Swimming
Breaststroke Power Pull with Pull Buoy
The breaststroke power pull with pull buoy is an arms-only swimming drill that develops upper-body pulling strength and breaststroke timing while keeping your legs afloat without kicking.
- Intermediate
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 30 sec
How to do it
- Place the pull buoy between your thighs.
- Push off the wall face down with your arms extended in front.
- Sweep your hands outward slightly wider than your shoulders, with your palms angled outward.
- Bend your elbows to angle your forearms backward.
- Sweep your hands inward beneath your upper chest.
- Reach both hands forward together just below the surface.
- Glide briefly with your arms fully extended and your legs still.
Form cues
- Keep elbows higher than your hands.
- Inhale during the insweep; exhale underwater.
- Let your chest rise, not your chin.
- Return your face before full extension.
Common mistakes
- Pulling back toward your hipsKeep your elbows in front of your rib cage so the pull stays compact.
- Collapsing your wristsKeep your hands aligned with your forearms to press against the water with both.
- Pausing under your chinMove smoothly from the inward sweep into the forward reach to avoid stalling.
Safety
Forceful pulls can strain your shoulders when fatigue disrupts your arm position. Without a kick, poor breathing timing can make it harder to keep your mouth clear of the water.
- Practice in a lifeguarded pool only if you can already swim breaststroke comfortably; a pull buoy is not a flotation safety device.
- Start with gentle pulls before increasing effort.
- Keep enough space from other swimmers for your outward arm sweep.
- End the interval at the nearest wall before fatigue compromises your stroke or breathing.
If the drill causes shoulder, neck, or lower-back discomfort, stop using this variation and ask a physiotherapist about a suitable alternative.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Pool Lane Line (optional)
- Swim Pull Buoy
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 4–6
- Target
- 25–50 meters
- Rest
- 30 sec
Use a controlled pace rather than sprinting, and record the time for each distance.