How much I should lift my head/upper body?

[roundApplePie]

When comes to taking breath, I tend to lift my head and my upper body a bit higher just to get that more powerful breaststroke kick. At the same time I notice doing so will make leg sink.

If I lower my body my kick won't be as powerful as before but I notice I'm more stremlined... Which options should I go for?

[daveblt]

It is probably best to think and direct energy forward ,not up and keep your chin close to the surface .It's best to experiment though . I always try to keep my body low but when I go faster it does tend to come up a little higher .

Dave

[Superfly]

Breaststroke relies on a powerful kick. But that kick isn't effective if the body is not in a perfect streamline position. Timing is critical, as the body should already be going into a streamlined position at the start of the kick.

An analogy I heard is the "Cobra strike". You want to whip or snap your body into the water. You can lift your head a bit higher if that helps your body snap faster into a streamline position.

The only way to know what works best for you is to keep experimenting.