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Front and back float

Swimming / Popular

Find balance and float on the front and back.

What coaches agree on

  • Take a full, deep breath and hold onto that air — a chest full of air is what keeps the body buoyant at the surface, on both a front float and a back float.
  • Keep the whole body in one straight, extended line at the surface, with the chest and hips lifted and the arms and legs stretched out.
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  • A learner's natural float position depends on their own body composition — muscle, fat, and bone density — so success is best judged by how relaxed and aligned the body is, regardless of whether the arms and legs both reach the surface.

Common mistakes

  • A common error is letting the gaze drift the wrong way — down toward the feet on a back float, or up and forward on a front float — which immediately breaks the body's alignment and drags the hips and legs down.
  • Carrying tension or unaddressed fear into the water is a common mistake — tight, locked muscles and joints become denser and heavier, and several coaches point to this, not a lack of skill, as the real reason a learner's legs won't stay up.
How to Float on Your Back
Beginner

How to Float on Your Back

Coach's take: Decent cue (belly button up) but the delivery is looser and less structured than the others.

2.5