SIMON GRIFFITHS

Last month we looked at how to improve your breathing in front crawl. This issue, we’re thinking about your body position in the water, and how your body responds to various actions.

As with the breathing exercises, our process has three steps: know what you’re aiming for, understand what you are doing now, and then make the necessary changes.

STRAIGHT AND NARROW

So what does good body position look like – and, more importantly, what does it feel like?

I suggest watching good distance swimmers in action. For example, I’ve just been watching Lucy Charles-Barclay’s domineering swim in the first leg of the 2023 Ironman World Championships in Kona. Here are some things you should notice when you watch strong swimmers (although you are likely to spot exceptions too). Overall, the full length of the body is almost horizontal, just below the surface of the water. The shoulders break the surface alternatively, with each stroke. The hips are almost touching the surface, the legs are mostly straight and the heels touch or break the surface with each kick. Watching from above, you don’t want to see too much wiggle, nor do you want legs flying out to the side. They should be close together and in line with the torso. The body and legs are, as far as possible, straight and narrow.