Swimming: No.8 Hip Position

From the stretched streamlined position lift your heels up to your costume and turn out your ankles as they reach the highest point. On full recovery of the feet ensure the knees are behind the line of your hips. (Lift of the knees underwater towards the body should be avoided). Both feet then kick back, round and slightly downwards with the soles pressing and pushing on the water. Develop and execute total symmetry and balance and finish the kicking action with both feet whipping together and toes pointed. The kick builds with speed throughout and is ofetn refered to as a whip kick.

Following the leg kick after the hands have recovered forwards the body will be stretched out and lying flat in the water in a streamlined position with feet and toes pointed, hips are held high with your face in the water, hands are together with palms facing slightly outwards to keep a hold of the water; At this point of the stroke cycle the pull commences, the head and shoulders will lift and a large breath is taken. The body will rise and fall in relation to the kick, pull breathing patern creating a wave like undulating flow through the stroke cycle.

Breath once in each stroke cycle to the front as the hands press inwards and upwards during the arm pull, breath just before the feet kick outwards and backwards. As the legs finish the kick action, ensure to exhale with face in the water throughout the stretched streamline position.

From the stretched streamline position, press the water outwards with your hands pushing your upper arm, forearm, wrist and hand out sideways wide of the shoulders and no more than twice shoulder width. The hands then lead the forearm in a downwards, inwards an upwards circuling action bringing the hands close together up to the water surface with palms facing inwards; Continue with immediate forward recovery of the hands to full stretch and the starting position once again. The palms of the hands will now be facing slightly outwards.