How to Swim With Your Head Up

Water polo players and synchronized swimmers benefit from swimming with their heads above the water, but casual swimmers can gain confidence and learn how to breathe while swimming by mastering this technique. In general, freestyle swimming is the easiest style in which to swim with your head up because the alignment of your body allows you to lift your head out of the water easier than a breaststroke or a butterfly allows. Learning how to swim heads-up requires timing and practice.

Instructions

    • 1

      Kick off the wall or push out into the water and keep your head above the water's surface.

    • 2

      Engage your neck muscles and try to keep your head from moving as your hands stroke through the water. Your body movement will tend to pull your head down, so you have to focus on keeping your head level as you move through the water.

    • 3

      Fix your eyes on an imaginary or real spot in front of you. This helps to keep your head from moving up or down or side to side.

    • 4

      Maintain a constant kick as you swim. Doing so helps you stroke consistently through the water. Your goal is to establish a smooth rhythm with your arms and legs that keeps your body's rotation steady, which will lift your hips and help prevent your head from dipping into the water.

    • 5

      Practice the head-up technique in 25- to 50-yard bursts. This is just long enough to engage and stretch out the muscles of your neck and shoulders, which is essential to keeping your head from sinking below the surface. Once you feel more comfortable with the technique, you can lengthen your practice runs.