The Backstroke Lane

You possibly may be overreaching (i.e. reaching your hand above your head so that it crosses over inside of your shoulder width). This would cause your lower half to compensate for the upper half getting out of alignment. Try to enter at the 11 o'clock/1 o'clock position. Backstroke hand entry too close to the center line is definitey a common problem. Another is too much head motion. Both of these can lead to fish-tailing. I have drill that helps correct both of these problems - do backstroke with a pull-bouy balanced on your forehead. The solid one-piece kind work well. Like this one: www.swimoutlet.com/.../20602.htm The kind with two pieces connected by chords don't work as well. Like this one: www.swimoutlet.com/.../1241.htm Sometimes people will place a rubber donut, water bottle, etc. on their forehead as a backstroke drill. This helps steady the head, but it doesn't address the hand entry issue. A pull bouy is wider. If you cross your hand over, you will knock the pull bouy off with your bicep. It forces the entry at 11 & 1 - 10 & 2. Another point about this drill, the pull bouy will partially obscure your vision so it helps with learning to swim straight, especially useful if you plan to race outside. A word of caution though, be very careful going into the wall. I count my strokes for the full length, and watch for the flags out of my preipheral vision so that I don't crash into the wall.

You possibly may be overreaching (i.e. reaching your hand above your head so that it crosses over inside of your shoulder width). This would cause your lower half to compensate for the upper half getting out of alignment. Try to enter at the 11 o'clock/1 o'clock position. Backstroke hand entry too close to the center line is definitey a common problem. Another is too much head motion. Both of these can lead to fish-tailing. I have drill that helps correct both of these problems - do backstroke with a pull-bouy balanced on your forehead. The solid one-piece kind work well. Like this one: www.swimoutlet.com/.../20602.htm The kind with two pieces connected by chords don't work as well. Like this one: www.swimoutlet.com/.../1241.htm Sometimes people will place a rubber donut, water bottle, etc. on their forehead as a backstroke drill. This helps steady the head, but it doesn't address the hand entry issue. A pull bouy is wider. If you cross your hand over, you will knock the pull bouy off with your bicep. It forces the entry at 11 & 1 - 10 & 2. Another point about this drill, the pull bouy will partially obscure your vision so it helps with learning to swim straight, especially useful if you plan to race outside. A word of caution though, be very careful going into the wall. I count my strokes for the full length, and watch for the flags out of my preipheral vision so that I don't crash into the wall.