how it enhances your swimming performance. In this article, we’ll explore why choosing the right kickboard for triathletes is crucial, the unique needs of triathletes, and which options might work best for you.

Why Triathletes Need a Specialized Kickboard

Triathletes train not just for swimming but for an integrated performance across three disciplines—swimming, cycling, and running. The swim portion of a triathlon requires a strong, efficient stroke and streamlined body position to conserve energy for the other legs of the race. A kickboard designed specifically for triathletes helps build leg strength, refine technique, and improve body alignment in the water.

For triathletes who didn’t spend their youth on a swim team, achieving an efficient swim stroke may seem like an elusive goal. You spend hour after hour grinding away the laps, with little improvement in your split times or “feel” in the water. Even as your overall fitness improves, you’re still not becoming the fish you’d like to be.

It all starts with technique. Unless you’re already swimming near the front of the pack, you’re better off spending effort toward improving your swim form than simply muscling out yardage. And for many triathletes, a big contributor to poor form is an ineffective kick.

A Quick Test

Time how long it takes to swim a length with a comfortable freestyle stroke. Then grab a kickboard and repeat the distance with only your kick.

For some of you this will be a wake-up call. Did it take you twice as long to kick that 25 or 50? If so, your kick is a major problem. You have two options: (1) Turn your kick off. If you’re not kicking, at least it can’t work against you. Or (2) fix your kick so that its playing on the same team as the rest of your body.

Plenty of triathlon coaches will suggest that simply dragging your legs behind you is good enough, or you need to “save” your legs. But wouldn’t it be nice to glide through the water with a smooth rhythmic kick, perfectly in concert with the rest of your stroke? If you’re ready to put in a little extra work to have a fully efficient stroke, then keep reading.

To improve your swim kick you’re going to need to do some kicking drills, and these means using a kickboard. If you’ve never used a kickboard you may want to learn the basics. Assuming you understand the basics, let’s discuss how kicking drills can help triathletes.

Key Features of the Best Kickboard for Triathletes

When selecting a kickboard for triathletes, here are the features to look for:

Ergonomic Design: Triathletes need a kickboard that supports natural hand and arm positioning to minimize fatigue during extended training.
Compact Size: Unlike large recreational kickboards, a triathlete’s kickboard is often smaller, offering just enough buoyancy to isolate the legs without disrupting streamline position.
Durable Materials: Since triathletes train frequently, often in chlorinated pools or open water, a kickboard must withstand heavy use and exposure to harsh environments.
Multi-Functional Use: Some of the best kickboards for triathletes double as pull buoys or provide multiple handgrip options, making them versatile tools for various swim drills.

Benefits of Using a Kickboard in Triathlon Training

Benefit #1: Improve your Form

Problems with your kick can be disguised by a strong arm stroke, but when using a kickboard these problems are amplified and become easy to identify. For example, do you careen to one side during the kicking drill? If so, your kick is not symmetric. Are you rocking back and forth like an unstable canoe? Your core muscles are not doing a good job of stabilizing your body position.

During kicking drills, resist the urge to simply throw your effort into a higher gear. Don’t stress the clock (do you really know what a good time is for 100y kick repeats?). Instead, experiment with your form. Are your feet fully plantar flexed (toes pointed)? Are you legs moving like you’re on a bicycle (they shouldn’t be)?

Benefit #2: Increase your Strength

Are your legs spent after using the kickboard for a 25 or 50? This means that you’ve been overly reliant on your pull. It’s time to get your legs involved. The leg strength you developed as runner and cyclist doesn’t necessarily translate to a swim kick. The range of motions are different and swimming involves some different muscles. Consistently doing kicking drills will build that strength.

Initially you may not be able to kick for very long. Try mixing in short kicking drills several times throughout your workout. This isolates your let muscles, but then allows them to recover. As you gain strength and endurance, try longer kick sets. If you put an extended kick session at the end of the workout you can consider it a mini “all-swim” brick workout.

Benefit #3: Add Some Variety

Triathletes typically excel at being in their own heads for hours at a time. In the pool its not uncommon to see a triathlete swim their entire workout head in the water at a steady pace. But as discussed, that’s not the best use of your pool time. Competitive swimmers frequently switch up strokes. This allow for muscle and mental recovery, letting them swim at a higher level of exertion. This is more challenging for triathletes since many don’t swim multiple strokes. Kicking a 100-200 several times during a workout can provide mental break that allows you to refocus your effort.

So if you’re now bought into trying a few kick sets you may find yourself asking “Are there different types of kickboards?” There are likely a couple dozen kickboards in a damp closet at your local pool. Before you grab one and start kicking, consider this: triathlon coach John Wood wrote in an article on 220triathlon.com:

“The main reason that I don’t use kickboards while swimming or coaching is that it promotes a poor body position. Wherever your hands sit on a float, your shoulders will be raised out of the water somewhat (which can put stress on the muscles and joints).”

So now what? How do I practice my kicking if kickboards are part of the problem? Is there a kickboard that promotes good body position and doesn’t stress your shoulders and neck?

Training Tips for Triathletes Using Kickboards

Alternate Between Kickboard and No Kickboard: To simulate real race conditions, practice drills with and without a kickboard. This helps integrate kicking strength into your natural stroke.
Combine Kickboard with Fins: Adding fins can further isolate your legs and help you focus on building muscle strength and perfecting technique.
Incorporate Interval Training: Use a kickboard to perform high-intensity intervals followed by rest periods to simulate the bursts of effort required in a triathlon swim leg.
Practice Open-Water Drills: While most kickboard training happens in a pool, consider how the buoyancy and drag of your kickboard affect your body in open-water conditions.

Meet Ray-Board® – The Best Kickboard for Triathletes

Ray-Board is the preferred kickboard of triathletes and competitive swimmers. It was designed to address all of the concerns listed by coach Wood. It’s unique shape lowers your elbows to a more natural and comfortable position that promotes horizontal body alignment. This puts your legs in the proper position without having to arch your back and crane your neck. The design even allows you to swim with your head in the water as you would with a normal swim stroke. When using Ray-Board you focus on the kicking drill, not on trying to find a comfortable position and counting the seconds until the drill is over. Are you ready to start using the best kickboard for triathletes?

Why the Right Kickboard Matters for Triathletes

Choosing the best kickboard for triathletes can have a significant impact on training efficiency and overall performance. The right kickboard enables you to focus on key elements like leg strength, body position, and endurance without compromising technique. It also allows you to simulate race conditions more effectively, helping you transition seamlessly from pool training to open water.

Final Thoughts

The best kickboard for triathletes isn’t just about size or buoyancy—it’s about enhancing your swim training experience and preparing you for the unique challenges of a triathlon. Whether you prefer the compact design of the Finis Alignment Kickboard or the versatile functionality of the TYR Hydrofoil Kickboard, selecting a kickboard that suits your needs can improve your technique, build endurance, and boost your confidence.

As you refine your training plan, remember that a kickboard for triathletes is more than a piece of equipment—it’s a tool that supports your journey toward becoming a stronger, faster, and more efficient triathlete.

Best Kickboard for Triathletes: 4 Must-Have Features