Pull Buoys: What and Why

A pull buoy is a compact and easy tool to use while you swim. Placed between the legs, the pull buoy creates an ideal body position by lifting your legs to the surface. From Olympian to novice, pulling is a great way to increase endurance, improve technique, and add some variation to your swim workout.

Pull buoys can help your swimming in several ways by:

• Improving your technique. Stretch it out! The improved body position you'll find when you train with a pull buoy will help you focus on the catch, pull, and recovery parts of your stroke. Try stretching out your stroke and getting as far as you can with each stroke. Don't kick! It's OK if your feet move a little with each stroke to help with balance, but the idea of using a pull buoy is to only use your upper body to propel yourself through the water.
• Helping with endurance. Whether you’re an elite swimmer or just starting out, incorporating a pulling routine into your workout is a great way to increase your endurance. Pull buoys isolate the upper body by eliminating the kick, which allows you to focus on using only your upper body for propulsion. By focusing on the upper body when you swim, you’ll begin to see an increase in overall swimming endurance even when you’re not pulling. 
• Varying your workouts. Workouts can get boring if you’re just swimming back and forth. By incorporating a pull buoy, you can change up your routine and add some arm isolation or try varying amounts of kick. This is a great time to experiment and see if you can maintain the same amount of speed using a two-beat or four-beat kick. Because a pull buoy is easily taken on and off, you can release it in the middle of a turn without wasting too much time or interrupting your set.

TYR Hydrofoil Pull Float

The pull buoy is a classic and versatile swimming tool used to increase endurance and improve swimming technique. The TYR Hydrofoil Pull Float is an update on the traditional pull buoy. Ergonomically designed to fit all body types, the TYR Hydrofoil Pull Float has a lower overall height and longer surface area to create a more natural, unrestricted training experience. The Hydrofoil Pull Float is an exceptional training tool for swimmers of all levels and ages.