A low body positions magnify problems

I come away with a lot of great stuff from clinics. Here's one that was a eye opener. A vessel (swimmer's body, legs) that doubles it's depth requires eight times the force to maintain the same velocity. So, big kicks vs. small kicks, a low body position vs. one that's up, makes a difference. I'm sure you guys knew that but I thought the 8x thing was great. That is curious. I see the legs dragging quite a bit with other swimmers where I swim, some to the point where their feet are mid-point between the surface of the water and the bottom of the pool. Seems correcting that could make a huge difference. I'll have times where my lower half feels "more correct" and higher in the water and the swimming feels much faster and almost with less effort. Got to keep working on it though. :banana:

I come away with a lot of great stuff from clinics. Here's one that was a eye opener. A vessel (swimmer's body, legs) that doubles it's depth requires eight times the force to maintain the same velocity. So, big kicks vs. small kicks, a low body position vs. one that's up, makes a difference. I'm sure you guys knew that but I thought the 8x thing was great. Well there are few variables that need to be taken into account though. A low body position requires more force to maintain the same velocity, but if the kick required to raise the body requires even more energy then the net result of the equation may be increased energy expenditure to maintain same velocity. All that being said, as a rule of thumb, 2 things: 1) Relatively deep under the surface, you find less turbulence therefore some breaststrokers still like to sink relatively deep. 2) the water line isn't a good place to swim. Better be either over the waterline (like you say be elevating the body) or under the waterline (breaststrokers, dolphin kickers etc). By the way I remember having learned (throughout my coaching certification path) that water was 160 times more dense than air. I later tried to find more evidence of this I couldn't. If anyone can shed some light, confirm true or false...

By the way I remember having learned (throughout my coaching certification path) that water was 160 times more dense than air. I later tried to find more evidence of this I couldn't. If anyone can shed some light, confirm true or false... At standard temperature and pressure, the density of air is 1.2754 kg/m3 Density of water is 1000 kg/m3 or almost a 1000 times that of air.

The swimmer's natural float level will dictate a lot of this as well.

At standard temperature and pressure, the density of air is 1.2754 kg/m3 Density of water is 1000 kg/m3 or almost a 1000 times that of air. Good thanks! Funny thing is that I read today in Maglischo's book that water was.... 1000 times more dense than air! Great thanks again!