IM Transition turn btween back and ***

The rule is that you must finish each stroke in an IM as you would if the race was ending there. SO you have to finish on your back with one hand touching then you can flip, do the "old school" spin turn OR do an open turn.

Either turn is legal as long as the finish to the backstroke portion is finished on the back. Here is the rule: 101.5 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — .... .3 Turns A Intermediate turns within each stroke shall conform to the turn rules for that stroke. B The turns when changing from one stroke to another shall conform to the finish rules for the stroke just completed, and shall be as follows: (1) Butterfly to backstroke — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.2.5. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the back when the swimmer leaves the wall. (2) Backstroke to breaststroke — The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke. (3) Breaststroke to freestyle — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.1.4. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner. This question has come up offline so I thought I'd post the question to find out the rule about this transitional turn between the IM's back and *** since I no longer do IMs. Years ago, a flip turn between back and *** was allowed; it was not the new "freestyle" back turn, a swimmer could touch the wall in backstroke, and then flip over to enter the breastroke. Now I believe more swimmers are backstroking into the wall and open turning into the breaststroke portion of the IM. For all of you Im'ers out there, what is now legal: both turns or does a swimmer have to do an "open turn"? Donna

Swimstud - You are correct. You must touch while still on your back.

Well, you can do the "freestyle" turn in backstroke if you are doing the 400 IM; you just can't do it in the transition from the last leg of the backstroke to the first leg of the breaststroke.

We'll find out on Mar 11th when I flip my backstroke, touchwith feet and push off itno a *** streamline and pullout.

So you can't do the freestyle back turn in an IM then?

On the last backstroke stroke, he crosses the hand over his head to the opposite side of his body, touches AND gets a big breath just like an open turn, but then he flips sideways and pushes off on his stomach nice and deep and ready for his breaststroke pullout. I don't think he's crossing his arm over. If you watch closely (I guess you'll need to watch a 1,001st or 1,002nd time :)) his arm touches without crossing over then he immediately drops the opposite shoulder and flips.

I swim all the IM's. Depending on the length I do either a flip or an open turn. I really need the air in the 400 IM, for the 100 and the 200 its less important. I wish I could master Phelps' back/*** turn. I have watched that video snip at least 1000 times (seriously) trying to figure it out and I have yet to duplicate it in the pool. First, he does it so fast its hard to see the mechanics, second, I can't seem to place my hand on the wall properly. On the last backstroke stroke, he crosses the hand over his head to the opposite side of his body, touches AND gets a big breath just like an open turn, but then he flips sideways and pushes off on his stomach nice and deep and ready for his breaststroke pullout. I can sorta see what he is doing but I can't actually do it myself in the pool! It's incredibly fast.

I agree with knelson. He just does it so quick, it looks like he crosses over. He just drops the shoulder on the side he turns towards.

From what I can make out, it seems they are beginning to roll to the opposite side of the arm that's touching the wall and then doing a sideways turn with a half twist. That could be dangerous; if you roll too far over, you will get DQ'd.