Does Pool Depth have an effect on surface turbulence?

Alphatree, I was a backstroker so I will pass along to you how I swam this stroke. I never was low or flat to the water. The waterline hit my head at about the crown area which means I was both looking up and looking somewhat down toward my knees at the same time. And kicking with backstroke is crucial. My head never moved from side-to-side. I accomplished a non-moving head by putting coins on my forehead and swam with them. If they fell off, I had to much upper body or head movement. You can also do this with goggles on your head, but they are larger and won't fall off as easily, so they are not a true test. I used nickels, dimes, quarters. And when I felt like I really had no movement, I would pile a lot of them on my forehead and swim a 25. When all coins stayed put, I had this portion of the stroke "memorized" in my brain and body (I could feel it). As for breathing in backstroke, the only water I ever experienced was water I generated as my arm strokes came above my head; not from other people, and maybe this is because I was not low in the water like people swim today. During the last Olympics, I didn't see many backstrokers flat in the water; they were slightly elevated. It's also easy to bounce when swimming backstroke and this is due to the effort one is trying to produce. But bouncing is off-limits, too. Ideally, smooth, long and fast strokes with hip rotation and a quiet head will suit a person very well. As to freestyle, again my style is different than many here. I have a very long, smooth stroke, but my head is not looking directly down; my head looks slightly forward underwater; about a yard or two. And I use a 2-beat kick and I just don't sink; that kick is enough for me. And because I am "planed" out on the water, and not in the water, I don't have to turn my face far to breathe. When I breathe, I breathe low and I mean by this the waterline almost separates my mouth; i.e, it looks like my mouth is half-in and half-out of the water when I breathe. I don't know level-wise where you are in your swimming, but I certainly do not think using a pull buoy and training yourself to bilateral breathe is a bad thing. I would actually encourage it so you can better feel what it should feel like and then when you remove the buoy, you can feel where the weakness is. Besides, pull buoys are great for incorporating breathing sets; one of my favorites is breathe 7,5,3,1 and repeat. But like anything else, the entire body must learn how to swim and serve you. I also kick with and without a board, and I do a lot of side kicking alternating sides every 10 kicks or so. But maybe in the beginning of your getting more acquainted to breathing, a pull buoy may be useful. As you swim more, you will find that "right place" for you because each of us swims so alike, yet differently at the same time. Cheers!!! Donna

Alphatree, I was a backstroker so I will pass along to you how I swam this stroke. I never was low or flat to the water. The waterline hit my head at about the crown area which means I was both looking up and looking somewhat down toward my knees at the same time. And kicking with backstroke is crucial. My head never moved from side-to-side. I accomplished a non-moving head by putting coins on my forehead and swam with them. If they fell off, I had to much upper body or head movement. You can also do this with goggles on your head, but they are larger and won't fall off as easily, so they are not a true test. I used nickels, dimes, quarters. And when I felt like I really had no movement, I would pile a lot of them on my forehead and swim a 25. When all coins stayed put, I had this portion of the stroke "memorized" in my brain and body (I could feel it). As for breathing in backstroke, the only water I ever experienced was water I generated as my arm strokes came above my head; not from other people, and maybe this is because I was not low in the water like people swim today. During the last Olympics, I didn't see many backstrokers flat in the water; they were slightly elevated. It's also easy to bounce when swimming backstroke and this is due to the effort one is trying to produce. But bouncing is off-limits, too. Ideally, smooth, long and fast strokes with hip rotation and a quiet head will suit a person very well. As to freestyle, again my style is different than many here. I have a very long, smooth stroke, but my head is not looking directly down; my head looks slightly forward underwater; about a yard or two. And I use a 2-beat kick and I just don't sink; that kick is enough for me. And because I am "planed" out on the water, and not in the water, I don't have to turn my face far to breathe. When I breathe, I breathe low and I mean by this the waterline almost separates my mouth; i.e, it looks like my mouth is half-in and half-out of the water when I breathe. I don't know level-wise where you are in your swimming, but I certainly do not think using a pull buoy and training yourself to bilateral breathe is a bad thing. I would actually encourage it so you can better feel what it should feel like and then when you remove the buoy, you can feel where the weakness is. Besides, pull buoys are great for incorporating breathing sets; one of my favorites is breathe 7,5,3,1 and repeat. But like anything else, the entire body must learn how to swim and serve you. I also kick with and without a board, and I do a lot of side kicking alternating sides every 10 kicks or so. But maybe in the beginning of your getting more acquainted to breathing, a pull buoy may be useful. As you swim more, you will find that "right place" for you because each of us swims so alike, yet differently at the same time. Cheers!!! Donna