I'm curious as to which is more common -- being slower with a pull buoy or being faster, and why some people are one way rather than the other? Personally, I am far slower with a pull buoy. I attribute this to my natural buoyancy (ahem) as well as having a fairly strong kick when I want to, although I often feel as though I am not kicking very hard, so I'm not sure how much of a factor that is.
Anyway, being slow with a pull buoy becomes very frustrating in practice -- it's hard to keep up with lanemates who I am normally faster than or equal to. Not sure if there is anything to be done about that.
The poll results are also very interesting to me... so far, lots of people both slower and faster with buoys (but more who go slower than faster) -- but most people not saying that their speed changes "much."
Thanks for posting this poll. The results are interesting (bi-modal) for the small sample.
Personally, I've found that my repeat times are much slower with a buoy. I feel that my body position changes substantially and I lose the feel for the water (but I do like paddle pull sets w/o a buoy).
Oddly, the soon to be illegal swim skins initially imparted the same feeling of make me more buoyant; and I suffered the subsequent loss of water feel. Practicing in a skin (B70) "reprogrammed" me so that I could get the feel for the water (and benefit of the buoyancy of the swim skin).
I understand that some of the latest textile swim suits mimic the paper suits of the 1980's. It will be interesting to learn how these new suits will affect a swimmer's perception of water feel.
The poll results are also very interesting to me... so far, lots of people both slower and faster with buoys (but more who go slower than faster) -- but most people not saying that their speed changes "much."
Thanks for posting this poll. The results are interesting (bi-modal) for the small sample.
Personally, I've found that my repeat times are much slower with a buoy. I feel that my body position changes substantially and I lose the feel for the water (but I do like paddle pull sets w/o a buoy).
Oddly, the soon to be illegal swim skins initially imparted the same feeling of make me more buoyant; and I suffered the subsequent loss of water feel. Practicing in a skin (B70) "reprogrammed" me so that I could get the feel for the water (and benefit of the buoyancy of the swim skin).
I understand that some of the latest textile swim suits mimic the paper suits of the 1980's. It will be interesting to learn how these new suits will affect a swimmer's perception of water feel.
