For the takeoff, the swimmer pushes their hands away from the block and swings their arms around sideways to the front. At the same time, the swimmer throws their head to the back. The swimmer then pushes away from the wall with their feet. Ideally, the swimmer's back is arched during the airborne phase so that only the feet and the hands touch the water while the rest of the body is above the water line. This reduces drag and permits a faster start. On September 21, 2005, FINA modified the backstroke start rule regarding toes below the water line. The feet can now be above the water, but not above or curled over the lip of the pool gutter.