Swimming Techniques

Question
I am training for triathlons and have not been much of a swimmer.  As I'm training in the pool the lower part of my body (legs ) are dragging low in the water even when I'm kicking.  I'm frustrated because this wears me out and shortens my distance.....?

Help!

Answer
Abel,
It's funny, the swim is ONLY part of the tri that I am any good at.  I am generally first out of the swim then get passed by everyone on the bike.  Let's get your swim better now....

Generally there are three main reasons for your legs dragging.  I will go over each issue:

1.  Your head is most likely sitting too high in the water.  If you raise your head up, your feet will drop.  Think of it as a simple lever.  If one end goes up the other will go down based on your center of gravity.  Try to relax your head and shoulders.  ONLY move you your head when you breath...to the side.  Yes, breath to the side.  Only lift your head up to look where you are going seldomly.  Don't lift up often!  Try to keep the water level right in the middle of your forehead.  You should be able to go to a bookstore or surf the web to see proper head placement.  Look at any freestyler who is world-ranked.  See how their head is placed.

2.  Another less likely possiblity is that you are not relaxed in the water.  Are you nervous about swimming?  If you are tensing up your muscles...specifically your leg muscles...they will not float.  That is it basically.  You body floats.  However if you tense (tighten) your muscles, they become more dense than the water.  This makes you sink.

3.  The last possibility I can think of without actually seeing you swim is that  your kick may be wrong.  The kick is supposed to be a relaxed movement.  It has fluid strokes.  Keep your ankels and knees relaxed.  The kick starts at the hip ever so slightly and is finished at the toes.  Think of a dolphin moving through the water.  You want your lower torso to move in that sort of a movement.  Each leg is done this way.  I hope that this makes sense.

Think about your head placement first off.  Try to relax.  Swimming is not a power sport.  Finesse is essential.  It's the movement you make, not your strength.

Good luck...and let me know if this works/doesn't work...or if you have any other questions.

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Swim hard!
Eric