Current Swimmer indicates the proper head position is 'low' in the water, more or less the oncoming water seeing the top of your head.
On the other hand, many tell me to have the water line break the forehead, thus a higher head position than shown as 'right' in Swimmer (page 25).
Advice to look to the bottom of the pool rather than forward plays into this matter.
Any consensus here?
I wouldn't say "low", I would say "neutral" is the way to go. When I have my kids do planks (forward or side) in dryland I always stress alignment of head, shoulders, back and hips. So I guess you could also call it "aligned".
A lift of the head directly correlates to either extra strain in the neck and upper shoulders or a drop in the hips. Neither is good in freestyle or backstroke. They don't call them long-axis strokes for nothing! =)
Agree completely. Now if I could just consistently get rid of many years of bad head placement! I can definitely tell a difference. Some old habits do die hard.
I wouldn't say "low", I would say "neutral" is the way to go. When I have my kids do planks (forward or side) in dryland I always stress alignment of head, shoulders, back and hips. So I guess you could also call it "aligned".
A lift of the head directly correlates to either extra strain in the neck and upper shoulders or a drop in the hips. Neither is good in freestyle or backstroke. They don't call them long-axis strokes for nothing! =)
Agree completely. Now if I could just consistently get rid of many years of bad head placement! I can definitely tell a difference. Some old habits do die hard.
