The number-one goal for every swimmer is to send your body forward…to get to the other end of the pool.

If you let your body pause or glide too much between strokes, you can lose momentum, and then you have to work hard to get started again.

How does Scott send it forward?   Great balance and head position.   From fingertips to head to shoulders to hips, Scott is balanced and horizontal in the water.  

Here you can see the hips breaking the surface – a sign that he’s definitely in balance.

Even with a straight-arm recovery, Scott remains in balance, with very little up-and-down movement.  He extends the hand forward…and sends his body forward along the same line.

From under water, we can see that Scott looks slightly forward rather than straight down.  

However…notice that his head is still hidden within the frame of his shoulders and torso.  And notice how much of Scott’s head is under water.   He’s swimming in balance, even though he’s looking slightly forward.

In this clip, Scott’s eyes are down and his head is exactly in line with his spine – but this is way too low.

Here, he’s looking too far forward, and his forehead is creating resistance.  

This is just right.  He looks slightly forward, but the water flows right over his head.

Here you can see the correct position from above water.  The head skims just under the surface, indicating great balance.  

How else does Scott send it forward?    Perfect alignment.   He carves a narrow path directly down the pool.  

Let’s take another look from directly below.   If we freeze-frame it right here…notice the extension forward and how this narrows Scott’s body line.   By reaching full extension with his arm, he sets up perfect alignment through the rest of his body.  

Here it is again.  He reaches forward and right here…his body squeezes into perfect alignment.   

No matter how fast he swims, or how fast he turns over his arms, Scott reaches full extension on every stroke.   

By combining this kind of front-to-back alignment with great horizontal balance, Scott is able to send his energy exactly where he wants it to go – forward.


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Extend It Forward