Using Buoyancy Shorts to develop your Triathlon Swim Technique

Buoyancy shorts are a great tool for developing your swimming technique ahead of a triathlon, particularly for beginners who are also looking to perfect their running and cycling techniques too. These shorts mimic the effect of wearing a wetsuit, adding buoyancy to the hips and allowing a higher position in the water. It’s a bit like using a pull buoy but allowing a more natural kicking motion.

However, if you are using buoyancy shorts to help you to train for a triathlon, don’t see them as a means to shirk the hard work you need to put in when training in a pool.  They should be viewed as a training tool, rather like a pull buoy, paddle or set of fins that are widely used and accepted.

When to use buoyancy shorts

These shorts are great to wear if you are planning a long warm up set as they allow you to find a better position in the water, enabling you to concentrate on technique more easily. When you take them off for the hard work, you feel more in tune to that position and it transfers across to the session. You will also find them great for learning and practising drills, they will allow you to concentrate on the aspect of the drill that is most important, leading to progression to doing the drill without the shorts.

After a long hard session that leaves your arms, shoulders and core completely worked out, you can put on these shorts for a decent cool down.

Preparing for the race

After a winter of training in a pool, getting used to swimming in a suit can alter your stroke mechanics slightly and you will need a bit of time to adjust. Similarly, you may not be able to get to do an open water swim. Buoyancy shorts give an alternative to achieve this.

When the open water swim venues get warmer, you will find it much more convenient and comfortable to take these lighter, less bulky shorts on and off as well as helping you to tune your stroke.

Most triathletes will agree, that buoyancy shorts are an excellent addition to any swim kit bag to help improve their swimming technique massively.

Buoyancy Shorts from Sharks Swim Shop

At Sharks Swim Shop, we stock two of the top brands of buoyancy shorts: Huub and Zero D.

The Huub Alpha Neoprene Buoyancy Shorts help to increase core stability and assist hip rotation for improved pool training sessions and swim times.  These are ideal for pool swimming when you want buoyancy to mimic your wetsuit.   This kick and body alignment training tool has been designed with input from Paul Newsome (Swim Smooth) and Professor Huub Toussaint.

The Zero D - Neo Aerodrome Buoyancy Training jammer is designed to give an alternative to a pull buoy and a more natural feeling of buoyancy.  They are ideal for pool training in preparation for open water swimming in a wetsuit.

To try them out, you can pop into our Swim Shop in Sketty or visit our website at www.sharksswimshop.co.uk