Flip turns

Former Member
Former Member
When I swam in high school I never had any instruction from a coach. Our coach's philosophy was if you wanted better times you had to swim faster. Technique was never mentioned. I just got back into swimming last year and have talked to several swmmers at the club I workout at. One mentioned USMS which brought me here. I have read several of the training articles and have applied some of them to my workouts. My times have improved but I still have a long way to go. My concern now is flip turns. I have been doing open turns and log a time of around 37 minutes for 2000 meters. I know I can dramatically improve that time if I did flip turns but my flip turns leave be gasping for air. I turn head down at the wall and use arms and legs to ball up and create the turn all the while exhaling every bit of air in my lungs. I exhale to that degree to keep water out of my nose as I have a slight allergy to chlorine and it leaves my nose burning if water gets in. When I complete the turn it leaves me exhausted and I can't keep the pace I do when I use open turns. I know there has to be a better way to do a flip turn where I won't be gasping for air when I complete it. Does anyone know of a website or book or something that analyzes the flip turn so I can rid myself of this problem? Thanks, Julie
Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Keep on trying! I tend to keep the momentum going into the flip turn by doing a dolphin kick as I begin the flipping part of the turn... So: the dolphin kick --head goes downward into flip (arms bend forward into 90 degree angle and push water over shoulders) and calves slap down with balls of my feet just touching the wall, twist around and push off (with my age group coach screaming in my mind STREAMLINE! STREAMLINE!") and off I go to another length of the pool... P.S. Personally I am in morning over the backstroke turn being changed to a flip turn, but hey, I will get over it one day
Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Keep on trying! I tend to keep the momentum going into the flip turn by doing a dolphin kick as I begin the flipping part of the turn... So: the dolphin kick --head goes downward into flip (arms bend forward into 90 degree angle and push water over shoulders) and calves slap down with balls of my feet just touching the wall, twist around and push off (with my age group coach screaming in my mind STREAMLINE! STREAMLINE!") and off I go to another length of the pool... P.S. Personally I am in morning over the backstroke turn being changed to a flip turn, but hey, I will get over it one day
Children
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