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
Jeff,
Uh-oh, you make it sound gymnastically challenging!!
donna
Well, it requires strong muscles to contort the body in that fashion. Your shoulders need to be strong so the hand that touches can begin the flip. You need strong abs to execute the flip. You need good lungs to hold your breath for six to seven seconds.
I will say it took me three months to get the turn right. But I come from the era before the current backstroke turn. The old turn that we did is what 90 percent of the back to *** turn is about, so I just needed to work on breath control.
It is crucial for the 100 IM, but I would also say it's necessary for the 200. Though it's twice as long, it is still considered a sprint (four 50s).
Jeff,
Uh-oh, you make it sound gymnastically challenging!!
donna
Well, it requires strong muscles to contort the body in that fashion. Your shoulders need to be strong so the hand that touches can begin the flip. You need strong abs to execute the flip. You need good lungs to hold your breath for six to seven seconds.
I will say it took me three months to get the turn right. But I come from the era before the current backstroke turn. The old turn that we did is what 90 percent of the back to *** turn is about, so I just needed to work on breath control.
It is crucial for the 100 IM, but I would also say it's necessary for the 200. Though it's twice as long, it is still considered a sprint (four 50s).
