As mentioned I do think I have a weight balance issue. I did move my tank as low as possible after feeling the change in balance from bringing my legs up. I may need to explore another way to balance my rig because I can not lower my tank anymore and I still have a balance issue. Also as mentioned I do think a deficiency in my perceived neutral buoyancy has been uncovered. Now I need to work on dialing my buoyancy on better. After I get my balance and buoyancy correct I also am using far more kicking motion than needed I will practice the modified frog as explained here.
It is often hard for a diver to get a good sense of their underwater trim. While good horizontal trim is often emphasized, helping divers come to understand what that actually looks like and, more importantly, what it feels like is not necessarily given the same attention. Many divers feel like they are horizontal when they are, in fact, in a slightly 'head up' position. When they get truly horizontal, they feel like they are 'head down'.
Do you have access to anyone - a dive buddy, an instructor, or simply an avid underwater photographer, etc. - with a u/w video camera? One of the activities I find particularly useful in in buoyancy / trim classes is to shoot video of divers swimming underwater. I have them get into what they perceive to be a neutrally buoyant condition, then swim at a comfortable, 'normal' pace for several minutes, while I swim with them, filming. I have them stop and simply let their body go - no finning or hand sculling for at least a minute (usually 2). Then we get out of the water and they watch themselves. I can talk about what they look like until I am blue in the face (particularly if the water is cold) but the video helps them see things I simply cannot adequately describe with words alone. I do this in a pool and try to do it again in OW - the pool creates an artificial environment for some, in which they feel they are being observed, so they adjust their normal / natural finning and breathing behavior. I find this is helpful to me as well - at times I will have student divers doing something that doesn't seem right, but I cannot figure out what it is in 'real time'. Having film allows me to watch what they are doing several times, in slow motion if needed, which makes it easier to provide useful feedback.
So, if you can get someone to shoot video of you in the water, you might find the video helps you better understand what steps you need to take to improve B & T. It will also help with frog kick technique development.
