Headposition?!? Totally submerged or at 45°

[Willem]

Hi folks,

I'm practising TI for more than one year now, took part on a workshop and TI made my stroke a lot smoother and relaxed!!
But lately I'm doubting about my headposition.

According to the TI method, you always have to look straight down. Doing so, my head is totally submerged (but no chicken neck of course) and my legs are close to the surface. I swim with ease but can't swim fast (and being a triathlete, swimming fast AND relaxed is my goal)

Some very good swimmers suggested I should try to view at an 45° angle > when I did that, my legs didn't drop, but I found it easier to roll and pierce trough the water and especially I had the feeling that I could swim a bit faster with the same ease.
> When I lifted my head a little more untill I could look right before me (underwater of course), my legs dropped and it took me a lot more
energy to swim, so this wasn't a good option for me and my inflexible shoulders ;-)

So now I'm confused. To build more speed in my stroke wouldn't it be better to look at a 45°angle instead of straight down, which creates more resistance. The restriction here of course is that my legs or hip don't drop, so I don't have to kick harder to hold my balance.

Grts
Willem