I was taught incorrectly how to do a flip turn back in the early 70's. I know the mechanics of a proper flip turn, but am really having difficulty executing it. Here's what I do based on what I was taught so long ago:
Swim toward the wall.
About 3 feet away, I flip over and form a tight ball.
My body stays in a ball and I use my arms to rotate so that I am facing downward while turning to the right.
I extend my feet and push off from the wall into a streamline.
From above the water some people tell me my turn looks fine; however, I know better. My turns are very slow and are very inconsistent. When I try to execute a correct turn I just can't seem to flip over onto my back and form a streamline position. My muscle memory instantly puts me into a tight rotating/turning ball!
Since coming back to swimming last year, I decided to not even attempt them, so I've been using open turns for the past 5 months. My Masters coach has worked with me, but due to her personal schedule and the number of people in our group, it's next to impossible for her to dedicate time to just me to work on my turns.
I've looked at tons of video and have read some articles on the subject, but I would appreciate any tips on how to retrain myself to do flip turns correctly? A step-by-step process would be very helpful.
Parents
Former Member
Debbie, Please remember to keep you head straight and tuck your chin. Use your ab muscles to pull your head to the knees. Then bend your knees and flip. If you get this correct the turn will take care of itself.
Debbie, Please remember to keep you head straight and tuck your chin. Use your ab muscles to pull your head to the knees. Then bend your knees and flip. If you get this correct the turn will take care of itself.
