Swam in college and currently swim masters. I prefer the sprints. I have a very strong kick but don't feel I have the upper body strength of a female swimmer. I hit the weight room and as long as I am consistent, can get very strong out of the water. The only problem is that the out-of-water strength does not necessarily translate into power/strength in the water.
Would a pull buoy help me to have more power in the water? I am concerned that I am too dependent on my kick for my speed. My only concerns are that I don't want the pull buoy to mess up my rotation on freestyle. Also, I have never had any shoulder issues and am hoping to keep it that way.
Any suggestions on how I can improve my upper body strength in the pool?
Try doing pulls with no buoy, just allowing the legs to drag. When doing these no-leg pulls, think about your arm positioning and feel for the water.
Have someone on the deck evaluate your arms, hands, and head position, paying particular attention to the underwater (or pull) portion of the stroke.
First, do these for distance (fewer strokes per length) and technique, then add pacing and sprints to see if you can maintain technique as you accelerate your stroke.
Of course these no-leg, no buoy drills will require that you have decent body core strength and a neutral head position to maintain your body position, but these components are also key parts of the power you so desparately desire.
Try doing pulls with no buoy, just allowing the legs to drag. When doing these no-leg pulls, think about your arm positioning and feel for the water.
Have someone on the deck evaluate your arms, hands, and head position, paying particular attention to the underwater (or pull) portion of the stroke.
First, do these for distance (fewer strokes per length) and technique, then add pacing and sprints to see if you can maintain technique as you accelerate your stroke.
Of course these no-leg, no buoy drills will require that you have decent body core strength and a neutral head position to maintain your body position, but these components are also key parts of the power you so desparately desire.
