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:
So I have recently over a period of time gone through the process of learning flip turns. Here is my experience.
I can do an open turn just as fast as a flip turn. Really. I get a better underwater push off the wall with a good flip turn though. For a long time I did not want to do flip turns and lose that breath. I also have to breath out during the turn and had a fear of running out of air. It's true.
I started doing flip turns when doing kick drills on back with fins. This gets you around a lot quicker. There is therefore an incentive and less worry about having enough air.
I started out just practicing a somersault in the middle of the pool, just to turn over, with arms out to the side, and stay straight. It's OK to do this at the wall. Whatever works.
I gradually incorporated more flip turns as I felt good about it. Sometimes if I am late, or off time breathing, it is just easier to do an open turn. No problem, see 1.
After some practice and getting comfortable with it, say work up to an 800 with all flip turns. Then refinements help. The flip turn article in Swimmer magazine helped. Thinking about flipping straight over instead of sideways helps. Do flip turns on backstroke and then add to freestyle.
In the end, there are lots of ways to get around and good form just comes with practice and a little knowledge.
So I have recently over a period of time gone through the process of learning flip turns. Here is my experience.
I can do an open turn just as fast as a flip turn. Really. I get a better underwater push off the wall with a good flip turn though. For a long time I did not want to do flip turns and lose that breath. I also have to breath out during the turn and had a fear of running out of air. It's true.
I started doing flip turns when doing kick drills on back with fins. This gets you around a lot quicker. There is therefore an incentive and less worry about having enough air.
I started out just practicing a somersault in the middle of the pool, just to turn over, with arms out to the side, and stay straight. It's OK to do this at the wall. Whatever works.
I gradually incorporated more flip turns as I felt good about it. Sometimes if I am late, or off time breathing, it is just easier to do an open turn. No problem, see 1.
After some practice and getting comfortable with it, say work up to an 800 with all flip turns. Then refinements help. The flip turn article in Swimmer magazine helped. Thinking about flipping straight over instead of sideways helps. Do flip turns on backstroke and then add to freestyle.
In the end, there are lots of ways to get around and good form just comes with practice and a little knowledge.
