I figured compling my random questions into one post was better than two or three.
1. When I breath to my left before I do a flip turn then I can't do a good one. I end up rolling sideways, like over my shoulder, rather than front, tucking my head and going. I've tried looking to the left and then rolling in the middle of the pool and the same thing happens. I just can't seem to get my head back to being straight before I roll. Any ideas of how to fix this other than just breath to the right because sometimes my stroke count doesn't work out so that I can do that all the time?
2. This new backstroke rule...Im still kinda confused. So when I roll onto my stomach then I have to either roll immediately or take a stroke that is part of the continous roll motion right? I can't glide to the wall?
3. How can I improve my lung capacity? I need to be able to hold my breath longer so that my underwater kicks can take me as far as I know they can and not be hindered by a need for air.
I think that was everything for now. Thanx for all your help!!
~Kyra
Parents
Former Member
laineybug has a great point: it is normal human reaction (I think) to exhale during a flip turn. First you are contracting your abs (by bending in half) which seems to force air out your lungs through your nose and/or mouth. Second, you are instinctively trying to prevent water from rushing into your nose.
But with practice and focusing on controlling the amount of air you release as you make the turn, you can conserve more air in your lungs for the push off the wall. I think about this as I am doing pull sets because the whole purpose (mine anyway) of the pull set is to develop lung capacity (or CO2 tolerance or VO2 max or whatever the thing is called where you can swim further without breathing).
In my very unscientific mind, I believe this capacity can be increased just as muscles can be trained to go further faster. Someone with a lot more training in physiology or biology or medicine may set me straight but you only paid 2 cents (one cent more than its worth) for the ramblings. A bargain at twice the price!
laineybug has a great point: it is normal human reaction (I think) to exhale during a flip turn. First you are contracting your abs (by bending in half) which seems to force air out your lungs through your nose and/or mouth. Second, you are instinctively trying to prevent water from rushing into your nose.
But with practice and focusing on controlling the amount of air you release as you make the turn, you can conserve more air in your lungs for the push off the wall. I think about this as I am doing pull sets because the whole purpose (mine anyway) of the pull set is to develop lung capacity (or CO2 tolerance or VO2 max or whatever the thing is called where you can swim further without breathing).
In my very unscientific mind, I believe this capacity can be increased just as muscles can be trained to go further faster. Someone with a lot more training in physiology or biology or medicine may set me straight but you only paid 2 cents (one cent more than its worth) for the ramblings. A bargain at twice the price!
