In any field, choosing the right tool for the task is crucial to achieving the best results. Imagine trying to drive a nail with a screwdriver or tighten a screw with a hammer. It’s not just inefficient; it’s ineffective. The tool we select directly impacts our success in the task at hand, whether it’s in construction, cooking, or athletic training. This same principle applies to swimming, where tools like ONCORE and traditional kickboards serve different, yet essential, functions for developing strength, technique, and control in the water.
The Role of Kickboards: Building Leg Strength and Kick Mechanics
Kickboards have been a mainstay in swim training for decades. They isolate the legs, helping swimmers build leg strength and refine their kick mechanics. With the upper body supported and elevated, a swimmer using a kickboard can focus on their lower body movements, improving propulsion and efficiency in kicking. Kickboards also help swimmers improve their lung capacity by isolating the kick and allowing for focused breathing patterns.
However, while kickboards serve this purpose well, they don’t engage the entire body or target the core as intensively as needed for full-body alignment and stability in the water. They provide buoyancy and support, which can sometimes allow for “lazy” positions that neglect body awareness or alignment issues, especially when it comes to connecting the core and torso with upper body movements.
ONCORE: Targeting Core Engagement, Body Alignment, and Full-Body Control
ONCORE, by contrast, is designed for an entirely different purpose: improving body alignment, core stability, and feel in the water. Unlike the kickboard, ONCORE’s unique features - its low-density foam, specific surface area-to-thickness ratio, and buoyant force - challenge swimmers to actively engage their core and stabilising muscles. The size, shape and volume create just enough buoyancy to provide resistance without “doing the work” for the swimmer, requiring them to maintain control and balance actively.
This tool’s design activates key muscle cross-connections, targeting the swimmer’s core and stabilisers, which are essential for a powerful and efficient stroke. With ONCORE, each arm must work independently, removing the “lazy factor” and bringing imbalances or weaknesses to the forefront. By consistently challenging the swimmer’s alignment and control, ONCORE helps them develop body awareness and muscle memory crucial for fast and efficient swimming.
Using the Right Tool for the Right Task
Just as you wouldn’t reach for a hammer to tighten a screw, choosing between ONCORE and a kickboard depends on the specific skill you want to develop. Kickboards excel in building kick strength and reinforcing lower body mechanics. They are ideal when swimmers need to work specifically on their leg power and breathing techniques.
On the other hand, ONCORE is essential for swimmers who struggle with body alignment, core engagement, and upper body connection to the water. By highlighting imbalances, challenging stability, and engaging the muscles necessary for a strong and efficient stroke, ONCORE fills the gap that a traditional kickboard cannot.
Complementary Tools for a Complete Training Regimen
Both ONCORE and kickboards have a place in a swimmer’s toolkit, each contributing to different aspects of swim strength, form, and technique. Think of ONCORE as the specialised screwdriver in your swim training toolbox - precisely engineered for core engagement, balance, and body alignment. Meanwhile, the kickboard serves as the hammer, straightforward yet powerful for developing kick strength and lower body endurance. Using both tools effectively leads to a well-rounded training regimen that addresses every muscle group and element of technique.
Final Thoughts
In swimming, as in any discipline, the right tool for the task can make all the difference. ONCORE and kickboards offer different training benefits and are most effective when used for their intended purposes. By understanding the unique strengths of each tool, swimmers can target specific areas of improvement, ultimately leading to faster, more efficient swimming and greater body awareness. Just as every tool has its purpose, the right combination of ONCORE and kickboards allows swimmers to reach new levels of performance in the water.
Learn more about the ‘why’ behind ONCORE® and how it differs from other training aides as well as how you can benefit from this with our courses - read more here.