Approaching the wall to do flipturns [a momentum problem]
Former Member
So my 100 free SC time now is 1:01.5 approximately. I'm basing that off of my latest 100 free swim, which was LCM, but I used that swimmingworld conversation calculator which gave me the above figure. Last week, my coach had me do a timed 100 free off the wall at the end of practice. I clocked in at 1:02.5! So I'm very happy about all that.
I am having a slight problem though. As my technique improves and I get faster at actually swimming, I'm finding my flipturns are having a problem adjusting. When I do a set on like 90% or higher, and I flip around at the wall, it's like the momentum my body had established coming into the wall throws me off and I spend an eternity with my feet practically pasted to the wall while I get my balance back. In reality, the total amount of time wasted is probably only half a second at most, but you know, you guys are swimmers, you understand... that's an eternity in swimming! It's very frustrating when for the first 25 or 50 of a set, I can keep pace with some of the fastest people on my team, and then I get to the wall and I'm smeared, left floundering, while those fastest people just pinball right off. And this isn't an old problem... I have now been doing flipturns for over a year with no problem, but now they've become a problem (an opportunity?).
How do I accomplish a crisp, rapid flipturn without sacrificing any of my speed built going into the wall? Or is this just a sad fact of swimming I'm banging my head against... that all swimmers have to slow down just a tad before flipping? I don't wanna slow down! :(
I have a SC meet in a week. I'd like to fix this before then. What do you guys think?
Practice your somersaults--the smaller you are (knees tucked, feet in) the faster you'll roll. You can do 25's with 5 strokes free right into a flip. Roll straight over and practice following your last arm-stroke down into your somersault. No breathing on that last stroke or you kill your momentum downward.
You can also practice coming into the wall, somersaulting and finishing with your feet on the wall--making sure you end up on your back in a streamline position with your feet pointing up on the wall. Then practice adding the push-off, kicking to your side and using your bottom arm to take a first stroke and get to your stomach.
Practice your somersaults--the smaller you are (knees tucked, feet in) the faster you'll roll. You can do 25's with 5 strokes free right into a flip. Roll straight over and practice following your last arm-stroke down into your somersault. No breathing on that last stroke or you kill your momentum downward.
You can also practice coming into the wall, somersaulting and finishing with your feet on the wall--making sure you end up on your back in a streamline position with your feet pointing up on the wall. Then practice adding the push-off, kicking to your side and using your bottom arm to take a first stroke and get to your stomach.
