HOW TO STREAMLINE YOUR SWIMMING

ACHIEVING A GOOD BODY POSITION WHEN YOU SWIM FRONT CRAWL IS KEY TO SUCCESS. BUT HOW DO BECOME MORE AQUATIC MISSILE THAN LEAD WEIGHT? FROM HEAD TO TOES, HERE'S HOW...

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When we talk about improving front crawl, being 'streamlined' comes up a lot. If you've ever had your coach talk to you about swimming as if you're swimming in a toilet roll (now there's a mental image) this might sound familiar.

So what do we mean by this? Long story short, when swimming front crawl we want to be as long as possible in the water. With your head leading, you need your body to be horizontal as much as possible, without legs dropping - a common fault in front crawl swimmers, especially men who have heavier, denser muscle on the legs - or hips dropping when you rotate. You'd also aim to keep your head as in line with your body as possible.

The more we can swim in that 'tunnel' the more streamlined we will be and the less drag will be created. Great in theory, but in practise add in the need to turn and breathe as well as common faults in technique - not to mention the need to look where you're going in open water - and things can quickly unravel.

To help you out, we spoke to Brian Johns - former Olympian and the brains behind much of the coaching that informs Form's Smart Swim goggles - to help you keep things on the straight and narrow. Turn the page for his advice...

10 WAYS TO IMPROVE FRONT CRAWL BODY POSITION

Here are Brian John's top tips for achieving a more streamlined (and faster!) front crawl position.

01 KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL

Your body is going to follow where your head goes when you're in the water. If your head goes side-to-side, or up-and-down, your body will do the same. This creates a lot of drag when you are swimming front crawl, which will really slow you down and make you use more energy than you need to.

02 ACHIEVE GOOD POSTURE