I can float on my back while kicking and scull the water or keep my hands on my hips and my face barely gets wet. However, when I try to backstroke my face submerges during the hand entry phrase and floats back up. This requires me to blow out my nose to avoid inhaling water. I've seen people at my local pool perform the backstroke and their face remains out of the water the whole time. Even when I try to backstroke at a slow pace my face submerges at some point. Is there a reason I can't backstroke without my face getting covered with water particularly during the hand entry phase?
It's ok for your head to go underwater occasionally while swimming backstroke. Your head should be "back" (not sticking up) with the water line just about going over your face, but not quite, and your head should be dead "still" (not going up and down or side to side). You may not be rotating your shoulders enough if your head is being pulled underwater at hand entry. Try a little more shoulder rotation, keeping your head still to see if that helps.
You could also try lowering your hips and feet/kick slightly so there is more action underwater, especially if you feel like you are arching your back - flatten your body out. Slightly lowering your hips should bring your head up. You don't want to lower them to the point where you are "sitting", adding drag, and disrupting your streamline.
It's ok for your head to go underwater occasionally while swimming backstroke. Your head should be "back" (not sticking up) with the water line just about going over your face, but not quite, and your head should be dead "still" (not going up and down or side to side). You may not be rotating your shoulders enough if your head is being pulled underwater at hand entry. Try a little more shoulder rotation, keeping your head still to see if that helps.
You could also try lowering your hips and feet/kick slightly so there is more action underwater, especially if you feel like you are arching your back - flatten your body out. Slightly lowering your hips should bring your head up. You don't want to lower them to the point where you are "sitting", adding drag, and disrupting your streamline.
