1. I started doing flip turns about a year ago, and I'm comfortable doing them when I am working out alone. But when circle swimming with my masters team, it's hard to get comfortable doing flip turns coming in at an angle to the wall. Any suggestions on how to approach these kinds of flip turns?
2. I am also pretty new to butterfly. I am concerned about crashing my hand into someone swimming back toward me on the opposite side of the lane. I will sometimes try to extend my outside hand out slightly over the lane marker to stay as far to the right as possible, but I often brush the lane marker with the top of my hand as my arm is coming up out of the water. Any suggestions on navigation?
1. Watch in your peripheral vision for the swimmer ahead of you to leave the wall. When s/he has passed you, angle to your left. Flip as far to the left of the lane as you can and come out straight (which will put you properly on the right) with your head between your arms. If you and your lane-mates are not too fast or too numerous, go 10s apart so that you have space to practice good turns.
2. I sometimes dive deeper than usual and do an extra kick to avoid smacking hands in our pool's narrow lanes.
As above . Thanx for asking these questions. Many do not for a long time in the pool. Do not follow a swimmer too close when doing flips, allow them to clear the wall before you enter to do your flip. Angle your hands to correct where you are going to go as you push off the wall.
ON fly watch for others doing fly as they should watch for you. This being said You will HIT others anyhow as the will hit you.
I think as a general rule you should turn in the middle of the lane and then move to the right side when you push off. The only exception being if someone if passing you. In that case stay to the right so you don't cut them off.
On fly my opinion is to take a one-arm stroke when someone is swimming fly coming the other way. It's way better than smacking. Also be cognizant of swimmers in the adjacent lane. You're just as likely to smack them if you aren't paying close attention.
Regarding question number 1 -- Of course it depends on how many people are sharing the lane (i.e. the spacing, or frequency you’re passing swimmers going in the opposite direction). But, for up to four swimmers…I keep track of how many are ahead of me in the same direction. Once there is no one between me and the wall (going either direction)…I’ll move all the way to the other side of the lane so that I’m already there after I flip, and then I don’t have to do anything at an angle.
Regarding number 2 – What pools ought to do is remove a couple of lane lines to create double-wide lanes. Those wide lanes would be designated for butterfly and breaststroke only (that's not a serious suggestion).
Dan
Hey revchris!
Be sure the swimmers in your lane are waiting 5 seconds in between each swimmer. If your lane is lined up correctly according to speed and everyone gives the 5 second interval your flip turns will be very comfortable. It totally freaks me out when someone takes off on my feet and ends up in between my legs when I flip. I once received a bloody nose and fat lip in a crowded pool due to lack of proper spacing. If I get in a lane that refuses to do this I just go last and give the next-to-last swimmer 15 or 20 seconds so I don't catch them.
Seriously, if everyone leaves @ 5 seconds it's easy to keep your times and there's room for everyone. A crowded lane doesn't mean everyone needs to swim nose-to-tail and leave at the same time. As long as you know your personal take-off interval you can space up and do the workout.
Regarding question #2... you can suggest to your coaches to have odd lanes circle clock-wise and even lanes circle counter-clockwise. This helps reduce the opportunities for swimmers to "cross limbs" in the fly/back. you still have the issue within your individual lane, but the swimmers across the lane line from you are moving in the same direction.
An added benefit is if you make swimmers switch even/odd lanes each practice, they do not "get in a rut" of always angling into/out of the wall the same way, which becomes a habit they may carry into their meet swims.
Seriously, if everyone leaves @ 5 seconds it's easy to keep your times and there's room for everyone.
If this happens for you you should consider yourself very lucky. My experience is that swimmers getting bunched up and/or passing is the norm.
