Pull Buoy Uses

Swimming as a sport and as exercise engages the whole body and, for proper technique to work, the whole body must be trained in particular movements to move across the water with ease. Developing proper form and arm pull strength is essential and that can be done through the uses of the pull buoy in swimming training.

  1. The Pull Buoy

    • The pull buoy is a flotation device designed to be held in between the legs while swimming. The design of the pull buoy allows swimmers in training to primarily develop the upper body for swimming but it can also provide other benefits through other uses. One of the ultimate goals of using a pull buoy is to be able to swim at the same speed with or without a pull buoy meaning that lower extremity training should be provided equal attention as with that of pull buoy training.

    Using the Pull Buoy to Develop Arm Strength

    • The most obvious use of the pull buoy is to develop arm strength. The pull buoy helps the lower extremities to be afloat in the water which then allows the user to focus on developing arm strength and stroke. By using the pull buoy to keep the legs afloat and minimally moving, the swimmer's arms do most of the work to propel the swimmer across the water.

    The Pull Buoy as a Core and Upper Body Strengthening Tool

    • Using a pull buoy essentially forces a swimmer to assume a proper posture, encourages the swimmer to rely less on his legs and encourage the core muscles and upper body to assist in propulsion. By using a pull buoy, a swimmer can assess how efficient he is in using his core muscles and upper body in assuming a correct posture that in turn would encourage him to develop an optimal body position. Drills that focus on posture, core muscle movements and upper body strength can be accomplished with a pull buoy.

    Using the Pull Buoy to Develop Controlled Kicking

    • Pull buoy drills can also develop controlled use of the lower extremities when swimming as using the pull buoy requires the swimmer to keep the pull buoy in position by slightly squeezing it between the legs. As a result, the swimmer cannot perform really strong kicks but instead encourages a more restricted and controlled kicking technique.

    Simulating the Wetsuit With a Pull Buoy

    • Swimmers usually do not train with a wetsuit on and therefore this experience with buoyancy is limited. While there is an argument that a pull buoy can discourage body position training without a flotation device, careful use of a pull buoy does give a simulated feeling of buoyancy that a wetsuit provides and allows swimmers a simulated wetsuit experience. The pull buoy also encourages swimmers to learn how to swim with a body roll which can improve swimming technique and efficiency.