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?
Unfortunately, at one stage in my life I was taught to keep a high eye line position, which directly attributed to a drop in my hips. This wasn't corrected until I was 16 or 17 years old and a visiting coach noticed it and suggested the change. I'm pretty sure that the neutral position is widely recognized as proper technique.Unfortunately for me, I didn't learn the "new style" until a couple of years ago (post-40th b'day) when I finally had myself video'd. I grew up in the 70's/80's time period Paul mentioned and we always were taught to have the water hit the tops of our goggles. It's a brutal habit to break. For those of us with that old school habit, I think you have to consciously think about looking at the bottom of the pool in order to achieve neutral head position.
Unfortunately, at one stage in my life I was taught to keep a high eye line position, which directly attributed to a drop in my hips. This wasn't corrected until I was 16 or 17 years old and a visiting coach noticed it and suggested the change. I'm pretty sure that the neutral position is widely recognized as proper technique.Unfortunately for me, I didn't learn the "new style" until a couple of years ago (post-40th b'day) when I finally had myself video'd. I grew up in the 70's/80's time period Paul mentioned and we always were taught to have the water hit the tops of our goggles. It's a brutal habit to break. For those of us with that old school habit, I think you have to consciously think about looking at the bottom of the pool in order to achieve neutral head position.
