Book Your Session
Online Core Video Analysis
Submit your footage and receive a personalised breakdown of your swimming stroke, with expert coaching insight, training focus points, and implementable improvement strategies.
Programing and Online Coaching
Take your swimming further with customised training programs or choose full online coaching for ongoing support, feedback, and performance guidance tailored to your goals.
Final Takeaway
Your head is the rudder of your stroke. Where it goes, the body follows.
A neutral, downward-focused head allows the rest of your stroke to fall into place, enabling better alignment, a smoother rhythm, and improved control under fatigue.
Important Note on Elite Technique
Avoid comparing your head position to elite performance swimmers.
Years of conditioning allow them to maintain balance with higher or variable head positions, but for most swimmers, a lower head = more balance.
Performance swimmers can alter their technique in unique ways while still maintaining balance and consistent propulsion, but for most swimmers, replicating these adaptations causes the stroke to collapse, as the resulting loss of balance forces the body to reorient mid-stroke, breaking the connection between mechanics and forward movement.
Head Position in Freestyle
The Anchor Point for Balance, Stability & Stroke Efficiency
What is Head Position
in Swimming?
Head position refers to the direction your head is facing while moving through the water. It is one of the most critical factors influencing balance, stability, and stroke efficiency in swimming.
The head acts as a guide for body alignment, meaning even small changes to its angle can significantly affect posture, propulsion, and breathing control.
How to Optimise Head Position
Look Down, Not Forward
➤ Eyes should face the pool floor directly beneath you, not ahead. Think of looking at the ground under your body.
This keeps the head in a neutral, low position, allowing hips to rise naturally.
Subtle Head Press (optional)
➤ Gently press the head downward. Don't overdo it; too much pressure creates tension and instability. Subtly press your arm back and your hed low.
This encourages a level balanced body position at the water surface
Breath Timing Awareness
➤ With the head in a lower position, air arrives slightly later during the breath. You must anticipate this delay and avoid rushing to breathe.
With increased stability you have the ability to breath for longer whilst maintaining efficiency.
Glide Integration
➤ Use your glide and head as a pair to create stability.
As your leading arm glides, allow your head to gently press low in the opposite direction.
This dynamic counterbalance improves balance without effort.
How Head Position Affects Swimming Mechanics
-
Balance & Stability:
The body follows the head. If your head is positioned too high, your hips and legs are more likely to sink as your mechanics reorient to follow your head. This forces your stroke to compensate, reducing efficiency.
➤ A lower, neutral head helps the body stay balanced and aligned at the surface.
-
Breathing & Rotation:
A proper head position before taking your breath enhances stability at the water surface, meaning the stroke can rotate and breathe without sinking or causing your stroke to collapse. A forward head position, or lifting the head during the breath, is the most common cause of a short breath.
➤ Breathing becomes smoother and better timed when head and stroke mechanics work together.
-
Propulsion & Efficiency:
When the head sits correctly, the stroke doesn’t reorient to “fix” your body line. That means less wasted motion, increased efficiency, and consistent propulsion.