Pull Buoy Drills That Expose Weaknesses (And Make You Better Fast)
Most swimmers think a Pull Buoy is a rest tool.
It’s not.
If your Freestyle with a Pull Buoy feels easier than your normal swim, you’re using it wrong.
Pull Buoy drills should feel honest. They should expose weaknesses in your core control, your catch mechanics, your Freestyle Flipturn precision, and your alignment. When used correctly, Pull Buoy swimming drills don’t hide flaws — they magnify them.
And that’s exactly why they work.
Why Pull Buoy Drills Matter More Than You Think
When you remove the kick, everything else becomes louder.
Body Rotation shows up immediately.
Core stability becomes impossible to hide.
Catch timing is exposed within the first few strokes.
Swimming Freestyle with a Pull Buoy removes the distraction of the legs and forces the upper body to take full responsibility for propulsion and balance.
But here’s the mistake I see on deck all the time.
Many swimmers lazily clamp the buoy between their thighs and grind through yardage without intention — no awareness, no correction, no real focus.
That’s not development.
That’s just pulling.
The truth is simple: Pull Buoy drills should always have a purpose.
Weak Core? The Buoy Will Tell You
One of the biggest weaknesses in Freestyle swimmers is unstable rotation.
Without a kick stabilizing the body, swimmers begin to snake side to side. The hips wiggle. The ribs flare. The head shifts.
Freestyle with a Pull Buoy immediately exposes this.
If you feel like you’re fishtailing down the pool, your core isn’t connected to your stroke.To see this done correctly at a high level, watch the FR Pull: Core Pull (Pro) drill:
In this progression, the buoy is placed between the ankles — not the thighs. That small adjustment forces full-body control. The hips can’t separate. The legs can’t bail you out. The torso must stabilize the Freestyle Rotation.
Pull slower.
Lengthen the stroke.
Keep the ribs down.
Rotate shoulders and hips together.
That’s where true torso control begins — and that’s what transfers to race speed.
Your Catch Gets Honest Fast
A lot of swimmers rely on their kick to hide a weak catch.
Remove the kick with a Pull Buoy — and the truth shows up fast.
Pressing downward instead of backward immediately stalls the stroke.
Slipping water at the front becomes obvious within a few pulls.
Cross the midline and balance disappears almost instantly.
That’s why Pull Buoy swimming drills force swimmers to actually hold water.
The goal isn’t faster arms.
The goal is better anchoring on the water.
If your Freestyle with a Pull Buoy starts to feel rushed or jerky, slow the stroke down. Focus on building an early vertical forearm, then feel steady pressure through the palm and forearm as you move water back.
Think press back — not down.
Now let’s remove every bailout option. Watch the FR Pull: Buoy and Strap drill:
With a buoy between the legs and an infinity strap around the ankles, there is nowhere to hide.
The kick disappears.
Leg separation is gone.
Compensating during the recovery phase isn’t possible.
As coaches, we use this drill to sharpen bodyline during rotation. If swimmers over-rotate, cross over, or lose alignment, the stroke immediately falls apart.
That’s honest feedback.
Flip Turns Don’t Lie Either
Pull Buoy drills aren’t just about pulling.
They’re powerful for turns.Watch this challenge video:
“Practicing flip turns… but make it a challenge”
The swimmer knocks the buoy over.
That’s not random.
When the body tucks tightly and the heels close fast into the bum, the buoy gets hit. When the body stays too open, speed is lost.For even deeper awareness, watch FR Flipturn: With Buoy (Falls Out):
In this underwater drill, I purposely allow the buoy to fall out during the Freestyle Flipturn. This forces swimmers to pay attention to leg path, heel placement, and compact rotation.
If the buoy falls unexpectedly, your mechanics need tightening.
If you can control when it falls?
Now you’re training with precision.
Bodyline Never Lies
A straight bodyline is everything in Freestyle.
But once swimmers start kicking, flaws can easily hide beneath the surface.
Add a Pull Buoy — and suddenly those flaws have nowhere to go.
Lift your head and the hips immediately sink.
Over-rotate the shoulders and the legs begin to swing.
Break alignment and the entire stroke loses momentum.
That’s why Pull Buoy drills are so powerful. They remove the lower-body propulsion and force swimmers to create connection through the torso.
At the elite level, swimmers don’t just pull harder.
Stop Using the Buoy as a Float
This matters.
A Pull Buoy is not survival equipment.
Too much squeeze between the legs and the hips become rigid.
Place the buoy down near the knees and body alignment immediately falls apart.
Rush through the set and the entire purpose of the drill disappears.
When swimming Freestyle with a Pull Buoy, the stroke should feel stable but still active.
Ideally, the buoy blends into the movement — supporting body position without taking control of the stroke.
When Pull Buoy Drills Actually Make You Faster
Here’s the truth.
A Pull Buoy can make you faster — but only if you use it the right way.
When used with intention, Pull Buoy drills sharpen the parts of your stroke that actually create speed:
The right Pull Buoy drills sharpen the parts of your stroke that actually create speed. Body alignment improves. The catch becomes stronger. Rotation through the core stabilizes. Awareness of how you move through the water increases with every stroke.
But when swimmers just grind through yardage with a buoy?
All they’re building is tired arms.
And there’s a big difference.
One approach develops mechanics that translate to speed.
The other just creates soreness.
In swimming, mechanics win races.
How To Structure Pull Buoy Swimming Drills in Practice
Don’t randomly throw in 500 pull.
Sequence it.
Swim normally first.
Add focused pull work (Core Pull or Buoy + Strap).
Add a Freestyle Flipturn awareness element.
Return to swim.
If your Freestyle feels tighter, smoother, and more controlled after the pull work, you’re using it correctly.
If it feels the same?
You weren’t intentional enough.
Who Should Use Pull Buoy Drills?
Age matters.
Younger swimmers should use Pull Buoy drills sparingly. They still need to develop natural kick timing and independent body awareness. If you’re unsure when it’s appropriate to introduce one, I break that down in detail HERE.
Older swimmers and competitive athletes benefit more — especially when refining mechanics and building upper-body connection.
Coaches should treat the buoy as a precision tool, not a conditioning shortcut.
The Bottom Line
Pull Buoy drills are not about taking your legs out of the stroke.
They’re about exposing what your legs have been hiding.
Freestyle with a Pull Buoy can sharpen your catch, clean up your rotation, improve your flipturn control, and strengthen your bodyline — if you use it with intention.
The buoy doesn’t make you faster.
Awareness does.
And intentional Pull Buoy swimming drills build that awareness faster than almost anything else.
Ready for Real Feedback?
If you want structured programming that integrates Pull Buoy drills the right way — not randomly — explore our Customized Swim Workouts for Swimmers.
Coaches looking to layer drills properly inside a season plan can dive into our Stroke Courses:
Pull Buoys don’t make swimmers faster. But intentional Pull Buoy swimming drills absolutely can.
Now this feels structured and intentional.
