Body Position

• Ears in the water
• Hips at the surface
• Body straight and stretched

• Movement originates at the hiip
• Kick os only 12" to 18" deep
• The leg is pulled back straight and bends at theknee only as it moves forward
• Forward movement of the leg ends with a "snap" as toes reach the surface.
• Kick is consistentin speed and depth.
• Power comes when you kick to the surface.
• Foot is relaxed and toes are not pointed, but relaxed

• The thumbs are up when the hand exits the water.
• Hand turns over during the recoveryto enter thumb up.
• Arms are straight during the entire time they are out of the water.
• Hand enters the water in line with the shoulder, not the head.

• Body is rolled to the left to allow the right shoulder to be out of the water before the right hand exits.
• Body is rolled to the right so the left should is out of the water when the left hand exits.
• Body roll is along the longitudinal axis of the body.
• Both shoulders and hips roll side to side.
• The 6-beat kick with a body roll becomes kick to the right twice, kick up once, to the left twice and up once again.  It then repeats the sequence continuously while swimming and rolling.

• You can breathe whenever you want while swimming on your back, however, if you select one arm to work on, then inhale during the recovery and exhale during the power phase of the pull with that arm.
• Breathe in the mouth and exhale through the nose and mouth.

• When the hand enters, it hesitates in a short glide to get a good catch on the water.
• The arm begins with a short sweep toward the bottom of the pool.
• The hand changes pitch and the elbow begins to bend as the body begins to roll back.
• When the hand reachs the shoulder, the elbow is bent approximately 90 degrees.
• The pull finishes with a tricep extension as the hand moves past the hip and ends facing down just before the recovery begins and the thumb comes up.
• The pattern made by the hand during the pull can be compared to a large question mark or a roller coaster ride.  The body roll is essential to giving the pull maximum power.