What others are saying about kickboards

I just read a great article on swimscience.net subtitled “Ten Reasons Swimmers Should Never Use a Kickboard”. It’s a thoughtful list and I encourage you to read the article, but I disagree that the solution is to abandon all kickboards. Let’s just get rid of the old, cheap flat ones. After reading through the list you’ll find that the unique shape of Ray-Board™ directly addresses most of the author’s kickboard concerns. The list can be divided into three basic problems:

A (flat) kickboard leads to shoulder, back and neck injuries

To maximize buoyancy, most swimmers use a kickboard with their arms fully extended. This increases shoulder stress and can lead to injury. At a minimum, it is very uncomfortable to stay in this extended position lap after lap. Flat kickboards also force the swimmers head out of the water. This may provide lots of opportunities to catch your breath, but it also stresses the neck muscles, which can lead to sharp pain. Further, to achieve the raised head position you must overly extend your back. In time this can lead to lower back pain or muscular compensation that can transfer to the shoulders.

A (flat) kickboard takes swimmers out of a balanced body position, which can create bad habits

It is possible to obtain a good body position while using a flat kickboard, it just takes a lot of extra effort, is quite uncomfortable, and can increase the risk of injury. What happens more often is that swimmers don’t focus on their body position while kicking. Your legs drop, your back arches, your shoulders drop under your head. And when kick training do you really want to be focused on your arm position? Maintaining this bad body position is only going to create bad habits and cause problems when you’re swimming without a kickboard.

The leg mechanics of kicking with a (flat) kickboard are different from regular kicking

The point of doing kicking drills is to improve your kick, so the drills should achieve the same kicking motion as kicking without a kickboard. With flat kickboards, swimmers often use only their lower legs. They don’t use a full leg kick. Also, doing a dolphin kick with a flat kickboard is challenging because the board is difficult to control.

The Solution: Ray-Board™

The author’s many issues with flat kickboards are entirely overcome through the unique design of Ray-Board. By dropping your elbows deeper in the water and allowing a wider, bent-elbow arm position, Ray-Board puts your shoulders, neck and back in a position that you can maintain lap after lap. Your upper-body muscles actually get to relax during your kick session.

Ray-Board promotes a more natural swim position. This means your kicking drills with Ray-Board will reinforce good habits rather than bad ones. Lastly, the wide elbow position and support provided by Ray-Board provides a stable base against which the swimmer can generate a strong, full-leg kick. The shape and handle of Ray-Board also allow you to control it above and below the water, making it a great tool for dolphin kick training.

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What is the Best Kickboard for Me?

Non-swimmers do not appreciate differences in swim equipment. “Why does that racing suit cost $400 when I can get $20 swimsuit at Walmart?” But for those of us who rack up thousands or tens of thousands of yards a week, even minor differences in equipment can be noticeable. This article reviews the best kickboard. How are they alike? How are they different? And which is the best kickboard for YOU!

The Basic Kickboard

You can find these classic kickboards at almost any public pool in the country. They are manufactured by many swim companies, from the giants (Speedo, Finis) to eBay knock-offs. They are flat, generally, 20 inches in length, have a curved leading edge and that’s about it. These featureless boards are designed with only one concern in mind… keeping costs low. Unfortunately, this sole focus on cost leaves swimmers prone to injury or poor training techniques. If you have to use one for a few laps… that’s fine. But competitive swimmers should really be using a performance kickboard.

The Basic + Handholds

The next step up in kickboard performance adds handholds. Again, kickboard manufacturers offer a variety of configurations, but in general, the handholds define specific locations for you to grasp the kickboard while you swim. This design idea is a little shortsighted. Why would a swimmer want to support their weight entirely through their hands? And the closer the handles get to the back end of the kickboard the less balanced it is in the water.

Sporti Momentum Premium Kickboard / Poolmaster 50509

“Hydro” Designs

TYR sells a higher-end kickboard that deviates a bit from the most basic flat designs. It measures four inches shorter than standard kickboards. Handholds at the front allow the board to provide support for forearms, and the middle section is curved (concave side up). The design allows for the swimmer to roll slightly side to side, such as when swimming freestyle. Overall, it’s an improvement over the most basic designs but really designed for the side-to-side rolling function.

TYR Hydrofoil Kickboard

Drill Specific Kickboards

Finis sells a unique design that looks part kickboard and part swim paddle. It is much smaller than other kickboards (12-inches x 12-inches) and is intended to keep your body in a streamlined position by sitting below the water’s surface. A velcro strap helps your fingertips to also stay in a streamlined position without having to grip the board. Finis does claim it puts less stress on the shoulders, but partly because the board is not meant to support much weight at all. Use with face in the water.

Finis Alignment Kickboard

Hybrid Products

For those that (1) have a really small swim bag, or (2) aren’t ready to invest in both a kickboard and a pull buoy, Sporti makes a hybrid product. Like most hybrid products, this one doesn’t serve either purpose very well. As a pull buoy, it’s not quite thick or buoyant enough. As a kickboard, it doesn’t provide as much support as traditional designs and it’s a little awkward to hold while you kick. If you’re serious about improving your kick training, you’re better off committing to a product designed specifically for kicking.

Sporti Hybrid Pull Buoy Kickboard

Ray-Board: The Most Comfortable Kickboard You Can Own

We’re admittedly biased on this, but Ray-Board™ is the only true performance kickboard available. Its unique shape places your arms in a comfortable bend position, with your elbows slightly below the surface. This allows your body to maintain a more natural swim position while you kick, and you don’t have to arch your back or strain your neck or shoulders, making it extremely comfortable to use lap after lap. Ray-Board overcomes the top problems with flat kickboards. If you’re serious about swim training, you should be using Ray-Board in all of your workouts. It is hands down the best kickboard of 2020.

Learn More About Ray-Board

10 Great Reasons Not to Use a (Flat) Kickboard