I've been on a swim team for a month and have been to three swim meets and have come in third place in all of my events. I need help with improving my time and speed. Also, I need help with the flipturn. I also have started training for nationals next year. I run 3 miles a day and train in the gym and I go to a physical therapists as I have had to have 2 neck surgers in the past 3 yrs. I'm loving swimming and, I get so excied when it comes time to compete. If any of yall have advice or training advice for me I would appreciate it. I do have a coach I work with 4 times a week.
Sincerely, Swimminggirl
Former Member
What does your coach say about your flip turns and your times?
I think there are some good videos posted in the Drill of the Week section over at GoSwim.Tv. Perhaps the video/drill combination for flip turns will offer you some help.
As for improving your times, what are they now? What does your swim training consist of?
My coach says my time needs alot of work. I can't remember what our workout conists of. She says my flipturn needs work. My time for the 200 free at my most recent meet was 2:38. My 50 free was 1:00min. flat. I was looking at the qualifying times for the nationals talk about intimidating!
Sincerely, Swimminggirl I have training tomorrow, I will copy my workout on here tomorrow night.
flip turn drills
have a big girl bed (aka something bigger than a twin or double)? do sumersaults on it. if you don't have a bed, maybe your gym has a big open mat area you can do sumersaults on. a flip turn is very similar, except its only 180 degrees. you need to turn straight over.
another thing is lane rope flips. have your coach or a teammate get in the water with you. slouch over the lanerope, such that the rope comes under your armpits between your arms and your chest. have the other person flip you over. thats what it feels like in the water.
find a short width pool (ie 15 yards). swim for 10 minutes continuous, practicing working each turn really hard.
some key points
your last stroke into the wall should be part of your turn. as you're bringing your arm down towards your waist, your head should start tucking and you should be in full tuck mode by the time your arm is fully at your side.
you MUST remember to kick as you're finishing your final stroke. Unless you have a functional 6-pack, your legs aren't going to get themselves over your head. Kicking into the tuck will allow you more speed to get them over.
don't twist while you're on the wall - twist after you push off the wall. it is ok to push off on your back. you should be pushing off as soon as your feet hit
Streamine, Streamline, Streamline!!! :dedhorse: I can't emphasize this enough! As you tuck, you should prepare your arms to be in a streamline so as soon as your feet hit the wall, you're ready to go. Keep it tight!
hope that helps!
If you don't mind can you post your age??
Practice, practice, practice is the best advice.
When I teach flip turns, I start in the middle part of the pool where you can still touch bottom, but deep enough to do the practice flips.
You may need someone to help grab your legs and help flip them over. Once you can get the flips down in the middle of the pool. Start swimming to into the wall, you'll have to judge your distance. Once you get it, you get it - like riding a bike.
If you swam competitively as a child I don't understand why your 50 is 1:00. Did you just start swimming again after a long hiatus? What are your splits on your 200?
If you want to get faster for now I would'nt concentrate on running. What you need is as much time in the pool as possible with quality workouts.
I don't have an extensive swimming "base". I only swam for 9 months on a USA team when I was younger and then on a high school swim team that only practiced 3x a week... if we were lucky... usually 2. I was on a pretty long hiatus until joining Masters in 2004. I started practicing in Feb 2004 that year going off and on. I started going more consistently by March, April. When I competed that year in April I got a 30.00 in the 50 free and 1:10 in the 100 free. If you look me up in the SCY Nats Roster now you'll see there is a significant difference in my times. www.usms.org/.../swimmerdetails.php
I increased the nights I go to practice, I went to total immersion swim camp, I started swimming with my kids team.... all these things helped....
I'm 21 almost 22. Yes, I used to swim competivetly as a child. I have practice tonight. I run 3-4 miles everyday. I will have my coach time me tonight. I will get a copy of the workout also.
Sincerely, Swimminggirl p.s. I need all the advice and help I can get.
It sounds like you really need one-on-one coaching. I would suggest asking around at local pools and finding a swim teacher that could get in the water and work with you for 1/2 an hour or an hour. I am a swim teacher that works with a lot of adults to help them improve technique and I believe that I can help them. You also need to be constantly thinking of technique in practice. Think of making sure that every turn is fast and good, and not slacking off. Work on sprinting off walls. Overall, it just sounds as if you could use some personal coaching.
Thanks for the advice. I'm not currently a member at a gym. Maybe one of my team mates could help. At my swim meets, I was unable to complete a flipturn all the way. Also, I need advice on making my speed and time improve. My *** stroke and my butterfly need alot of work. My freestyle is great. I hope to compete at nationals next year.
Sincerely, Swimminggirl
My coach says my biggest problem is sprinting at the begging of racing, also, when I come up to breathe during my *** stroke and freestyle both, I stop my motion and, she said I need to breathe and keep my arms flowing. I need to be able to keep up with my team mates more especially during relays.
Sincerely, Swimminggirl
