So earlier at practice I experimented with flat feet coming off every wall. There was a very noticeable difference. I could surface with ease past the flags, without any DKs. In my first two years of swimming, I have used just the balls (and toes) of my feet in coming off the walls.
Flat feet (that is, both ball and heel) feels a little awkward right now, like any technique change, but I think I'm going to start adjusting to it for permanent use.
Thanks to Jim Thornton who suggested I make this a poll!
I paid attention to this today, and my heels actually never touch. They get the closest when I flip too late and need to absorb the extra shock. I really thought I flattened my foot more before the push, but I do not.
Ditto. I tried it out today during my workout and just could not get my heels to touch with any consistency at all. I guess I'm all balls.
Former Member
I paid attention to this today, and my heels actually never touch.
Quite right too. If you try to push off with feet flat on the wall, you won't get much of a push-off. Ridiculous idea!
Former Member
You finish from a flat foot to the balls of your feet. Why would being in the water and pushing off a flat surface dictate the way a person jumps (which is a turn off a wall). Starts from a block for track, a jump ball in basketball, jumping rope, high jump, long jump, gymnastics, cheerleading, yike! Because some swimmers can't do it and even some great swimmers can't do it, doesn't make doing it wrong - Right, right?
Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.
Vince Lombardi
When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win" Ed Macauley
"It's not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts; it's what you put into the practice." Eric Lindros
"Practice is the best of all instructors" Publilius Syrus
If the many things that are hard to do were easy, we'd have a lot more people succeeding at doing difficult things. Coach T.
Try to move off the wall from a flat foot and extend off the wall from the balls of your feet. Nuff said!
Former Member
I disagree with this. No serious, competitive swimmer in the world will have his feet flat on the wall at any time during the turn, with his heels touching.
Michael Phelps is kinda serious
YouTube - Michael Phelps turn
At :48 seconds, you'll clearly see Natalie Coughlin push-off the wall with flat feet. She's what I'd call a serious competitve swimmer.
YouTube - Natalie Coughlin Swim Tip #5: Flip Turn
Aaron Peirsol's collapses to a flat foot on his second backstroke turn (a little hard to see) but it happens. He's really a serious swimmer (really serious).
YouTube - Aaron Peirsol 200m Backstroke
Breaststrokers like all swimmers collapse from the balls of their feet to a flat foot. Brendan Hansen is a serious swimmmer (seriously).
YouTube - Brendan Hansen Men's 200m Breastroke
Here's some slow motion video that shows flat feet on the wall. So, let me make it perfectly clear, if you can tell me, seriously, that power off the wall is more effectively achieved from only the balls of the feet rather that from a flat foot and then to the balls of the feet or from the balls of the feet that collapse to a flat foot and then extend to the balls of the feet, I don't agree with your premise.
“Don't be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce haemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world.”
Colin Powell
Former Member
Proof that I am not serious.
Former Member
I'm glad we're not all so serious.
“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”
Robert McClosky
Former Member
Try to move off the wall from a flat foot...
I disagree with this. No serious, competitive swimmer in the world will have his feet flat on the wall at any time during the turn, with his heels touching.
Former Member
Are you guys here actually swimmers?
It's impossible to push off from the wall effectively with heels and feet on the wall. Try it out!
