Recently I've forced myself to do flip turns in practice, hoping I'll get better/faster at them. My question is about hand position. Many years ago I'd use my hands to scull and help flip me over. Now, however, after some experimentation, I'm just using my torso and a dolphin kick to turn myself over. My hands stay in front of me the whole time as far as I can tell. This seems to put them in a streamlined position faster so I'm ready to push off faster. Back to the question part: Is/does this sound right? It feels faster, but I don't know if I'm missing something. Any help/suggestions is/are appreciated. Thanks.:wiggle:
Your hands should be down at your hips when you initialize the flip. Ideally they really shouldn't move much from that position so that when you complete the flip they are out in front of your shoulders ready to be in a tight streamlined position when your feet push off the wall.
Your hands should be down at your hips when you initialize the flip. Ideally they really shouldn't move much from that position so that when you complete the flip they are out in front of your shoulders ready to be in a tight streamlined position when your feet push off the wall.
I second that and add that I also use a bit of a dolphin kick to initiate the turn.
Bill,SDK for most people,but if your flutter kick is faster do that. I'd say if you are doing SDK start to flutter about when you start your pull.If you are losing time you are going too far for the speed of your kick.Not everyone is faster kicking underwater than swimming on the surface.Find out what is fastest for YOU.
FF - I've been taught more recently that the tumble should not be initiated by dolphin kick. The coaches have me coming into the wall in full stroke stride, and using my last stroke to initiate my turn. As I take that final pull, my head is already starting to look behind me - and all tumbling is coming from my core, putting all those situps to good use. I checked the video from my 500 at nationals, and the only dolphin kicks are SDK coming off the wall.
Now that is not to say the dolphin kick is incorrect. I think most of us learn that way - I know I did. Keep practicing your tumbling, and get your turns to where you can make the tumble initiation seamless and a continuation of your freestyle.
After the push from the wall in the Free, is it best to flutter kick or SDK or personal choice? If SDK, when do you transition to flutter. I like the SDK, but seem to lose a half stroke in transition.
Bill -
As Allen mentioned, personal choice. If you want to try out the SDK, you're going to need to trust in yourself AND the SDK to make the post-tumble SDK'ing a success. I know exactly what you mean about losing your momentum in the transition.
It takes a lot of practice to get that timing down. Work on it for every turn in practice. Work additional SDK into some of your sets - ie, when doing a boring free set, force yourself to do 6-8-10-12 kicks off the wall. Especially as you tire, you'll start to learn how improve your breakout (so you can get that breath!). My advice is when you switch to a free-kick, those kicks need to be as strong and keep you at the same speed or FASTER than what you were going with SDK.
After the push from the wall in the Free, is it best to flutter kick or SDK or personal choice? If SDK, when do you transition to flutter. I like the SDK, but seem to lose a half stroke in transition.
After the push from the wall in the Free, is it best to flutter kick or SDK or personal choice? If SDK, when do you transition to flutter. I like the SDK, but seem to lose a half stroke in transition.
You might be doing one too many.
The breakout is your first stroke after a start or turn. When you "break" the surface of the water.
That makes sense. I could figure out in the article why the swimmer had her arms by her side during the *** Stroke. The streamline phase must be with hands down not leading.
Bill -
Especially as you tire, you'll start to learn how improve your breakout (so you can get that breath!). My advice is when you switch to a free-kick, those kicks need to be as strong and keep you at the same speed or FASTER than what you were going with SDK.
Muppet:
Thanks, sound tough but fun. What is the breakout. I saw that in the USMS Swimmer in an article on evil stroking but it never actually said what a "breakout"s.:confused:
