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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/swim-pull-buoy-purpose

What does a pull buoy do in swim training?

Lifts the legs and isolates arm pulling.

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  1. Adds drag to the feet
  2. Marks lane boundaries
  3. Lifts the legs and isolates arm pulling ✔

Why: A pull buoy goes between your thighs so you do not kick. It floats your hips, so you can focus on just the pulling motion of your arms.

Huh, didn't know that: Some swimmers add an ankle strap, which keeps the legs together so they cannot kick at all.

The dad joke
Why did the pull buoy never get lost at sea? It always kept its head above water.
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References

Answer: Lifts the legs and isolates arm pulling. A pull buoy goes between your thighs so you do not kick. It floats your hips, so you can focus on just the pulling motion of your arms.

  1. U.S. Masters Swimming: What Equipment New Swimmers Need lanemate.usms.org/fitness-and-training/articles-and-videos/articles/what-equipment-new-swimmers-need-to-start-swimming
    These little foam devices, placed between your thighs while swimming so you don’t kick, allow you to float your hips.
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. U.S. Masters Swimming: What Equipment New Swimmers Need lanemate.usms.org/fitness-and-training/articles-and-videos/articles/what-equipment-new-swimmers-need-to-start-swimming
    it allows you to focus on just the pulling motion rather than pulling and kicking at the same time.
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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