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Pull buoys are powerful swim tools, as they can make a big difference in how you move through the water<\/a>. For those who tend to struggle to float effectively and keep their legs up at the surface, buoys can be wonderful. <\/strong><\/p>\n The problem is that by using a buoy to keep your legs up, you\u2019re never really learning to manage your position in the water<\/strong><\/a>. In that respect, using a buoy isn\u2019t a great use of your time. You\u2019re better off addressing the real problem.<\/p>\n However, that doesn\u2019t mean that buoys are useless. In fact, they can be really effective when used in the right way. In this article, I\u2019m going to show you two great strategies for implementing a pull buoy to improve your swimming.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Using a pull buoy helps to isolate the arms. It puts you in a great environment for focusing on the upper body, which is particularly important in triathlon swimming as you\u2019re trying to save your legs for later.<\/p>\n However, simply taking the legs away isn\u2019t enough. You need to take advantage of the isolated environment to maximise the benefit.<\/p>\n A simple way to do so is to focus on your speed and your stroke count<\/strong><\/a> while you pull. If you can take fewer strokes and move through the water faster, you\u2019re improving your pull. Here\u2019s what it looks like in practice:<\/p>\n Perform a set of repetitions and take the same number of strokes each rep. However, you\u2019ll want to swim each repetition faster. For example:<\/p>\n 6 x 50m performed in 46 strokes, going 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35 seconds each 50m.<\/p>\n Now the goal is to keep the time the same and take fewer strokes each 50. For example:<\/p>\n 6 x 50m performed in 40 seconds, taking 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37 strokes each 50m.<\/p>\n Add up your stroke count and your time. Aim to lower that number each repetition. For example:<\/p>\n 6 x 50m #1 \u2013 90 (45 strokes + 45 seconds); #2 \u2013 88 (43 strokes + 45 seconds); #3 \u2013 86 (44 strokes + 42 seconds), etc.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> In all of the examples above, you can perform as many repetitions as you want, and you can use whatever repetition distance that you want.<\/p>\n The great aspect about using these strategies while pulling is that you must learn how to be more effective with your arms strokes to accomplish the goals of the set.<\/p>\n The key is to learn to perform at a higher level by moving more water and creating speed with the arms. Because you\u2019re putting concrete numbers on your skills, you\u2019re getting clear feedback with each and every repetition.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re having trouble, having a good sense of how to set up the stroke can be really helpful:<\/p>\nHow to improve your pull<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Swim faster at the same stroke count<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Take fewer strokes at the same speed<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Now go golfing! <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Create speed with your arms<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How to set up your stroke<\/strong><\/h2>\n