Head Focus

Good head position is a key element of good swimming posture. Because we move our head out of the ideal freestyle swimming position every time we breathe, and every time we sight in open water, we tend to "let go" of that element of our posture. And when the head position isn't right, everything else suffers - your hips drop, rotational power is lost, your shoulders and back are stressed, and your legs get too deep in the water. So make head position your "technique focus" as often as possible.

Technique Focus Points

Head down, hips up.
Eyes on the bottom line.
Snap to good posture after sighting.

What to Watch For

Looking forward. This raises your head, arches your back, slows you down.

Head Focus Workouts

More Information

Video Clips - Check out any of the video clips on the Video Clips Directory page. You will notice that whenever any of the demonstrators talk about body position, they are sure to keep their heads in good swimming-posture: neck long, head neutral on the spine, eyes looking straight down. You may also notice that on many of the other clips the same people are not so careful - they often look more or less ahead instead of straight down. This doesn't mean that you should do that. It means that even the best swimmers often let go of their good swimming posture. And they will all tell you that it is something that they work on constantly. So shouldn't you do the same?

Return to Workout Directory.