I have a serious problem swimming straight in open water. I know I need to sight more, but in the pool, my eyes are pointed downwards at the thick black line, since I was told that water passes your head most efficiently in that position (over the swim cap). It is awkward to sight in front of me in open water conditions with my head positioned like that, though. Any recommendations?
I swim Open Water with a low head. Most of the time I look for other swimmers while I am taking my natural breath. Let them sight for you.
When I must sight, I start from a low head, lift it straight up(sight) then rotate to breath in one fluid motion.
Your head should always be down, open water or pool. It just takes practice getting good at spotting. If your open water swims are in the ocean, you’ll need to practice sighting on the top of the swell. I usually sight every 10 strokes and each time I sight, I make a slight adjustment to my line. When I first started out swimming open water, I would sight every few strokes. It just takes practice…and you can practice the technique in a pool.
Also, if possible sight off something way off in the distance.
the “straightness” of your swimming has less to with you head position and more to do with your han entry and stroke mechanics> Keeping your head up will not make you swim straighter, it will just allow you to correct your diversions more often.
Check, or have someone check that your arms ( or arm) are not crossing over your head on entry, this will naturally move you laterally. you may have to learn to enter more forward, which will feel weird at first, but means that all of your pulling is directed to moving you forward, not sideways.
Also check that you underwater pull doesn’t “wave” its way down your body, which again introduces lateral forces. Your pull/push should be entirely directed at moving you forward. tip try keeping your finger tips aimed at the bottom of the pool/lake.
good luck with it…the straighter you swim, the faster you swim
my eyes are pointed downwards at the thick black line, since I was told that water passes your head most efficiently in that position (over the swim cap).
i hear you, but unfortunately whoever told you that was totally incorrect. but don’t just take my word for it. if you actually observe (in person or by video, many good videos online) very fast and elite male and female 800m and 1500m swimmers, you will quickly discover for yourself that nearly none of them swim with their “eyes are pointed downwards at the black line.”
Head down is the quick and dirty way to get your hips up. But you should really be using good core position to keep your hips up instead.
For better visibility, think about rolling your chin forward instead of directly lifting your head up.
From a far better swimmer than me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SVfLvO5Z0M
I have a hard time keeping a good line in open water and this helped me a bit as I was slightly bending in the water and didn’t realize it.
How’s your breathing? Do you breathe bilaterally? I do in the pool, but I don’t in OWS. I breathe to one side or the other in open water, but I alternate which side I breathe on. I do some sort of pattern to help pass the time. So I’ll do something like 5 strokes right-breathing, a couple strokes breathing every other, 5 strokes left-breathing, and so on.
i have only the very highest respect for Mr Scott. but that said, most fast/elite distance swimmers do not have a “neutral” head position as he describes it.
heck, even the fast swimmer Mr Scott is using in this very video for his “good examples” does not have a “neutral” head position (see at 1:28, 2:01, and 2:04).
Are you referring to turning your head somewhat with your body as you rotate rather than forcing it into an “always down” position?
good question. but, no, i am not talking about any turning of the head, i am referring to the fact that the fast distance swimmers’ faces actually do not point directly down toward the bottom of the pool, instead their faces are very slightly (but quite visibly) tilted forward.
great question and lots of good posts so far; all are correct.
Here’s the long and short of it as it related to your specific question and not the posts: some people have better nav IQ’s than others, no matter head position, or even stroke correctness. However, no matter whom, consistant sighting need be implimented. Experts can vary on how many strokes per sight, but the correct number is what works for you in keeping YOU on course.
There are three ways or opportunities to swim straight:
- Sight where you are swimming to (head lift and spot target);
- Sight where you are swimming from (look behind - a quick backstroke takes care of that);
- Sight/gauge lateral distance from a stationary object (shore line is easiest if swimming parallel to it).
Using all three should help you a bit, but learning to get comfortable with frequent sighting is the key. Practice, practice, practice!
Good luck!
You, many posters, Dave Scott etc are all correct about head postion (IMHO). You might be over emphasising (water shouldn’t be going over the top of your cap) but your face should be mainly down, perhaps looking forward 5-6 feet.
As someone else mentioned swimming straight has more to do with you stroke mechanics and breathing. Practice in a pool by swimming with your eyes closed for a few strokes. See which way you start to head. This should give you an idea if you’re heading towards the side you breath, away from the side you breath, the side your stroke is uneven etc. Work on improving this.