If you cannot swim freestyle with similar ease, and for similar distance, as breaststroke, it’s almost certainly because you’ve not yet truly mastered Balance.
When I focus on Balance, I’m looking to feel a floating-weightless-cushioned-supported sensation in
-hands and arms as they extend
-head – at all times, especially as I roll to breathe
-torso – including under the armpit and lat as I extend in free and roll to breathe.
legs
From shoulder to fingertips, the arm is slightly hood-shaped rather than arrow-straight. And with muscles relaxed to avoid stiffness, the hook is soft.
For the last couple of years this has been one of my Top 3 focal points.
1) Hang the Head. Release your head until it feels weightless (i.e. supported by the water) rather than activate muscle to hold it - or put it - in position. I find I sometimes use this reminder to correct a tendency to push the head down, or bury it, not just to stop holding it up.
2) Hang the Hand. Relax the hand, rather than stiffen or tense it - on entry, catch and pull/push.
---Terry
The head shouldn't follow the body, or lead the body- it should be part of the body. In skating, the body takes the head to air, and when people take the shortcut of just lifting the head, they wonder why it seems to sink them
Effective Propulsion in the TI Method means to direct ‘available’ forces, rather than generating muscular forces. Gravity and body mass are a ‘free’ source of power, which can minimize reliance on muscular force. You then convert Force (horsepower) into Locomotion by concentrating on holding water, rather than moving water back.