Whats the best position for my hands when I swim freestyle?
If you learned to swim before the mid-1970s (and maybe later, depending on the coach), you were probably taught to pull your hand straight backward through the water like a canoe paddle. With this stroke, you move forward by pushing against the water. It turns out that’s not the best way to propel yourself through the water. Today’s swimmers learn to follow an S-shaped pattern (see diagram below), a more natural motion that has more in common with a propeller than a paddle.
