I have a student who is struggling with flipturns!
Former Member
So I've been a pre-competitive swim coach since May now. I love it! However, I have a student in one of my lower level classes who is really struggling with learning flipturns. No matter what I suggest or what approach I take, class after class, he is rarely able to progress to doing half of a somersault, let alone a full somersault (which he has never done).
I tell him to tuck his chin on his chest, keep his head straight, hands and arms at his side, legs up to chest in cannon ball, but no matter what, he really struggles to get his head and upper chest down away from the surface of the water, and then his legs straighten out behind him and it's all over.
Swinging kickboards out to his side as he initiates the maneuver has rarely helped.
What are your suggestions? I am stumped. :sad:
You don't say how old the swimmer is. Since there is a problem completing the flip, it may not be mechanics, but age or negative experience in the past. I had a brother in law that I could not teach to dive into the pool, found out later that he wore a scuba mask in the shower. You might have a conversation with the swimmer and find out how he feels about the experience of swimming overall. Once he knows you are listening, he may try new things (like a flip turn) without any resistance, either overt or subliminal.
You don't say how old the swimmer is. Since there is a problem completing the flip, it may not be mechanics, but age or negative experience in the past. I had a brother in law that I could not teach to dive into the pool, found out later that he wore a scuba mask in the shower. You might have a conversation with the swimmer and find out how he feels about the experience of swimming overall. Once he knows you are listening, he may try new things (like a flip turn) without any resistance, either overt or subliminal.
