Girl Passing on Left (FULL) (Page 13)

The hubby and I have also been in some discussion about how much I should be using a pull buoy. While he recognizes that it helps build my confidence and focus on technique with my arms he thinks that it will make me lazy. My thought is that the confidence boost has been huge for me and increasing my comfort level in the water will make a huge difference, not to mention that at any given time I have about 5 different technique points that I am trying to work into my stroke. I would appreciate any of your input on use of the pull buoy.

Yvonne, Pull buoys are excellent tools and will not make you lazy. They make you pull harder (obviously) and give you an excellent feel for body position, roll, and catch. As you've already discovered, they also help you focus on parts of your stroke to improve your technique. If you plan to wear a wetsuit when you swim, it's a similar sensation as far as body position. Make sure you use it high up between your thighs - not down by your ankles. If you can't hold it that high up, you can use an elastic to keep your ankles together, but it's really bad for your lower back to position the buoy at the lower leg. I'd mix it up a bit with fins or zoomers and some drills, like catch-up or one-arm swimming. These will help with roll and position as well as arm motion. When you do drills, pick a side to focus on and breathe away from that side to help exagerate your roll. I know triathletes don't like it much (and nor do I), but I also think it's really important to do other strokes besides front crawl, too. Butterfly gives you range of motion, breaststroke helps you feel the catch and time your breath, and backstroke is a good core workout. Take advantage of the pull buoy while speed isn't a big factor. It will keep you slow because it doesn't allow you to really up your cadence and learn to catch fast, but there's time for that later in the season. Happy New Year all! Trish

I do most of my training first thing in the morning too, although I'm trying to be more open to other times.  It just seems that when I plan to do something at lunchtime or after work, half the time it gets pre-empted by work!

The hubby and I have also been in some discussion about how much I should be using a pull buoy. While he recognizes that it helps build my confidence and focus on technique with my arms he thinks that it will make me lazy. My thought is that the confidence boost has been huge for me and increasing my comfort level in the water will make a huge difference, not to mention that at any given time I have about 5 different technique points that I am trying to work into my stroke. I would appreciate any of your input on use of the pull buoy.

Yvonne, Pull buoys are excellent tools and will not make you lazy. They make you pull harder (obviously) and give you an excellent feel for body position, roll, and catch. As you've already discovered, they also help you focus on parts of your stroke to improve your technique. If you plan to wear a wetsuit when you swim, it's a similar sensation as far as body position. Make sure you use it high up between your thighs - not down by your ankles. If you can't hold it that high up, you can use an elastic to keep your ankles together, but it's really bad for your lower back to position the buoy at the lower leg. I'd mix it up a bit with fins or zoomers and some drills, like catch-up or one-arm swimming. These will help with roll and position as well as arm motion. When you do drills, pick a side to focus on and breathe away from that side to help exagerate your roll. I know triathletes don't like it much (and nor do I), but I also think it's really important to do other strokes besides front crawl, too. Butterfly gives you range of motion, breaststroke helps you feel the catch and time your breath, and backstroke is a good core workout. Take advantage of the pull buoy while speed isn't a big factor. It will keep you slow because it doesn't allow you to really up your cadence and learn to catch fast, but there's time for that later in the season. Happy New Year all! Trish

Thanks for this, Trish! This is just what I needed to learn (and hear). I have tried some of the catch-up and finger-tip drag drills but should really do more of the one-arm and fist drills. They are sooo tough for me as I am still getting a handle on balance and pull. I know that  practice does make it much easier...I believe my coach was shaking his head the first time he saw me try finger-tip drag. Good points on the practice with back and breast stroke as well. I will sometimes work in some breast stroke but have yet to put backstroke into the mix.- next trip to the pool! Again, thanks for the tips!  

what de...my isabelle computer challenged? tell me it aint so!!!! next time you are on fb...do a search for Julie Snaman...and you will gladly be accepted by me sista!

amy mutz - 2009-01-02 8:07 PM

lyssa-gator - 2009-01-02 12:20 PM i just saw that on your facebook nicole. nice job! it's funny someone thought you were on rollerblades! LOL

That would have been me... Never heard seen one before, just trainers. I guess I need to do my homework. Amy IN

The rollers I have look like this:

They're called parabolic rollers due to the curved shape of the roller ends. They are supposed to keep you from riding off the ends. I've still fallen because sometimes you can drift into those ends and have it slow you down enough that you fall over without riding off.

Rollers are harder to use than a trainer but they help improve your handling skills and the roundness of your pedal stroke. I find them to be a much harder workout.

MDHillSlug - 2009-01-02 8:17 PM

amy mutz - 2009-01-02 8:07 PM

lyssa-gator - 2009-01-02 12:20 PM i just saw that on your facebook nicole. nice job! it's funny someone thought you were on rollerblades! LOL

That would have been me... Never heard seen one before, just trainers. I guess I need to do my homework. Amy IN

The rollers I have look like this:

They're called parabolic rollers due to the curved shape of the roller ends. They are supposed to keep you from riding off the ends. I've still fallen because sometimes you can drift into those ends and have it slow you down enough that you fall over without riding off.

Rollers are harder to use than a trainer but they help improve your handling skills and the roundness of your pedal stroke. I find them to be a much harder workout.

I am not worthy! My husband has a set of rollers and I just shudder at the thought of trying them...Maybe in the middle of a hallway where I would be wedged between two walls. Would you recommend beginners do it without being clipped in? or do you suggest just going for it?