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?
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.
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.
