Flip turn question
smm773
Posts: 56 Member
Ok, so started working on flip turns today and I have a question. When I flip, at what point do I rotate to continue swimming . .do you push off the wall on your back and then turn, or am I missing something? When I worked on it today, I was on the end lane, and when I flipped and pushed off, I ended up almost running into the wall each time . . .
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The correct way is to tuck your chin down to your chest, bring your knees up towards your chest, and allow your forward momentum to propel you into a summersault. When you reach the position in which you are on your back, plant your feet on the wall, push straight back, and while you're gliding off of the wall, roll your body so that you're back in the freestyle position by the time you resurface. If your next length is going to be backstroke, you don't roll since you're already in the backstroke position.
I, on the other hand, don't do flip turns the way I'm suppose. I roll while I flip so that I push off of the wall already in the freestyle position.
It just takes practice. Practice making sure that both feet are on the wall before you push off. If you have both feet on the wall and then push off with both feet, you can only go straight out. Of course, if your body isn't in line with your feet, you will glide out at an angle so make sure that when you push off with both feet that you untuck you chin and your arms are straight out over your head and pointed down the lane. Then roll.0 -
Very well said, Ms-J - I do the same as you, my half twist happens right after I actually flip, kind of as I plant my feet on the wall. A big key is to not lift your head up to look at the wall right before you flip, instead pull your chin down hard to your chest which will help facilitate the actual flip. Don't take a breath in the last 2 strokes to the wall. Taking a breath right before you flip causes you to lose the momentum you need going into the turn, as does lifting your head up to look at the wall. If you're following the line on the bottom of the pool you'll see the "T" at the end of it in plenty of time, you can look through the top of your eyes to see the cross on the wall. The "T" is back from the end of the wall a bit, you'll need to guage how far back it is for you - for my it is generally 1 stroke from it to my turn....0
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I practiced some today and I seem to have a bit better of a feel for it. I think it will take some time also as I know I still don't have the breathing down right and that can be disastrous if you don't time that right. I will get there . . .I am just still so excited I can do it!
Thanks to the both of you for your help!0 -
I practiced some today and I seem to have a bit better of a feel for it. I think it will take some time also as I know I still don't have the breathing down right and that can be disastrous if you don't time that right. I will get there . . .I am just still so excited I can do it!
Thanks to the both of you for your help!
You might consider dedicating a swim session to flip turns only. Start your swim at mid-length so that you're far enough away from the wall to build up your speed before you reach the wall to do your turn but not so far away from the wall that you're tired out before you get there.
You can also use a swim snorkel (NOT a diving snorkel) while practicing your flip turns. HOWEVER, this can be tricky when you resurface as you have to remember to blow hard through your mouth to push the water out of the snorkel before taking in your next breath.
I admit, on my last few lengths of an interval, I often raise my head right before the wall to catch a breath before my turn. Although I've never had a problem doing the turn after raising my head, it does slow me down a bit. And I know how to breathe! My problem is my pace. I tend to start my intervals with a faster pace than I should so I get out of breath sooner.0 -
Like anything else, repetition is what will help you get better. You will naturally fine tune your technique, learn how far to be from the wall to flip, regulate the breathing, etc. to the point that all these things will become second nature. When you are swimming freestyle sets do flip turns as much as you can. the more often you can do them the faster the improvement will come. You've already cleared the single most difficult hurdle - doing the turn. Now it's all fine-tuning & adjustments......0
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I took a survey today of my swim team. I asked them if they do flip turns the correct way or whether they roll while they flip. They all said they roll while the flip. Interesting.0
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I also roll while I flip0
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Yesterday at swim practice, I did them the correct way and although I was faster at the push off, I kept forgetting to roll so I ended up doing one length free, one length back, one length free, one length back, etc.0
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today is the first day i will work my new program, and she wants me to flip turn, so we will see how much water i suck in my nose by the end. . . .i agree with Mac, I am sure it will come with practice and time!0
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Be careful if you are turning while on the wall-believe it or not you risk an ACL tear if you do this. Also be weary of crossing your ankles during a flip turn/while rotating and pushing off it can have the same effect when done wrong repeatedly.0
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I paid really close attention to my turns today - I roll over after my flip but before I put my feet on the wall for the push. It's not easy trying to break it down so much....lol0
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I am currently trying to focus more on my flip turns. I was practicing last swimming session. We had a long endurance drill which made it easier to attempt instead of drills. I only did one successful flip but I was too far away from the wall to push off, every other time I have been doing a twist instead of flip or roll.
One of the other swimmers said she would watch me next week and see if she can give me any hints. I am trying to pin point my problem and I cant think of why I twist instead of flip.
It does happen so fast.0 -
Not seeing you makes it difficult, but one of the things I see with the kids is that they will drop 1 shoulder down which causes them to spin instead of flip over. Try staying squared up to the bottom of the pool, when you get to the point where you need to flip for your turn drop your chin straight down to your chest as you flip over. This might help you to stay straight & flip over instead of spinning to the side.....0
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Thanks Macstraw,
It might be the shoulder/arm unbalance.
I do try to drop my chin straight down, but I do lift my head up before I start my flip. Maybe not fully out of the water, more for momentum, but I probably don't need that. I will have to work on that.0 -
Ashen, as soon as you start to lift your head you lose momentum into the turn. One of the reasons to not take a breath in at least the last 2 strokes to the turn is so that you can keep looking down at the bottom of the pool, when you hit where you want to flip pull the chin down hard to your chest & kick a little faster - that's where your momentum will come from & you will flip over much faster because dropping your chin quickly makes your body follow quickly & the faster kick pushes you into the turn......0
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Now that I have been doing this for about a month now, I am loving the flip turn. I still have some technical difficulties . . .usually not being close enough and i go to push off and i got nothing . . .also trying to flip with fins provides a whole new experience . . .then the paddles and pull buoy! I must be quite a sight at times!0
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Now that I have been doing this for about a month now, I am loving the flip turn. I still have some technical difficulties . . .usually not being close enough and i go to push off and i got nothing . . .also trying to flip with fins provides a whole new experience . . .then the paddles and pull buoy! I must be quite a sight at times!
I have some issues when turning with gear on. My feet tend to slip when I have fins, and for whatever reason when I have paddles/pull buoy on, I always turn just a little too close to the wall. Even when I know I tend to do it. Oh well.0 -
Now that I have been doing this for about a month now, I am loving the flip turn. I still have some technical difficulties . . .usually not being close enough and i go to push off and i got nothing . . .also trying to flip with fins provides a whole new experience . . .then the paddles and pull buoy! I must be quite a sight at times!
You should join me and throw in a snorkel down the center of you face. LOL :laugh:0 -
How on earth do you flip with a snorkel on your face???
Another question about flipping . . .do you flip when you breast and back stroke as well?0 -
How on earth do you flip with a snorkel on your face???
Another question about flipping . . .do you flip when you breast and back stroke as well?
Hahaha - now it is a front facing swimmers snorkel not off to the side like you might expect to find at the beach. (thats why I feel like a snork - I have a tube between my eyes) So flipping is just like you would do without one, just hold your breath and remember to blow out hard when you resurface to blow out all the water that fills the tube.
flipping for breast yeah, I'm not sure about back stroke...0 -
The correct way is to tuck your chin down to your chest, bring your knees up towards your chest, and allow your forward momentum to propel you into a summersault. When you reach the position in which you are on your back, plant your feet on the wall, push straight back, and while you're gliding off of the wall, roll your body so that you're back in the freestyle position by the time you resurface. If your next length is going to be backstroke, you don't roll since you're already in the backstroke position.
I, on the other hand, don't do flip turns the way I'm suppose. I roll while I flip so that I push off of the wall already in the freestyle position.
It just takes practice. Practice making sure that both feet are on the wall before you push off. If you have both feet on the wall and then push off with both feet, you can only go straight out. Of course, if your body isn't in line with your feet, you will glide out at an angle so make sure that when you push off with both feet that you untuck you chin and your arms are straight out over your head and pointed down the lane. Then roll.
If your next length is going to be backstroke, you don't roll since you're already in the backstroke position.0 -
Another question about flipping . . .do you flip when you breast and back stroke as well?
If you were racing backstroke the answer would be yes, breaststroke & butterfly no because they both require a 2 hand simultaneous touch on the wall at all turns & at the end of the race. For backstroke, you are allowed to roll over to your stomach & take 1 arm stroke at which time you do a forward flip turn but don't roll over to your stomach after the flip - you push off the wall on your back. This is where the backstroke flags come in to play - you get your stroke count from when you pass under the flags (you need to be at full speed at this point for the count to be accurate) to when you touch the wall. For the flip turn, subtract 1 stroke, then roll over & flip. For example, if your stroke count from the flags to the wall is 6, then you would roll onto your stomach after the 5th stroke & do your flip turn. You're only allowed the one arm stroke after you roll over, so if you're still away from the wall kick hard to get close enough for the turn......0 -
It's been many years since I did a tumble/ flip turn!
So today in the middle of my first length I decided to start again and did them for the rest of my 2.4 km swim (lol it was the same thing with bilateral breathing when I started - I tend to be an all or nothing kind of guy)!
Anyway I believe they went quite well and I sought to implement all your tips from this thread a month ago!'
The main challenge I had was with butterfly as I couldn't hold my breath long enough to not breathe after last stroke turn and then.not breathe until after first stroke from the wall (butterfly really takes it out of me). Yet when I took a breath after push off from wall but before 1st stroke I'd completely lose speed I think but kept on anyway!
Also the tumble turns with the breastroke lengths were "interesting".
But all in all glad to.have brought them.into.my program and there they shall stay!
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I've never done flip turns in butterfly or breaststroke since, in competition, they both require a 2 hand simultaneous touch on the wall at each turn & at the finish.......0
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Personally, I'm just too concerned about smacking my ankle on the wall while flipping. I can't afford such a bump because it will cause a permanent injury. I develop degenerative osteoarthritis at the site of every injury I've ever had, regardless how minor it seemed at the time. That is why I swim now. Feet can't take impact anymore. Walking and hiking with really stiff shoes is about it.
I still feel the single block I took to the side of by foot in karate class over a decade ago
I have to admit I love the look of a well executed flip turn though.0
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