I have some questions about head position when swimming freestyle. Last night at swim club I was experimenting and found that when I use "correct" head position (looking straight down at the bottom of the pool) my 4 x 100 repeats (pushing off on 2:00) were 1:40-1:42 (scm). When I raised my head and looked forward, at a point on the bottom of the pool about 10 metres ahead of me, my 4 x 100 repeats at the same effort level, on the same interval were 1:33-1:35. I did the "head down" repeats first, so I was actually more tired when I was looking forward. Do you have swimmers who have had the same experience? Do you coach all your swimmers to look directly down, or do some of them look slightly forward? Is this something that is variable? Does head position even matter, as long as the swimmer is comfortable?

I felt as though my body position was way better when I looked forward, and that when I was looking down I felt like I was dragging a hippo behind me. Also, I was thinking about a comment I read on this forum about preservation of angular momentum meaning that if you drop your head, your legs also drop, and thinking maybe that was the reason. I was making a conscious effort to press on my lungs, but I was doing that for all the 100s.

I have assessments this week and I FEEL faster. So, we'll see.I successfully did the TriDot workout for the first time last Monday and it felt great. I think the extra day in the pool each week is helping tremendously. I never feel unfamiliar when I hit the water because I'm never out of the pool longer than two days which is nice.

Great advice. I would be happy with some small incremental gains. Eventually I would love to see my swim on par with my bike and run, but that could be 3 or 4 years down the road. The frustrating thing previously before I realized to just focus on technique was that no amount of fitness made me faster it seemed. I could just swim slowly for longer. This time I think I can average 1:35 to 1:50 for the 200 and that will feel like a huge win. If I can have reasonable expectations for the 400 I think I can crush the 200.

I'm always amazed when I hear these "I changed one thing after years and years of swimming and suddenly dropped 10sec/100".

Seriously - didn't you experiment with small and large changes technique over those years you've been swimming?

I just find it almost unbelievable that someone who's been swimming for years (I'm assuming you have been - but you can correct me if I'm wrong!) and have done more than a few triathlon races, is still finding a small changes that magically gives them 10sec/100.

In your case, I'm trying to not be mean here, but it sounds too good to be true. Unless you're swimming literally head-out-of-water and then putting your head in the correct place, I can't imagine something like that giving you 10sec/100. Part of my sighting practice in the pool which i do before races are exaggerated sighted 100s in the pool where I pop my head completely out of the water every 2 breaths for practicing for choppy conditions where a minimalist sight just won't cut it, and even with that obscene amount of popping my entire head out of the water like I'm looking over a wave, I don't lose 10sec/100.

I'm not even a good swimmer but I would kill for a real technical improvement that gave me a legit 1sec/100 for the same effort!

Thing is, it's not "I gained 7 seconds per 100", it's that I figured out one of the things that was costing me 7 seconds / 100 m. Over the last 10 years or so I have been able to get myself to where I can swim 100 (scm) repeats between 1:27 and 1:35, depending on how fit I am, but occasionally I seem to pick up a bad habit and I start to struggle along at 1:40-1:45. On days like that, no amount of extra effort seems to make me go any faster, there's always a technical fix. My point with my question was that it seemed as though it was head position that changed things. And it changed them by 7 seconds per 100m, you can believe that or not, it is up to you, but I really have no reason to make stuff up. The part I found curious was that the "correct" head position (eyes looking at the bottom of the pool) was slower for me than when I angled my head and looked slightly forward. I'm interested to know what the swim coach thinks about head position and angle.

Costing you time vs gaining you time, pretty much the same thing given 2 efforts on the same day.

If your head position is causing +/- 7 sec of drag, that's a massive number. I still find that number kinda unbelievable, for the reasons I mentioned above regarding what happens when I'm popping my head out of the water, but crazier things have happened!

At the same time, if it works for you, why wouldn't you go with the technical change that gives you such a massive improvement in your 100 time compared to the other head position?

Totally agree.

I am fairly sure that the head position is not the only factor accounting for the 7s/100 discrepancy. I would imagine it precipitates a cascade of problems, perhaps when my eyes are looking down at the bottom of the pool I crossover on my pull and then my hips wiggle. When my eyes were looking forward, my body position definitely felt better and my stroke felt tighter, so obviously that it what I am sticking with. I am just curious as to whether the swim coach has all his swimmers look at the bottom of the pool (which is the correct technique, as I understand it) or if he has more variability.

Also, my swim times vary quite a lot on a weekly basis. I have been swimming with a masters swim club for seven years or so and in that time I can have "good days" when I'll be right around 1:30/100m pace and I'll have "crap days" when I am around 1:40/100m. On the crap days, it doesn't matter how much harder I try, I cannot go faster, so when I have a day like that I know I have picked up a technical glitch and then it becomes a mission to try to identify which of the hundreds of possible technical flaws is responsible. I just found it strange that the "flaw" that seemed to be slowing me down was a head position that seems to be generally regarded as "correct technique".

My pleasure.

If that's the case, I would definitely suggest you continue to work on improving your turns. Dial back the intensity so you can control your breathing for a portion of your swimming, then start ramping it back.

Just like anything, you'll adapt given enough work balanced with the required recovery.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

It could be several different issues. It could be technical, it could be physical, or it could just be the way you are. Some people are just better at different components of the sport.

Getting more specific...

Causes-

1. Individuals that swim with low stroke rates tend to see more of a drop-off when adding pulling gear. With slower stroke rates, there is a little more space between strokes, which becomes more obvious when the legs aren't there to fill in the gaps. If the slow stroke rate is the result of timing/technical issues, it can be even worse.

2. Individuals that don't have a lot of upper body strength, or swim specific upper body fitness, will struggle. They can use their legs to get through the weak spots. They get exposed.

3. Individuals that have really long arms tend to struggle. It's simply harder for them. The good news is that long levers can create a lot of speed once you have the strength to control them.

4. Individuals that are very good kickers. Take a way the legs, take a way the speed.

5. There could be a technical issue that is made worse by pulling. It could be a timing issue, a body position issue, or an arm action issue

Solutions (numbers relate to causes)-

1. I'm not sure I would actively change this, unless you have a VERY low stroke rate. Changing your basic rhythm can be risky as you may be working against the your body's natural tendencies. It may be helpful to consciously pick up your tempo a bit when pulling. The ability to sustain that tempo will take time develop (see 2). If you are gliding unnecessarily, avoid doing so. Pulling will expose this.

The difference between a naturally lower stroke rate and a stroke rate that is unnaturally low due to technical issues is something that needs to be assessed with video. If it's unnatural, it needs to be fixed.

2. Get stronger out of the water- basic land work. Get stronger in the water by pulling. There are two ways to do so and both can be used. First is simply pull more. Doing more pulling with help in and of itself. The second approach is to use shorter distances and focus on the quality/intensity of your pulling, just like strength training. If you notice the stroke rate is lower, focus on keeping the rate up for short distances. If you notice your stroke counts are much higher, focus on keeping the strokes long and power with a lower stroke count for short distances.

You may intuitively know if you'll be benefit from a shorter or longer approach, or both. Give it a shot.

3. Not much you can change. You'll just have to work more to get stronger to manage the longer lever.

4. Again, just is what it is. It's an explanation, not something you can do much about.

5. If this is the case, you need to address it. It's hard to know what it could be without seeing it.

REMEMBER- with all of this, pulling is a MEANS to an end, and NOT the end in and of itself. It is a TOOL that can be used to help you improve your swimming, but it is not the goal. If you are improving your swimming, but not your pulling, it might not be something to worry about. However, improving your pulling CAN improve your swimming. At the same time, you may find that improving your pulling does NOT improve your

I am not saying that this will happen. I am just cautioning you or anyone reading this that the goal is to improve your swimming, and improving your pulling must support that goal, not replace it. The same goes for ANY supportive training.

I hope that helps!

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

I would tend to agree with what you're aiming to accomplish. You don't want to be gliding out in front much, and a catch-up type stroke is not going to be effective for most individuals. The exception is when you have a very streamlined position, an excellent arm action, AND a great kick. There are few people that can swim like this, even among successful swimmers.

You definitely want to develop a sense of continual motion, NOT stop and go. It's about establishing a consistent rhythm. As you're finding, that can be something that falls apart pretty quickly with fatigue.

A good way to think about it is to keep the shoulders moving, and the arms tend to go along for the ride. Trying to increase your tempo likely has a similar impact, but this thought process might have a more direct impact. An exercise I really like for this is linked below. If forces you to keep one arm engaged with the water while the other is recovering.

https://drive.google.com/...lXm/view?usp=sharing

You've developed an ability to eliminate the dead spot, and you can feel when you lose it. That's good. The key is to train right up to the point where you lose it, rest, and do it again. And again. You'll be able to hold it longer over time. That's training!

Let me know how it goes.

Hope that helps!

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

Superman's a mainstay in my swim training - my own and those I work with. For me, it's also been a good way to introduce kick ... if you bicycle, your knees hit the ground. Kick nice and easy from the hips, not large ... it works.

OP, I've really enjoyed your answers. Thanks to everyone for being willing to submit questions.

---

Yanti Ardie of Y Tri Multisport & Majick Juice for lasting critter defense & skin soothing
~ World Open Water Swimming Association Coach & Official
~ IRONMAN Certified Coach (Founding Member)
~ Triathlon Australia Professional Development Coach
~ 3 by the Sea: my Journey from death to ...

I'm not sure about something like holding your head at a slightly different angle causing that big of a difference, but I have found at times that these improvements can happen in spurts.

It's just rarely one thing, more like a chain of things then the last part of that chain brings it all together. I asked a question about why I pull so slowly in another thread. One theory regarding my technique was true, but in struggling to fix it I slowly figured out a chain of causes. I focused on the adjustments and dropped 5 seconds/100 on the set I've been using as I track progress in my swimming over the course of about two weeks. I went slower for a while, then suddenly a good bit faster, it can happen.

There's a great line in Game of Thrones: "everything before the 'but' is horseshit". But I digress.

The poster indicated that *raising* his head gave him more speed. Certainly worked for me.

After swimming for a couple of decades, I focused on straightening out my pull and gained a couple of seconds per hundred at the same effort.

---

----------------------------------
"Go yell at an M&M"

A couple seconds per 100 after years of swim practice is totally different than an instant real 10sec, or even 5sec per 100 gain from one small adjustment in head position.

When I hear of results like that in intermediate swimmers with already-plateaud ability, I'll almost guarantee that they try it again next week and it'll back to where it was before.

Gaining a true 10sec/100 is literally a different class of swimmer once you're faster than 1:45/100. But briefly gaining 7-10sec/100 because you got more rest, or were more motivated, or the interval was shorter, is common - albeit transient.

For many/all of the reasons you have stated, I would agree that most individuals SHOULD take the time to learn how to perform a flip turn, as well as develop the fitness to execute them at a range of training efforts.

However, they don't HAVE to. In all sports training, the only activities that must be performed in training are those that take place in competition. For open water swimmers of any sort, flip turns do not meet this criteria.

That's not to say that flip turns don't have utility. They do as you have described. At the same time, if someone can't, won't, doesn't want to learn flip turns, or finds using flip turns to be causing a lot of problems, they can still continue to make progress with their swimming without them, and enjoy the process.

It's a very good option, but not a mandatory one.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

I’ll try again… What I described was not a “gain” of 7 s/100, rather a speed differential within my already long-established range of speeds. The speed difference was during the same workout, on the same day, on the same interval, with the same level of motivation, in fact everything (as far as I could tell) was the same except for an adjustment in head position. If the poster who mentioned conservation of angular momentum is correct, then the head down position may have caused me to hinge at the waist, which would explain the sensation of dragging a hippo down the pool.

I would just like to know what the swim coach thinks about head position in freestyle.

I'm not disagreeing with what you perceived as a 7sec differential.

I'm just saying I'll be really, really surprised if it ends up being a durable gain. I think it's far more likely a subjective difference in effort that's giving these types of results, even if you feel it's identical.

Of course, if you're suddenly swimming Olys and HIMs 2-3 minutes faster tomorrow, with no extra training I'll buy it!

Hi Andrew,

Could you let me know what your thoughts are regarding head position in freestyle? Do you advocate “eyes down” or do you have more variation in your swimmers, with some looking more forward? I am personally finding the eyes down position is slowing me down and am wondering whether to try “pushing through” in hopes of longer term gains, or to stick with the head position that seems to be faster for me at the moment.

Thanks for your help.

While it's hard to know exactly what's going on without seeing it, here are some thoughts-

The chest TENDS to follow the head which tends to follow the eyes. The general advice is to look down, which tends to keep the head down, which tends to keep the chest down, which keep the hips up. Where you look is much less of an issue in and of itself. It's that when people look forward they tend to do other things that can cause problems. There are some very successful swimmers that look forward. However, they don't necessarily have a high head position. They're simply looking forward.

Earlier someone mentioned that they finally discovered how to 'swim downhill'. You can absolutely achieve this while looking forward.

'High' and 'low' are also relative. What you think is 'high' could be 'normal' and what feels 'low' to you is actually way too deep. Hard to know without seeing it. You can absolutely have the head too low. it's definitely possible to overdo it and it will feel like you're blowing through the water. Having the head too low will also keep the shoulders really low and that can negatively impact how you recover the arms and how you set the arm pulls, particularly if you have limited shoulder range of motion

Do you coach all your swimmers to look directly down, or do some of them look slightly forward?

I rarely tell them where to look. I only will intervene if the head is really high AND the hips are really low. I give them activities to help figure out what works for them (see below), and when there is an obvious issue, intervene more directly.

Is this something that is variable?

Yes. We all have different bones length and densities, distribution of muscle and fat, etc. As a result, where you end up will be different.

Does head position even matter, as long as the swimmer is comfortable?

It matters in the sense that it can affect what happens to YOU. So there is not necessarily a perfect position, but how you orient the top half of your torso can influence what happens with your hips and legs. The absolute position doesn't necessarily matter. What matters is how it affects the rest of the body. If the swimmer is comfortable and the hips and legs are up, that's what the bigger goal is.

For all of the reasons above, I like exercises like the Elevator Swim I posted earlier. It helps individuals find the head/body position that feels/works best for THEM. By exploring the full spectrum, they get a sense of the possibilities.

Beyond all that, if you are experiencing that dramatic of change, that should be all the evidence you need. Do what works for YOU, particularly if the outcomes are consistent. That is one reason why I advocate that people keep track of their times and their stroke counts. They can see change, and when they stumble upon something that works or doesn't work, they KNOW. If you hadn't been aware of your times, you may have continued with what was 'right' while getting worse!

Stay the course!

Hope that helps.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

Swimming more often will always help. The water is foreign environment with different 'rules' as to how you move. The more often you can get in the water, the better. This is true even if the total volume/time for the week is similar.

One day at a time! Get little wins and will eventually add up to something big.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

You raise an important point. Improvement through technical change is usually the accumulation of a lot of small changes that add up over time.

There usually isn't a trick. It's the end result of a lot of practice. Even if you're working on one basic skill, you'll find that there is a lot of nuance that you'll discover over time, and that results in progress.

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

One skill I work a lot with people on is 'turning around bad days'. As you said, something is usually 'off' or they're particularly fatigued. It is very much a skill to be able to reduce the discrepancy between the 'good' and 'bad' days.

One of the keys is to start to identify the critical skills that help you get back on track, then have the discipline to stay fo

Where you look may very well be one of those things for you. As you said, certain skills can have cascading effects. It's important to know what those skills are for YOU. If someone has 3-4 tricks that they can reliably go to and make work for them, they're much more likely to be able turn around bad days.

The more often and the more dramatically you can turn around bad days, the higher your average level of training will be. The higher the average level of training, the faster you'll improve.

3 key mindsets for managing 'bad practices'-

1. ONE repetition at a time.
2. Get SLIGHTLY better
3. ANY progress is a win. If you start at 1:40 and get to 1:38, that's better than going 1:40 the whole time.

Repeat until you're back on track. It takes time to develop the skill. However, I have seen it enough times to know it's possible.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

Agree. I would say that it more often happens in spurts. You work on a skill for a while. You're learning, but it's not really clicking. 'Figuring out the chain' is a good way of putting it. You're discovering the nuance, then it clicks, and there can be a breakthrough that results in significant progress.

That's usually how skill changes work, not the instant improvement that I feel most people expect to happen.

Great insight.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

Kicking from the hip versus the knee is probably the fundamental skill of kicking, and a very counterintuitive one. Any activities in the water or on land that help create an awareness are extremely valuable.

I especially like how the exercise coaches for you. They KNOW they're doing it improperly if the knee hits the ground. You don't have to tell them.

Good stuff.

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today

When you say 'straightening out your pull', do you mean that you began pulling with a straighter arm (less elbow bend), you started pulling back straighter (less lateral movement), or both?

Thanks,

Andrew

---

http://www.masteringflow.info
http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow
http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today