Best kickboard for swim training in India

Perhaps the most widely-used of swimming equipment is the kickboard. Whether you are just learning to swim, or are a competitive swimmer, kickboards are essential to refining your kicking ability.

The main purpose of a kickboard in swim training is to improve leg strength and focus on your kick technique. The kickboard can be used with swimming fins for training. The pull buoy helps to improve arm strength.

Kickboards can be used in all workouts, including high and low intensity. But which kickboard should you use?

After some consideration, we found that the best kickboard for advanced or competitive training is the speedo kickboard. It is extremely versatile and can also be used by competitive swimmers who do not need much assistance in floating or strokes. It has a water-dynamic and streamlined shape and is small in size, which is perfect for placing in your net bag.

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How did we pick our best kickboard?

As a group of teenage swimmers who have been swimming for the last 10 years, we have used a variety of kickboards. After consulting other swimmers’ choices, as well as our coaches and trainers, here are the favorites that we have shortlisted. Also, we have considered swimming kickboards that are easily available in India.

Kickboard	Features	Why selected
Speedo Fastskin Swimming Kickboard	Hydrodynamic shape	✅Meant for competitive swimmers
Finis Foam Kickboard (Yellow)	Light weight and smaller in size	✅Jr. size for small and young swimmers
TYR Hydrofoil Kickboard Swim	Convex base helps rotation	✅Ideal for training for competitive swimmers

Best brands to consider

There are a lot of brands to choose from. Some of the best kickboards are from Speedo, Finis, Arena, and TYR. Again, these brands are chosen based on their availability. If you are looking for cheaper brands you might consider Nabaiji instead, since it is more widely available and cost-effective.

Kickboards vary in their shapes, grip techniques, and material. This determines their durability, methods of use, and their intended customer.

These are recommendations for mainly junior and sub-junior training, but they can be used for all ages, including adults.

Best kickboard for competitive swimmers

Pros

• Weighs more than other kickboards
• Hydrodynamic shape
• Good for resistance training

Cons

• It cannot be used extensively for high-intensity workouts
• Not much grip area

Best kickboard for young advanced swimmers

Pros

• Available in both junior sizes
• Does not absorb water so it does not get heavier
• Can take weight
• Durable and Long-lasting

Cons

• Can be difficult to grip
• Easy to grow out of

Best kickboard for adults

Pros

• Convex base – support roll with shoulders
• Ideal and well-designed size
• Ideal for swimming drills

Cons

• The grip area is small

What we need to check

The ideal kickboard easily stays afloat while also allowing you to do a number of drills and kicking exercises. Having cutouts for holding on the top, bottom or sides is not needed unless you have started to learn swimming.

Kickboards come in all shapes and sizes. Most boards are usually rectangular pieces of EVA foam. Some taper in the front so that they are more water-dynamic and simulate the feeling of streamline. Some are triangular in shape for the same effect.

The smaller the size of the kickboard, the more difficult it is to swim with since there is more stress placed on the upper body to ensure the body is kept afloat. As a competitive swimmer, this would be ideal, since this type of resistive training will increase your speed and strength, as well as technique and position while swimming.

Such small kickboards encourage you to swim with your head underwater, which is necessary to practice good strokes.

“Swimming is simply moving meditation.” —

Cesar Nikko Caharian

The cutouts are usually unnecessary, and unless you are a child just learning to swim.

You should also consider the thickness of your kickboard since flimsy kickboards have the tendency to break or bend while swimming.

The material is also important. Foamy kickboards are good for children, but as a competitive swimmer, using harder kickboards is recommended.

What do you use kickboard for?

Kickboards are often used in swim training sessions for various purposes, such as warm-up exercises, endurance training, drill work, and refining kicking techniques. They are commonly used by swimmers of all levels, from beginners to competitive athletes.

It allows the swimmer to isolate the upper part of the body and focus on kicking. It helps in building leg muscles, improving kicking, and developing proper body position in the water.

The kickboard is held with the arms extended so that the upper body rests on the board. The kickboard is also used as a flotation device for individuals who are learning to swim or need extra support in the water.

Is kicking with a kickboard a good exercise?

Kicking with a kickboard is a really good exercise for your legs. Not only it helps to concentrate on the proper leg movement, it helps make your leg muscles stronger and gives you a good workout for your heart and lungs. It also helps you balance in the water and makes your core muscles stronger. Kicking with a kickboard is great for learning and practicing your swimming technique too. It can be gentle on your body and is helpful if you’re recovering from an injury. Overall, it’s a great exercise for swimmers of all levels that helps with strength, fitness, and technique.

How to use a kickboard?

Kickboards can either be held at the top, sides, or bottom, depending on how you would like to practice your technique. 

To practice, just the kick, hold the board and the top edge, and focus on moving your legs as fast as possible. The kickboard will do most of the work while helping you to float. Keep your head out of the water so that you can breathe. 

Kickboard for beginners

If you are just starting to swim and are not comfortable with placing your head in the water, use the kickboard to move forward while practicing a part of your stroke. Hold the kickboard while you practice leg or single-arm action.  

Practicing with the kickboard can help you improve leg strength or get used to kicking hard and fast while floating independently.

Kickboard for training

Freestyle kick

While holding the kickboard at the top, rest your body on the kickboard and practice freestyle flutter kicking. You should be able to listen to the sound of your feet hitting the water. Faster beats indicate good speed.

To practice both breathing and kicking, hold your kickboard at the bottom edge or at the sides, and place your head inside the water.  To breathe, lift your head out of the water while holding the bottom of the kickboard and continuing to kick. Learning how to breathe with a kickboard is very important, as it teaches you to continue kicking even while taking a breath. 

You can also try practicing arm action while kicking using the board. Take one arm and perform the freestyle stroke before reaching back to the board, and repeat with the other arm. You should kick while doing this. you can also try this for breaststroke and butterfly to practice single-arm stroke.

This will be an easier way to get used to the freestyle stroke in order to put the arms and legs together. This is not a very difficult way to learn to swim because you can move your arms at your own pace without worrying about sinking. 

You can also slowly put in the breathing technique and breath while moving your arms. This exercise can be used for any and all swimmers, even competitive and advanced swimmers. It teaches you how to control your breathing very well.

Backstroke kick

So far we have only spoken about freestyle. However, kickboards can be used for any and all strokes, unlike the pool noodle. 

By holding the kickboard in similar ways, you can practice the kick easily. For backstroke, try holding the kickboard at the bottom and keeping your arms stretched, as holding the kickboard at the top or bending your elbows can be painful. 

While using a kickboard it is easy to pay attention to your stroke and understand if your legs are weak or not and need more practice. The more kicking you do, the stronger your legs will become, and the better your technique will be. However, for backstroke, it is recommended to use streamline, if you are more advanced.

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