Using the free style swimming stroke, have difficulty keepingmy legs and feet near the top of the water. hel?

Question

My legs and feet seem to lag behind which of course reduces my speed and hurts distance.

Answer 1

have u tried kicking faster? do u look down wen ur swimming, or forward? b/c u shuld look down. ur body shuld be higher then.have u tried to remember to keep ur hips up? that always helps.

Answer 2

You need to master your stomach float. Try to adjust your body to get your feet to stay up. Kicking harder and will move them toward the surface as well as keeping your arms out in front and at a steady pace

Answer 3

You have a body position problem.  The very first thing you need to have correct for all aspects of your stroke is your body position and body position is determined by head position.

If something sticks up out of the water, then something else must go down into the water to support the part that sticks up.  If you head is up OR you are looking forward too much, then your legs/feet will sink.

If you've been coached properly, you've learned to streamline by tucking your chin down on your chest.  You need to do almost the same thing while you swim.

Many swimmers and coaches think that looking forward so the water is hitting you just above your eyebrows is the correct way to swim ... nothing could be further from the truth.

You MUST have the water hitting you above your hairline.  Doing so allows your feet to come closer to the top of the water.  If you do this, your feet, while kicking, will feel as if they are doing little ... THAT is correct.

The other, VERY important aspect of tucking in your chin so as to have the water hit you on the top of your head is that it decreases the total "diameter" of your body.

Imagine a rod being inserted into the top of your head and going all the way out your a**s.  That rod is like an axle and when you swim, you rotate around that axel.  If your chin is tucked in, the radius from the axle to the outside of your head or shoulders is LESS than if your head is up in the water.  This decreases your resistance in the water AND it allows your body (in particular your HIPS) to roll side to side more easily.  Greater hip roll, on your recovery, allows for your hands to be closer to your body AND it allows for a better sculling motion at the beginning of your stroke.  It also makes it easier for you to take a breath.

YOU MUST tuck your chin to lower your head.  When I tell my swimmers to do this, I call it a natural body position in that your head is in the same position it would be in if you were simply walking down the street.  

AND REMEMBER ... you get all of the benefits of reduced drag (called frontal resistance), more body roll, better stroke, and better breathing just because the "size" or "footprint" of your head and shoulders is less than if you head is sticking up.

Email me and let me know how this works for you.  Also, if your coach is teaching you differently, have her/him contact me.

Answer 4

if you kick harder your legs should go near the top of the water and that will help you with your speed as well