To swim effectively while diving, you primarily use your fins and maintain a streamlined body position.
Here's a breakdown:
- Fin Technique: Utilize a flutter or scissor kick, keeping your legs relatively straight and kicking from your hips. Avoid wide, bicycle-style kicks, as these can stir up sediment and create drag.
- Body Position: Maintain a horizontal, streamlined position in the water. Avoid raising your head too much, as this can cause you to angle upwards and create drag. A flat body position is key.
- Balance: Your fins also help you maintain balance. When you stop swimming and transition from dynamic movement to a static position, use small fin adjustments to stay stable.
- Looking Forward: To see where you're going, focus your gaze ahead, but don't crane your neck upward excessively. Keep your body as flat as possible to reduce drag.
- Buoyancy Control: Fine-tune your buoyancy to be neutrally buoyant. This means you neither sink nor float, making swimming much easier. Use your Buoyancy Compensator (BCD) for larger adjustments and your breath for fine-tuning.
