Freestyle Body Position: The 3 Steps to Getting the Right Freestyle Body Position

Do you want to get the correct body position in freestyle swimming? Body position is vitally important for a smooth and effortless swimming stroke. It is a key ingredient for swimmers who want to take their speed and times to the next level. Greater improvement in swimming in general will come from correcting body position rather than increasing fitness.

Each training session works on swimming with the correct body position instead of exerting more effort in the pool. Not only will you feel better in the water, but your technique will come more naturally and your times will improve with less effort. There are 3 steps to achieving a killer body position in swimming that will blow your competitors away:

1. Lengthen your body – The reason many swimmers hit a plateau is because they get too ‘stuck’ in regards to where they should throw their arms, how hard they should kick, and many other ‘minor’ issues compared to their body position. Swimmers who focus too much on other things usually don’t lengthen their bodies. The longer your body is in the water, the faster it will move and the less resistance it will create. Think of your body as a long yacht that glides effortlessly through the water, and avoid being a big, wide, slow, cumbersome barge.

2. Roll your shoulders – To move more easily through the water in freestyle, you should rotate your shoulders. Sure, you’ve been told to twist in the water, but all too often swimmers are told to twist their entire body with each stroke. This is incorrect. Elite swimmers work to keep their hips relatively still with only minor rotation. This allows the hips to generate a powerful kick and provides a strong core for the upper cody to take advantage of. The shoulder should rotate to the point where the shoulder is out of the water while taking a stroke. This reduces frontal drag and allows for great elbow recovery, which is a key part of freestyle.

3. Stay glued to the water – Resistance increases exponentially as you go faster. This is why it is important to reduce the total resistance created by your body. Keep your body flat toward the surface or slightly raised in front, but don’t let your hips and legs sag. This creates resistance in the lower body and makes it difficult to swim faster. Remember, the easy way to swim faster is to reduce your resistance.

At your next session, why not focus on improving your body position by lengthening your body, rolling your shoulders, and keeping your body flat on the surface? This will help you swim freestyle faster and smoother.