So I'm back to swimming, 20 years later.
Swam backstroke when I was a kid and used what I'd call a "bucket turn" back in the days when you were DQ'd if you broke the plane and flipped over onto your stomach at any point.
I think they've since changed the rules. It seems I'm seeing people do what looks like a regluar freestyle flip turn. They just roll over on the last stroke, do a regular flip turn, and then push off on back.
Any tips on how to do this? Other than practice, practice, practice? I'm very comfortable doing freestyle flip turns, but combining it with back feels very ackward to me.
Guess I'm old world.
Parents
Former Member
Here's a drill that may help:
First I prefer to flip turning to my left: when you see the backstroke flags that signals the upcoming turn, for me I know I have one stroke rotation before I initiate the turn. When my left arm enters the water I rotate to my side, and with my right arm I do a finger tip drag up my right side.
When your hand is next to your right shoulder (and your elbow is high in the air) fully rotate unto your stomach, then your right hand enters the water, the left arm should be extended out and when you look at the T on the pool floor you should look like Superman. In one motion, kick, turn your forearms and hands up making an inverted "V" , grab a volume of water with your foremarms, and throw yourself through and over.
As with a free turn, lead with your heals and place the bottom of your feet on the wall. You should be on your back at this point looking up at the surface of the water. Now your arms should be close to the body and your hands next to your ears. While pushing off the wall, straighten out your arms, pinching your ear lobes back with your biceps and streamline off the wall.
Now the faster swimmers turn with a straight arm, take an underwater stroke, some throw a dolphin kick in, some throw a bent elbow into the motion, and so on. I hope this drill breaks it down in components. Remember it should be one continous motion. The DQ rule is pretty simple--one underwater stroke only--2 and your DQ'd, after that one stroke, kick into the wall.
Good Luck--practice, practice, .......
Reply
Former Member
Here's a drill that may help:
First I prefer to flip turning to my left: when you see the backstroke flags that signals the upcoming turn, for me I know I have one stroke rotation before I initiate the turn. When my left arm enters the water I rotate to my side, and with my right arm I do a finger tip drag up my right side.
When your hand is next to your right shoulder (and your elbow is high in the air) fully rotate unto your stomach, then your right hand enters the water, the left arm should be extended out and when you look at the T on the pool floor you should look like Superman. In one motion, kick, turn your forearms and hands up making an inverted "V" , grab a volume of water with your foremarms, and throw yourself through and over.
As with a free turn, lead with your heals and place the bottom of your feet on the wall. You should be on your back at this point looking up at the surface of the water. Now your arms should be close to the body and your hands next to your ears. While pushing off the wall, straighten out your arms, pinching your ear lobes back with your biceps and streamline off the wall.
Now the faster swimmers turn with a straight arm, take an underwater stroke, some throw a dolphin kick in, some throw a bent elbow into the motion, and so on. I hope this drill breaks it down in components. Remember it should be one continous motion. The DQ rule is pretty simple--one underwater stroke only--2 and your DQ'd, after that one stroke, kick into the wall.
Good Luck--practice, practice, .......
