Fear of Flip Turns...Any Advice?

jtp5184
jtp5184 Posts: 138 Member
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
I would like to start swimming and I would like to attempt a flip turn but I am afraid I will get too close to the wall and smash my heal into it. Any advice? I was a gymnast for 10 years so flipping isn't my issue its just that Im afraid to hit my foot on the edge of the wall.

And also afraid that someone will see it and I will embarrass myself :laugh:

Any advice would greatly be appreciated thank you! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • AlyAnt26
    AlyAnt26 Posts: 58
    Just have to practice! Once you get them down, they make your swim MUCH smoother and you'll look awesome too! About two strokes out, start the turn. Rather too far away and miss on your push off than too close and smash the wall. You'll get a feel for it, and then be fine. Just practice with your spacing! Good Luck!
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    I love flip turns, lol! Really, the only way is to practice...
  • Nolefisch
    Nolefisch Posts: 2
    Do it slowly on top of the water for your first couple of times. When you do, mark where you need to begin your turn using the black tiles on the bottom of the pool. I'm tall (6'8"), so it usually before the T that is made when the black lane marker stops for me, but if you are shorter, which I assume you are, it will be closer to the wall for you. Do the flip turn a couple of times, again slowly, until you trust it. As long as you mark your flip point and start your flip at that point every time, you won't have any problem.

    (I probably shouldn't tell you this, but flipping too early is equally embarrassing, you kick expecting wall and a push off, and end up floundering because nothing is there, and you're upside down. The key is to remember that EVERYONE swimming has had some sort of flip turn miscue, and not to worry about it.)
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    practice your turns AWAY from the wall, toward the middle of the pool. Use goggles. You will hit the wall from time to time, I'm sure professionals do too -
  • Nikki881
    Nikki881 Posts: 203
    I felt the same way! And there are a lot of real swimmers at the pool I swim at, so I knew I was going to look silly... but I tried, and messed up a couple times, but then I got it! Just laugh it off if you mess up =) And I was worried about hitting my feet too, but oddly enough, it doesn't really happen. Good luck!
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    What's it matter? You do it a few times and you'll stop doing it, trust me :tongue:
  • Shizzman
    Shizzman Posts: 527 Member
    They take practice, but it seems like once you get comfortable for speed it makes it easier to do the flip turns.
  • kristinmjackson
    kristinmjackson Posts: 1
    I teach/coach and swim masters. Everyone is right practice practice practice. Try before or after your workout taking a noodle in both hands and flipping over it (in the shallow end) and standing up again with a strong push off the bottom. When you get good at that.... start out at the flags and swim into the wall, flip and come off on your back and slowly introduce the roll back to your belly. Start doing them in your workout as soon as you feel you kinda got it down...the more you do it, the more it will become second nature to you.
    Hope this helps!!
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
    Eventually it'll be 2nd nature of where you're at. If your pool has different color tile in the middle of each lanes, like most competitive swimming pools do, that's another way to judge. But kristinmjackson is spot on.
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