Where should I be looking when taking a breath. The problem I seem to be having is that my legs and hips are sinking and feel my head positioning may be the root of the problem. My form is decent (not crossing over, lengthening out my body, and EVM) but feel while breathing I have a bad habit of lifting my head and looking forward at the 2 o’clock position making my hips sink.
Are there any tricks or teaching techniques that could assist breaking this bad habit? (Rest ear on extended arms shoulder, tennis ball under chin kind of things?) Would it be better to possibly look back to say 4 o’clock position while taking a breath? I’ve done a ton of google searches and such but just looking for some good visual and mental aids to help think about while I’m swimming regarding proper head positioning and how it effects the hips and legs. Any visual examples the better.
Thanks.
Breathe into your armpit. Well, not really, but it does feel that way.
These are the types of tips I’m looking for. Keep them coming please. Thanks for sharing them. Good stuff to think about and try while in the pool while trying to become better balanced in the water. I appreciate the suggestions.
make sure you’re rotating your body, as opposed to just moving your head. As in, if you’re going for a breath to the left, slowly rotate your body just enough for one shoulder to clear, and take a breath. Head should always be laser beaming forward…
What works for me is trying to look at the ceiling forward of my position. I need to keep my head in the water to see that way, versus looking behind you which would have you lifting your head out of the water.
Since getting a breath with one eye in the water requires some more advanced skill, I have tried to help beginners with my less advanced suggestion and it seems to help.
Thanks. A friend mentioned that if I were to walk the way I swim my profile, as I walk down the sidewalk, would seem as if I’m looking at the top of skyscrapers. Said I needed to lower my chin in order to help level myself out and that my legs and hips would stop sinking. Could focusing on this improvement in my head area solve the issue of hip and leg sinking? Small improvement equal a lot of benefit??
Since getting a breath with one eye in the water requires some more advanced skill, I have tried to help beginners with my less advanced suggestion and it seems to help.
I’m “lucky”: due to a childhood injury, I’m pretty much blind in my left eye. Since I breathe to my left, if I can actually see anything above the surface when I breathe, I know my good (right) eye has come up: that doesn’t happen thereforeI know where my right eye is. Conversely, if I want to see anything above the surface when I breathe (say, the clock or that hot lifeguard), I have to consciously get my good right eye out of the water.
Ken, that may not be a bad suggestion! Take an old pair of goggles and black out one side. If you’ve got 2 spare pairs you can black out each side in one pair and be able to train it bi-laterally.
However in real water navigation I use my free eye to keep track of my distance from shoreline or from a fellow swimmer and often get the advantage of not needing to take a sight as often.
So in your case you may be missing out by not breathing to the right?
However in real water navigation I use my free eye to keep track of my distance from shoreline or from a fellow swimmer and often get the advantage of not needing to take a sight as often.
So in your case you may be missing out by not breathing to the right?
Very possibly. I swim with my head very high (see yet another thread…), so sighting for me is pretty cheap.
Thanks. A friend mentioned that if I were to walk the way I swim my profile, as I walk down the sidewalk, would seem as if I’m looking at the top of skyscrapers. Said I needed to lower my chin in order to help level myself out and that my legs and hips would stop sinking. Could focusing on this improvement in my head area solve the issue of hip and leg sinking? Small improvement equal a lot of benefit??
Yes, often a very small change in swimming makes a big difference…especially something like this that so directly affects efficiency. But there are other contributors to sinking legs/hips.
What I try to do is focus on keeping all my hair hidden below the surface. When I’m face down, water is rushing over the back of my head. When I turn to breath I only allow forehead and face out of the water, not hair.
When I’m face down, water is rushing over the back of my head. When I turn to breath I only allow forehead and face out of the water, not hair.
Thanks! When I turn head to breath I’m almost certain I lift my head. Eye is still under water but neck is definitely tweaked. This tip of keeping only forehead and face exposed is helpful to try. Think this is aligned with the ‘rosting pig on a skewer’ example I’ve heard.
Unless your eyes are on the sides of your head, I’m having a hard time visualizing how it is possible to lift your head to breathe and keep an eye under the surface at the same time.
This was the most helpful tip given to me regarding breathing a number of years ago. When I started open water swimming in the ocean while living abroad someone else also pointed out an added benefit. When swimming in choppy water, that “armpit area” has less water splashing around so you don’t get those unexpected mouthfuls of water as often. And of course at tri swim starts there is lots of choppy water.
This was the most helpful tip given to me regarding breathing a number of years ago. When I started open water swimming in the ocean while living abroad someone else also pointed out an added benefit. When swimming in choppy water, that “armpit area” has less water splashing around so you don’t get those unexpected mouthfuls of water as often. And of course at tri swim starts there is lots of choppy water.
Thanks Jason, this is a good suggestion for keeping head aligned with body and what others have mentioned above. I was told last night that if I put my arm straight in line with the body and also touch ear with my arm, around the bicep as I keep it straight, then there is no way the head will be too high.
I learned to keep one eye under water by closing the eye that will be above water and swim that way for a day or so. Easy to do if you breathe to one side, but if you alternate sides it takes a little more coordination. When you swim and see anything but water, you know your head position is off.
Be prepared to contort your mouth so you don’t get water in it, but can suck in air.
Hey thanks a pile. That’s an excellent way to make sure I am doing it right. You learn a new trick everyday on ST. Just need to cut through the noise and read what some value added posters write…I still love your story about riding your race bike to the check in, and riding it out of Kona airport to your hotel…very cool