I am wondering if there are ways you can get hurt doing flip turns. I have done them (slowly) and I am carefull not to hit my legs on the pool edge. I will say they are not (underlined) as easy to do as many swimmers make it look! Especially if you are coming into the wall at any speed!
I can understand world class swimmers getting every edge but other then show offing ..do lap swimmers really need to do this?
Tips on flips Please ?
This may sound strange, but one of the advantages of flip turns for me is that they help my back. I have chronic lower back problems, and, contrary to what you might think, my back feels better after I do several flip turns in a workout (the first one is usually pretty uncomfortable, but after that everything's stretched out and my back feels better). I realize this is probably NOT the case for most people with lower back problems, but doing flip turns works for me.
The main reason to use them, though, is that they don't provide as much rest as doing open turns (yes, an open turn means you swim up to the wall, grab it with your hands, turn around, and push off with your feet). Doing flip turns allows you to have a more continuous, therefore more vigorous, workout. If you're getting a vigorous enough workout just making it up and down the pool, you probably don't need the extra effort of doing a flip turn.
As you surmised, the way to keep water from going up your nose while doing a flip turn is to exhale while you're flipping. Works well once you get the hang of it!
This may sound strange, but one of the advantages of flip turns for me is that they help my back. I have chronic lower back problems, and, contrary to what you might think, my back feels better after I do several flip turns in a workout (the first one is usually pretty uncomfortable, but after that everything's stretched out and my back feels better). I realize this is probably NOT the case for most people with lower back problems, but doing flip turns works for me.
The main reason to use them, though, is that they don't provide as much rest as doing open turns (yes, an open turn means you swim up to the wall, grab it with your hands, turn around, and push off with your feet). Doing flip turns allows you to have a more continuous, therefore more vigorous, workout. If you're getting a vigorous enough workout just making it up and down the pool, you probably don't need the extra effort of doing a flip turn.
As you surmised, the way to keep water from going up your nose while doing a flip turn is to exhale while you're flipping. Works well once you get the hang of it!
