Courtesy of Head Strong Posture Trainer, a SwimSwam partner.
Your head position may be a major factor keeping you from becoming the best swimmer you can be.
The effectiveness of all strokes depends on head positioning, and when incorrect, misalignment of your body will result. If your head lifts too high, your hips and legs drop causing a dragging movement, ultimately slowing you down. Next thing you know, it feels like you are swimming uphill with your body struggling to make it to the other side of the pool.
Head Position Drill
To improve your freestyle technique, perform the Head Lead Kick Drill prior to your freestyle workout. This drill will enable you to feel the angle at which your head will cause your hips to fall, allowing you to adjust your head position accordingly.
- Start out by relaxing your body in a floating position with your arms at
your side, kicking lightly.
- Begin floating with your eyes and head pointed forward, towards the
other end of the pool. At this point you will notice your hips and legs will
be dragging in the water.
- Relax your neck until your nose points directly at the line on the bottom
of the pool. Here you should feel your hips and legs rising up towards the
surface.
- To breathe, pick your head up out of the water and breathe while looking
at the other end of the pool. Here you will feel your hips and legs drop
significantly. When done breathing relax your neck and you should feel
your hips and legs rise back up to the surface.
Head Strong Posture Trainer
Another effective and quick way to optimize head position while swimming is through the use of the Head Strong Posture Trainer. The Head Strong Posture Trainer can be worn comfortably throughout a practice. The Head Strong Posture Trainer provides real time feedback. When your head lifts beyond the optimal position causing your hips to drop, the Head Strong Posture Trainer will gently tap you on the back signaling you to relax your neck because your body is out of alignment.
Perform the mini set below while wearing your Head Strong Posture Trainer:
- 1×100 Swim looking forward so the waterline is at your forehead.
- 1×100 Swim with your Head Strong Posture Trainer on.
- 3x: With your Head Strong Posture Trainer on.
3×50 1st round breathing every 3 strokes, 2nd round breathing
every 5 strokes, 3rd round breathing every 7 strokes.
Pay close attention to your body rotation and hips in the water.
- 2×50 Sprint with your Head Strong Posture Trainer on. Focus on when
you begin to feel the Head Strong Posture Trainer tap you and
work to keep it from tapping you throughout an entire 50 sprint.
- 6×25 Body roll drills with your Head Strong Posture Trainer on focusing
on spinal alignment and a relaxed neck.
Holiday Special- Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off!
Buy 1 Head Strong Posture Trainer and get the 2nd one half off! This special is running now through December 25th! These make great stocking stuffers for all of your swimmer and triathlete friends and family! Order yours now and make sure you have it in time for the holidays! To purchase, please visit: www.headstrongposturetrainer.com
About Endurance Swimming and Head Strong Posture Trainer:
Head Strong™ was developed by Craig Lewin and his team of swimmers at Endurance Swimming. Through his coaching, Craig realized that head position was the most common technical error that hinders efficient swimming. This resulted in the idea for the Head Strong Posture Trainer. This simple device is worn around a swimmer’s head, like goggles, to ensure proper head positioning in the water, aiding in the correction of total body posture. Head Strong Posture Trainer has played a large role in helping his swimmers improve their race times and enabled one of his swimmers to successfully swim across the English Channel. Craig is a USA Swimming Coach and Level 2 USA Cycling Coach, with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology and Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Movement Science, Economics and Sociology. As an alumni of Boston College’s Varsity D1 Swim Team, a 70.3 World Championship Qualifier and open water marathon swimmer, his swim expertise and coaching helps hundreds of athletes become successful competitors in the sports of swimming and triathlon.
Follow him on twitter @enduranceswim and “Like” Endurance Swimming on Facebook.
