I have looked through the rules and either they have changed since I looked at them a couple of years ago or I am remembering wrong. Anyway here's my problem.
I have been told my flip turns are bad, I haven't seen this but that's not the point. I reciently changed my free style turn. Now instead of turning over near/around the wall I stay on my back until I break the water then turn over with my first stroke.
The rule as I remembered it was that you have to do Fly, Back, *** and then anything except the other three strokes. I did not find anything like this in the current rules but am worried that it may look like I am doing a backstroke when I am not.
I talked to my coach about it and he looked it up as well but could find nothing saying that I couldn't do it. Also will I have a problem under the FINA rules, I will be swimming in Ireland in a few weeks and do not want problems there either.
Edward,
For USMS and FINA Masters –
On the *** to free turn, the swimmer must touch the wall as if making a breaststroke finish, “the body shall be on the *** and the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the surface of the water.” “Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner.”
For any free to free turn within an IM, “Upon completion of each length, the swimmer must touch the wall.”
You are allowed to push off on your front, side or back and take as many kicks as you like, typically fly or flutter, as long as your head breaks the surface of the water within 15 the first 15 meters. In IM, once you break the surface of the water you are allowed to swim any stroke EXCEPT Butterfly, Backstroke, or Breaststroke.
With that being said, we are always at the mercy of the meet officials to properly understand the rules and accurately see what the swimmers are doing.
Edward,
For USMS and FINA Masters –
On the *** to free turn, the swimmer must touch the wall as if making a breaststroke finish, “the body shall be on the *** and the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the surface of the water.” “Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner.”
For any free to free turn within an IM, “Upon completion of each length, the swimmer must touch the wall.”
You are allowed to push off on your front, side or back and take as many kicks as you like, typically fly or flutter, as long as your head breaks the surface of the water within 15 the first 15 meters. In IM, once you break the surface of the water you are allowed to swim any stroke EXCEPT Butterfly, Backstroke, or Breaststroke.
With that being said, we are always at the mercy of the meet officials to properly understand the rules and accurately see what the swimmers are doing.
