EXERCISE SABOTEURS

THE mistakes that could make your exercise regimen less effective. This week: Front crawl THE faster you swim, the more calories you burn and the fitter you become. But the way most of us position our bodies in the water can hinder this, says Harry Needs, a coach at Life Leisure’s Stockport Metro Swimming Club and a former GB International.

‘Most people’s feet are too low which increases resistance, slowing you down,’ he says. The way to change this is to push your chest and face slightly lower to raise your feet. Once you’ve got the hang of that, you can power things up by working on your hand position. ‘If you imagine your face in the water is a clock with your forehead at 12, most people’s hands cross past the 12 as they stroke which slows them down,’ says Harry. ‘The best place for your hands to hit the water is wider apart, at ten and two; most people exaggerate moves in the water, so this will see you hit the right place.’