Streamline & Position 11: Essential Building Blocks for All Strokes

Streamline & Position 11: Essential Building Blocks for All Strokes

Every great swimmer starts with a solid foundation. Two of the most critical positions in swimming are theStreamlineandPosition 11. These aren't just drills—they're the building blocks for efficient, fast swimming in every stroke. This training module will help you teach and reinforce these positions with your swimmers.

Streamline

A strong streamline reduces drag and sets you up for a powerful start, turn, or breakout. Here are the three keys to an excellent streamline:

Review Streamline While Standing on Deck

Before hitting the water, have your swimmers practice the streamline position on deck. This builds muscle memory and helps them feel the correct alignment. Watch this video for a visual demonstration:

Three Things for an Excellent Streamline

Lock Your Thumb

Start by placing one hand on top of the other. Wrap your thumb around the bottom hand to lock them together. This creates a narrow, pointed shape that cuts through the water. Practice this on deck first—it feels awkward at first, but it's essential for reducing drag.

Squeeze Your Ears with Your Elbows

Once your hands are locked, extend your arms straight overhead. Squeeze your biceps against your ears. Your elbows should be close together, not flaring out. This position aligns your entire body into a straight line from fingertips to toes.

Look Down (or Up for Backstroke)

Your head position matters. For freestyle, butterfly, and breaststroke, look straight down at the bottom of the pool. For backstroke, look straight up at the ceiling or sky. Keep your neck relaxed and your head in line with your spine.

Position 11

Position 11 is the foundation for all strokes. It's the body position you return to between strokes and during glides. Think of it as your "home base" in the water. A strong Position 11 means your body is flat, streamlined, and balanced—ready for your next move.

Practice these positions regularly with your swimmers. Start on deck, then move to the water. Use them in every warm-up and as part of your drill progressions. The more automatic these positions become, the faster and more efficient your swimmers will be.

Keep your arms straight:

1. Stack hands one on top of other with fingers pointing in direction person will travel.
2. Wrap the top hand’s thumb around the bottom hand’s outside palm (near pinky).
3. Squeeze tightly and “lock it in.”

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Squeeze your ears:

1. With the thumb locked, pull on your hands while squeezing the elbows against your head.
2. Target the ears with your elbows first.
3. As mastery improves, have the hands raised above the shoulders and squeezing elbows just behind the ears.

Look down (or up for backstroke):

1. Aim the face directly to the bottom of the water.
2. Push the water with the crown of the head; the top.
3. During backstroke aim face up
4. Avoid tucking the chin. Instead slide it backwards perpendicular to the body’s upright posture.

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1. Keep your arms straight
2. Stay at the surface
3. Look down

Position 11 after a streamline:

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Keep your arms straight:

Stay on the surface:

1. Keep the body at the surface of the water
2. Hands remain at the surface or just above it
3. Back of the head should be above the water
4. Kicks keep the body moving forward and balanced at the surface without sinking

Look down:

1. Aim the face directly towards the bottom of the water.
2. Push the water with the crown of the head; the top.
3. Avoid tucking the chin. Instead slide it backwards perpendicular to the body’s upright posture.

Monthly Lesson Plan: Streamline & Position 11:

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Challenges in this lesson plan:

Take the Elevator Down

Describe going underwater and putting your feet on the wall for a streamline like “Taking the elevator straight down.”

Most beginner swimmers will put their feet near the surface of the water, or not push off at all.

Encourage dropping down first, then rotating so that feet go to the wall, then growing from a “little sprout” into streamline.

Challenge: Handstand rewind

Push off the wall towards the T mark like you're going to do a handstand, but don't; instead push on the ground so you launch back at the wall and hit it with your feet.

Challenge:Handstand REWIND!1: Hands on T mark.2: Hands 1/2 way between T and Wall.3: Hands on ground as far away as possible!

Around the World Fly Drill

3 x SL + 2 FLY Kicks on each side

Around the World Fly Drill

Do 2 Fly kicks on your stomach.

Do 2 fly kicks on your side

On your back

On your other side.