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?
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.
For me, I also have to think about looking straight to the side when I breathe, rather than lifting my head as I turn it. One eye stays under water and I can look at my teammates' underwater technique. The other eye sees surface turbulence or the lane line.
It's also really important to keep that neutral head position as you approach and leave the wall. When I share a lane, which is usually, to avoid collisions I do have to pay close attention to counting the lane-mates in my peripheral vision as they pass going the other way.
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.
For me, I also have to think about looking straight to the side when I breathe, rather than lifting my head as I turn it. One eye stays under water and I can look at my teammates' underwater technique. The other eye sees surface turbulence or the lane line.
It's also really important to keep that neutral head position as you approach and leave the wall. When I share a lane, which is usually, to avoid collisions I do have to pay close attention to counting the lane-mates in my peripheral vision as they pass going the other way.
