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Hello ST,
I've always found very interesting (and enjoyable) the more brute force approach to swimming ie pull buoy and paddles for a very large part of the swim training. However, I always interpreted as putting the pull buoy between the thighs. Lately, I encountered some cases of having exactly the same approach to training but putting the buoy between the ankles instead (most notably Paulo Sousa when working with Matt McElroy).
Are there slowtwitchers that usually follow this pb/pd approach with good success (let's say either them swimming or coaching people around 1:00 IM swim or faster) that have implemented this pb-between-the-ankles thing either completely or alternating with the traditional position?
Thank you,
Diego
Last edited by:
apprentice: Jan 20, 19 10:27
Diego,
I've used the pull boy between the ankles now for about 3 years w/ athletes and I think the one thing it makes athletes work on is their core strength/awareness with rotation. It really forces them to make sure their body is insync and not fishtailing. Pull boy between the legs you kinda lose all awareness of your bottom half. But the legs on top of water w pull on ankles you'll really notice when it's in alignment and how much stronger/tighter you need to be.
What PS did for Matt's swim ability was really remarkable at the highest of the elite level. He gets a ton of credit in my book for getting him to the level he is at now.
Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
This is kinda interesting for me. I'm not a good swimmer by any means. 1:45/100m crap. However, I always use the pull buoy between my ankles. This started about 4 years back as I had surgery on ankles and was only allowed to swim without using feet, and so putting the bouy there and strapping with rubber stretch band was how I made sure I didn't forget and try to use it.
Now, I really struggle if I try with the buoy between my thighs.
Not sure if this is relevant, but I'm tall, have pretty muscly legs and very very little body fat down there, and have very strong core / posture awareness from lots of Pilates.
So I've almost the opposite question, what's the advantage of the buoy between thighs?
Thanks for your reply, I definitely noticed that fishtailing effect. In your program would you still mix both positions or forget completely about the traditional one and focus on the pull buoy in the ankles. I feel they might serve different purposes ie. core strength and body position vs purely pull strength.
I'm more on less on your level, so again my advice should also be taken with a grain of salt. I first experimented with this pb position this morning. I felt it much less comfortable in the sense that I have to fight the buoy so that my hips don't drop and my back becomes to arched. On the other hand, I can put my pull buoy between the thighs and crank out 40x100 leaving in 2:00 and arriving in around 1:45 with pb and paddles, which I could not even dream about doing without the pull buoy.
I think the pull buoy at the ankles might provide some nice feedback when you're doing something wrong because you start to fishtail so I maybe start incorporating it more often. I'm still waiting to see if I can receive more opinions for or against it.
Imo my take on it is this. I don't want to ever use the pull boy as a "cheat" because we are lazy. I'm fine with using it on the hips if we are super fatigued or tired. But just because, nah that's not my style. So if they are using the pull on their hips is likely I've suggested it to them due to be fatigued in the week and I know they SHOULD or WANT to use it. But being fresh and wanting it to be easier, nah that's not when we'll use it between the legs.
Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Understood. Thanks Brooks!