So....here's the thing:
I'm actually getting decent at flipturns. I screw a few of them up, but I always know what I did wrong. The ratio of good flips to bad flips keeps going up. But, because there are usually some bad flips along the way, I haven't set any PRs yet when using flips. I'm at 1:25 100m with (some bad) flips, vs 1:22 with decent open-turns. My 50m is hi-39sec vice hi-38sec.
However....
When flipping, of course we are not breathing through the approach, turn, and pushoff. This is not a problem for me in a hard 50m/100m. But in a hard 400m, I'm dying, Man!! The accumulation of not breathing for this period every 25m has me GASPING after 200m. I crave that open-turn breath.
Maybe I will learn to handle this, but I dunno.
Even if you flip well, should you sometimes do open turns because of the oxygen situation?
if turns are placing too much demand on your need for air you may not be breathing deeply, often enough, or naturally. If snorkel is a lot easier, this might be the case (it is for me)
It really depends on your goals. A good flipturn will be faster than a good open turn, but if speed isn’t near the top of your goals then don’t bother with flips.
It is for him, though. You can see in his signature that his #1 goal is to break 6:00 in a 400. I think improving turns, and especially being able to do good flip turns without having them increase his fatigue level, will be key in reaching that goal.
I'm definitely faster flipping, and always do so on 50's and 100's, but on longer distances I need to throw in some open turns occasionally to get air.
Actually, I seem to get a stronger push off and better dolphin kicks when doing open turns, something I think carries over from all the butterfly I swim. I'm working on coming off the wall better when flipping, but it's still a work in process.
The more you(mindfully) practice flipping the better you will get and the better you will get at dealing with the oxygen issue. I'd say, commit to flipping every turn for a month and see what happens.
Are flipturns for everyone?Short answer. No.
It really depends on your goals. A good flipturn will be faster than a good open turn, but if speed isn’t near the top of your goals then don’t bother with flips. Go ahead and practice them to see if you get better, but don’t fixate on the turns.
From a breathing perspective a flipturn gives you 1 less breath during the 3-5 seconds you are changing directions (6-8 seconds of you have a very good breakout). Depending on you distance per stroke and breathing pattern this can make a difference of about 9% to 15% less breaths.
Side note – if you are planning on doing open water swimming, I teach swimmers doing open turns to do them without taking a breath. Those who take a breath during an open turn have more problems maintaining regular breathing in open water.
The more you(mindfully) practice flipping the better you will get and the better you will get at dealing with the oxygen issue. I'd say, commit to flipping every turn for a month and see what happens.
Yes!! Thanks, I intend to do this. I've gradually improved the fips over many weeks, and I hope to gadually fix this oxygen problem also.
Try this - to get a better breath, you must 1st blow out a lot of air from your lungs to allow you to inhale more in. Just holding your breath will not be enough.
It will still be faster to do a flipturn if you breathe the last stroke into the turn and the first stroke off the wall. Also, consider breathing every two strokes while swimming; if you look at most of the elite swimmers they do that to get more oxygen. If breathing every two to the same side makes you feel unbalanced (it does for me), then try what I do for a breathing pattern in an SCY/SCM course:
2 cycles breathing every two to my right
1 cycle breathing every three
remaining cycles (3-4) breathing every two to my left (my stronger/speedier side)
When I race the 800 & up, I will also occasionally come off the wall, breathe immediately to my left, then immediately to my right and resume the cycle above.
Yes!! Thanks, I intend to do this. I've gradually improved the fips over many weeks, and I hope to gadually fix this oxygen problem also.
In conjunction with that, I would work on adding at least one more UDK on every turn you do for the same reason. You'll adapt as you do this, and it will help both your flip turn and your underwaters.
