Freestyle 101

Head-Lead Kick on Your Back teaches correct body alignment for swimming on your back.  It also helps you learn to relax, and trust that the water will support you with just a small amount of effort.

Push off on your back with arms at your sides and start a steady, gentle flutter kick.   Keep your chin tucked in as you look directly at the ceiling. 

Most of your head should be under the surface.  What you should feel is that the water is just touching the sides of your goggles.  To get this feeling, keep you chin tucked in and press into the water with the back of your head and at the top of your spine.

To really explore how your head, shoulders, and upper body connect with the water, try a few lengths where you lean in and completely submerge the face for a few seconds.  Keep exhaling as you do this...and feel how the water wants to push you back up to the surface.    

Keep the legs long and supple, and kick from the hips and not from the knees.  Your knees and thighs should be just below the surface, and you should feel as if you’re “boiling water with your feet.     
 
Try several lengths until you feel relaxed and can do a body check from head to toe.  Check that:  your chin is tucked...your face is submerged until just your goggles are showing...your knees are just below the surface...and your feet are kicking gently just below the surface.


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Head-Lead Kick on Your Back