LANE FOUR

What Is a Pull Buoy and What Does It Actually Do?

A pull buoy is a figure-eight shaped piece of foam you squeeze between your thighs or knees. It floats your hips and legs up toward the surface, which does two things at once. First, it takes your legs out of the equation. With your lower half floating, you stop kicking and force your arms, shoulders, and core to do all the propulsion. That's the "pull" in pull buoy. It isolates the upper-body engine of your stroke.

How to Use a Pull Buoy Correctly?

Putting it between your legs is the easy part. Using it well takes a little intention. 1Place it high, between your upper thighs. The higher up you wedge it, the more it supports your hips and the more it challenges your core to keep everything aligned. Beginners can start lower, between the knees, for more float and stability, then move it up as they get stronger. 2Squeeze, but stay relaxed.

What to Do the Moment You Get Out?

The post-swim window matters almost as much as the prep. Chlorine keeps working on your hair until you remove it. Rinse immediately. Get to a shower and rinse your hair with clean water as soon as you're out, before the chlorine dries and sets in. Use a clarifying or swimmer's shampoo. Products like Malibu C Swimmers, UltraSwim, or a chelating shampoo are formulated to remove chlorine and copper buildup.

How to Use Swim Fins Correctly?

, the drills that make you faster, and how to avoid leaning on them so hard you go backward. What Swim Fins Actually Do Fins are blades that strap to your feet and dramatically increase the surface area pushing against the water. That extra surface does a few things at once, and they all feed each other.

How to Use a Swim Snorkel Correctly?

Strapping it on takes a second. Getting comfortable takes a few laps of patience. 1Fit the bracket on your forehead and center the tube. The mouthpiece should sit comfortably between your lips and teeth without you clenching. Adjust the head strap snug enough that it doesn't slide. 2Breathe slow and steady. New snorkel users tend to hyperventilate or panic slightly at first. Take calm, controlled breaths.