Swimming Straight In The Lane

Well now y'all have brought up a question we need clarified from Brenda. Are you talking about a face-down stroke like crawl or ***, or are you talking about backstroke? If it's backstroke and you're indoors, sight off the ceiling the way the other folks have suggested. Choose beams, tiles or whatever lines are there to keep yourself straight. If there are no ready-made lines, draw imaginary lines between roof structures in your head and follow them. Outside, I spot myself two ways. I either glance to the side to gauge my distance from the lane rope, or occasionally I physically lift myself up to look down the lane (past my feet) to see how I'm lining up. I wouldn't really recommend that second method, since you have to be able to power through your stroke to keep your butt from sinking. If you're in this situation, try the sideways glance and gauge off the lane ropes the same way you would in freestyle (crawl).

Well now y'all have brought up a question we need clarified from Brenda. Are you talking about a face-down stroke like crawl or ***, or are you talking about backstroke? If it's backstroke and you're indoors, sight off the ceiling the way the other folks have suggested. Choose beams, tiles or whatever lines are there to keep yourself straight. If there are no ready-made lines, draw imaginary lines between roof structures in your head and follow them. Outside, I spot myself two ways. I either glance to the side to gauge my distance from the lane rope, or occasionally I physically lift myself up to look down the lane (past my feet) to see how I'm lining up. I wouldn't really recommend that second method, since you have to be able to power through your stroke to keep your butt from sinking. If you're in this situation, try the sideways glance and gauge off the lane ropes the same way you would in freestyle (crawl).