Having a clean entry on freestyle will mean that your hand will be free of bubbles and turbulence at the start of the pull.  Having the hand pierce the water just prior to pull extension will allow this to happen.

It’s important to have the hands enter fingers first and again, prior to full extension.  Placing the hand into the water just above the head and then driving the arm into extension after it’s entered the water will cause all air trapped on the hand to fall off.  This means that when it’s time to create a productive pull, you’ll be moving water and not air.

It doesn’t matter how far ahead of your head the hand enters, it’s more important that it has enough room to extend UNDERWATER after it’s entered the water.  The combination of the fingers piercing into the water, the arms driving to extension and the body rotating, creates a beautiful bodyline that cuts through the water.

Try to imagine this clean, bubble-free shape as you swim.  This will include the focus of piercing the fingers into the water just above the head and driving forward prior to setting up the pull.

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Hand entry