After seeing some accomplished swimmers get disqualified in Austin, our masters group has been trying to interpret the rules on both the butterfly and breaststroke turns.
The first question is related to the "simultaneous touch":
The 2008 USA Swimming Rules and Regulations book states for both strokes: "The touch shall be made simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface."
Does this mean that one hand can be above the water and one below the water as long as they touch at the same time? We all seem to remember as kids that the touch had to be simultaneous on the same horizontal plane.
For breaststroke, the book also states that throughout the stroke "the arms shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane...", so if that is the case, then the swimmer would have to touch the wall at the same level.
There is no such added description for arms in the butterfly stroke.
The second question is regarding the body position upon leaving the wall:
For breaststroke, the book states: "...after each turn when the swimmer leaves the wall, the body shall be kept on the ***." Must the swimmer be 100% flat as soon as their feet leave the wall?
For butterfly, it states: "Once the turn has been made, the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall."
To further complicate things, for the backstroke to breaststroke turn in the IM, the rule book states: "Once the 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 breasstroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke."
Does anyone have any insight into these rules?
Thanks!
Parents
Former Member
I have an even more fundemental question about what constitutes a "simultaneous touch". I maintain that the rule requires two hands in simultaneous contact with the wall prior to turning or at the finish. If one hand gets to the wall a bit before the other it is not an infraction. A two hand "non-simultaneous" touch would require touching with each hand independantly one after the other. This could afford a swimmer an advatage of hitting with one hand then dragging the other past the wall after the turn is in process. However as long as both hands are on the wall together at some point it shouldn't matter how they got there.
So what say you all?
Does the "both hands simultaneously" mean that both hands must make initial contact the wall at exactly the same instant? If so would an accidental touch of the wall with one hand prior to a 2-hand touch be a DQ at the instant of initial contact? (OK not likely but it happens with young swimmers who misjudge distances)
I have an even more fundemental question about what constitutes a "simultaneous touch". I maintain that the rule requires two hands in simultaneous contact with the wall prior to turning or at the finish. If one hand gets to the wall a bit before the other it is not an infraction. A two hand "non-simultaneous" touch would require touching with each hand independantly one after the other. This could afford a swimmer an advatage of hitting with one hand then dragging the other past the wall after the turn is in process. However as long as both hands are on the wall together at some point it shouldn't matter how they got there.
So what say you all?
Does the "both hands simultaneously" mean that both hands must make initial contact the wall at exactly the same instant? If so would an accidental touch of the wall with one hand prior to a 2-hand touch be a DQ at the instant of initial contact? (OK not likely but it happens with young swimmers who misjudge distances)
