My local pool is too shallow to do water running but can’t run for the next couple weeks because of injury; is doing swim kicks at all a comparable workout? If so, should I do it with or without fins and with or without kickboard? Thanks
Specificity - kicking will make you a faster kicker and kick sets are a far different workout than water running. You’ll use the same muscles, and you can certainly get your legs burning with good kick sets, but it’s kicking not really a substitute for running.
If you can swim, I’d use the pool time to do that. If for some reason you can’t swim, get creative with the kick sets - there is so much more to life than flutter kick 
should I do it with or without fins and with or without kickboard?
I’m not a fan of kickboards except for breaststroke kick. Some ideas -
timed kicking (ie, 8 min straight) with random fast bits that are :20-:30 long
dolphin kick with and without fins, you can do this laying on your tummy with or without a board, or on your back (I heart dolphin kicking on my back)
flutter kick laying on your stomach with or without a board, flutter kick w/o board laying on your hip, bottom arm extended, top arm lays at your side
flutter kick laying on your back
whip kick (think elementary backstroke) - laying on your back, this is a really easy one
My favorite kick set is 3 x 200 IM kick.
Hope that helps. Sorry you’re injured, heal quickly!
Although it is rare to add anything to a TC post on swimming - as a decent but not exceptional runner, I always found a no board kick set on your back was great for strengthening running muscles - great quad workout since body position is very different than on the front. My running legs have always felt better for throwing in a regular 4x100 kick on back 3 x a week in a swim set.
I have read/been told that a kickboard is not a good gizmo to use, better to swim without for balance and position in the water.
Do you think that’s true?
If so, I have to say it’s a pain in the ass to breathe while facedown, if I lift my head I sink and slow down a lot unless I use fins. I guess that’s an entire thread itself though.
Maybe kickboard is better?
Maybe a physiotherapist can weigh in on the value of kicking for benefits to hip flexors/ glute mede/ quads etc???
well - in my world view it is 6 one/half a dozen the other.
My kick is very light for distance, basically helps body position but doesn’t do a whole lot for propulsion. So I don’t worry too much about kick sets etc. Very different than when I used to be a 1-200 m swimmer. That said, when I do them, I am doing them for other leg conditioning - I find them a great way to stretch out tight muscles from running for example. So while you are correct that a kickboard can affect your body position, to a certain extent I don’t care.
That said, I never use one on my back, and when I do use one on my front - it is just held at fingertips. If you stick it up in your armpits you are just going to promote a bad body position. So if you want a little lift, because you position is not great yet or your kick is not that strong, keep the board as far away from you as possible to maintain a more neutral body position.
I now relieve myself for flagellation by tigerchick, FLA Jill and Old and Haggard.
So while you are correct that a kickboard can affect your body position, to a certain extent I don’t care.
Kicking with a board certainly teaches you how to keep your hips up.
To the OP - try both ways, you’ll get very bored (no pun intended) if you do whole kicking workouts one way, do some with the board some without and stop obsessing over it… variety is good! Plus it’s nice to get your ears out of the water on occassion. Particularly if the lifeguards have music playing (ours at school always do, I do kick sets when there are good songs on!)
I’m soooo motivated to swim right now. Maybe I can get to the outdoor, METER pool later!!!
My local pool is too shallow to do water running but can’t run for the next couple weeks because of injury; is doing swim kicks at all a comparable workout? If so, should I do it with or without fins and with or without kickboard? Thanks You could get some comparable aerobic benefit from doing kick sets, but the muscle groups are different. Kicking with a board seems to use muscle groups more comparable to cycling than running. You just don’t use your hammys much to kick. It’s better than doing nothing, but expect some fitness loss.