Body Position & Balance: Swimming technique, drills and fixes

In swimming, cutting drag matters as much as making propulsion, and it starts with body position: a long, level line from head to heels near the surface. Your lungs float the front of your body, so your hips and legs naturally tend to sink. You counter that by setting a neutral head, leaning your chest into the water and holding light tension through your lower back and legs.

Lie flat and long

Start in water where you can stand. Take a full breath, hug your knees to your chest and let yourself settle into a ball float. Notice that your lungs hold you up without any effort.

the water holding you up at the chest.

Open out into a long line, face down: arms reaching forward, legs straight behind. Aim for head, shoulders, hips and heels all on one level line.

long, from fingertips to toes.

Neutral head

Set your head in line with your spine, the way you hold it when you stand. Eyes look down at the pool bottom, with the waterline across the top of your head. Don't lift your chin to look forward, and don't tuck it to bury your head.

neck relaxed, not holding the head up.

Lean your head and chest gently into the water. Think of a seesaw with your lungs as the pivot: press the light front end down and the heavy back end, your hips and legs, rises.

hips getting lighter as the chest presses in.

Find your balance

Add light tension through your lower back, glutes and legs to hold them up. Keep your trunk firm so your spine stays in one line rather than sagging or arching.

firm through the middle, not stiff everywhere.

Hold the line with as little arm and leg movement as you can. If you need help, use only a very light, narrow kick just under the surface. Your arms and legs are for moving you forward, not for keeping you afloat.

still and level, with no scrambling.

Feel it

Long and level, with the water supporting your chest and your hips feeling light. Your neck is relaxed and your eyes are on the pool bottom. Swimming should feel easier and need fewer strokes per length. Bodies differ: if your legs sit a little below the surface even when everything else is right, that can just be how your body floats. Aim for your legs as high as they go for you, not a picture-perfect flat line.

Fix-its

Your hips and legs sink and it feels like swimming uphill Your head is probably up. Bring it back to neutral, eyes down, and lean your chest into the water. Then add tension through your lower back and legs.
You lift your head to look forward Look at the pool bottom with the waterline across the top of your head. A lifted head drops the hips and adds drag.
You bury your head and arch That's overcorrecting. Hold your head as you would standing, in line with your spine, and press the chest instead of tucking the chin.
You kick hard or paddle just to stay up Go back to floats and find balance from your head, chest and body tension first. Then use only a small, narrow kick just under the surface.

Drill

Ball float: take a full breath, hug your knees and settle. Hold for about 10 seconds to feel your lungs keep you up.
Letter floats (X, Y, T, I): full breath, make the letter at the surface, lean head and chest in and tense your legs, about 10 seconds each. Go from ball float to letter float and back.
Float then swim: 6 rounds of a 10-second letter float followed by an easy 25 freestyle, carrying the same line into the swim. Rest 10 to 15 seconds between rounds.
Elevator swim: swim a length starting with your head high and slowly lower it until it is well under. Notice where your hips ride highest and the swim feels easiest.
Push-off glide: push off the wall face down with arms stretched overhead and head neutral between them. Hold the line as long as it lasts. On land, dead bugs and bear planks train the trunk control that keeps your line.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-25.