Why Kickboard Drills Are Essential for Breaststroke Beginners

Building the Foundation of Power, Timing, and Confidence — One Kick at a Time 

For beginners learning breaststroke, the stroke can feel like a confusing puzzle: arms pull, head lifts, legs kick, body glides — all in perfect sequence. But without a strong, efficient kick, the entire stroke collapses. That’s where kickboard drills become not just helpful — they’re essential.

While advanced swimmers may minimize kickboard use to preserve shoulder health, for breaststroke beginners, the kickboard is a powerful teaching tool that isolates the most critical component of the stroke: the whip-like, propulsive breaststroke kick.

In this article, we’ll explore why kickboard drills are non-negotiable for new breaststrokers, how they build foundational skills, and the best drills to accelerate learning — safely and joyfully.

🐸 Why the Breaststroke Kick Is Everything

Unlike freestyle or backstroke, where the kick provides stability and rhythm, the breaststroke kick generates up to 80% of forward propulsion. A weak, wide, or mistimed kick doesn’t just slow you down — it creates drag, sinks your hips, and disrupts your entire stroke cycle.

For beginners, mastering the kick first — before adding arms and breathing — is the smartest path to success.

“If your breaststroke kick isn’t working, nothing else will.”— Coach Dave Salo, USC Trojan Swim  

✅ 5 Reasons Kickboard Drills Are Essential for Beginners

1. Isolates the Kick — No Distractions 

With arms supported on a kickboard, beginners can focus 100% on leg mechanics:

• Heel recovery (heels to butt, not knees out)

• Whip motion (toes pointed outward, snap together)

• Timing and rhythm 

Without arm fatigue or breath stress, the nervous system learns the movement pattern faster.  

2. Builds Propulsive Power 

The breaststroke kick is explosive — not continuous. Kickboard drills allow beginners to:

• Practice full-power snaps

• Feel water pressure on the instep and inner calves

• Develop adductor (inner thigh) and glute strength 

💡 Tip: Use a slightly buoyant kickboard held at arm’s length to keep hips high and mimic race body position.  

3. Teaches Proper Body Position 

Many beginners sink at the hips during breaststroke. The kickboard:

• Lifts the upper body, forcing hips to the surface

• Creates a horizontal “race-ready” alignment

• Helps swimmers feel what streamline should feel like 

🎯 Cue: “Press your chest down slightly — let your hips rise like a seesaw.”  

4. Develops Breath-Kick Coordination 

Once the kick is solid, beginners add breathing:

• Lift head to inhale during the kick’s power phase

• Exhale steadily underwater during recovery

• Submerge before arms recover 

Kickboard drills with breath practice build this timing safely — without the complexity of arm pulls.

5. Builds Confidence and Reduces Fear 

For nervous beginners, the kickboard provides:

• Physical security (something to hold onto)

• Controlled progression (start with 10m, build to 25m)

• Immediate feedback (“Did I move forward?”) 

Success with the kickboard = belief that “I can do this.”  

🛠️ 4 Essential Kickboard Drills for Breaststroke Beginners

1. Basic Breast Kick with Kickboard 

• Hold kickboard at full arm extension, face in water

• Perform slow, exaggerated kicks:

  • Recovery: Heels to butt, knees together

  • Power: Whip legs outward, then snap together 

• Focus on quiet entry and strong closure 

🎯 Cue: “Kick like you’re snapping a towel — not opening a door.”  

2. Breath Integration Drill 

• Same as above, but:

  • Lift head to breathe as legs snap together  

  • Exhale slowly underwater during recovery

  • Keep kicks powerful and compact 

💡 Start with 1 breath every 4 kicks, progress to every 2  

3. Vertical Breast Kick (No Board) 

• In deep water, cross arms over chest

• Perform breaststroke kick to keep chin above water

• Builds raw power and eliminates board dependency 

⚠️ Supervise closely — only for confident beginners  

4. Glide + Kick Repetitions 

• Push off wall in streamline

• Perform 1 powerful breaststroke kick

• Glide to stop

• Repeat 6–8 times

• Teaches propulsion-to-glide ratio 

🎯 Cue: “Kick once. Glide far. Rest easy.”  

⚠️ Common Mistakes — And How to Fix Them   

Knees wide during recovery	Creates drag, slows kick, illegal in competition	Cue: “Heels to butt — not knees out”
Feet flexed (not pointed)	Reduces propulsion, strains ankles	Practice “toes out” on deck first
Kicking downward	Pushes body up, not forward	Cue: “Kick backward — like pushing a ball behind you”
Holding breath	Causes panic, poor timing	Add steady bubble exhale underwater

📅 Sample Beginner Kickboard Session (20 Minutes)

Warm-Up:   

• 100m easy freestyle or backstroke

• 4 x 25m flutter kick with board 

Kick Focus:   

• 6 x 25m Basic Breast Kick (rest 30s)

• 4 x 25m Breath Integration (rest 45s)

• 4 x 15m Glide + Kick Reps (rest 30s) 

Confidence Builder:   

• “Treasure Hunt”: Kick to retrieve sinkable toys in shallow water

• “Kick Race”: Who can glide farthest after one kick? 

Cool-Down:   

• 100m backstroke + big smile! 

💬 Coaching Cues That Stick

🐸 “Heels to butt — not knees to sky.”

💥 “Snap your legs together like closing a book.”

🧱 “Glide like a plank — not a banana.”

💧 “Kick backward — not down.”

🌬️ “Breathe on the snap — not before.”  

Final Thoughts

For breaststroke beginners, the kickboard isn’t a crutch — it’s a launchpad. It transforms a complex, intimidating stroke into a series of manageable, joyful steps. It builds power where it matters most. It creates confidence through immediate success.

So don’t skip the kickboard. Embrace it.Let every kick be a lesson.Let every glide be a victory.

Because the swimmer who masters the breaststroke kick……has already won half the race.

Heels in. Toes out. Snap tight. Glide far. 

In breaststroke, speed begins at the feet — and the kickboard shows you how. 🐸💙