Flip turn mental block

3 things pop up for me - 1) make sure the flip turn is actually faster for you ... there are many many swimmers I see who do a flip turn but its actually slower than a quick open turn. You can move those knees quickly and you get an extra breath so its not terrible to do open unless you are good at flips  2) practice some in mid pool - no wall anywhere near you, the flip and movement and so on fast and slow and 3) I would take some time and go inch by inch getting closer to the wall -- just do a turn session   - maybe have somebody tape you so you see and gain confidence .. hope that helps 

I’m 64 now, and have a slight phobia of flip turns that I also acquired in my late 20s. “Acquired” is not exactly right. More like ‘inflicted.’ In a pool that I wasn’t yet completely familiar with, on my first or second lap, I hit my heels squarely on the deck edge/coping. It hurt like a M-Fer. I thought I’d broken my heel bones. For a long time immediately after that (months-years), doing flip turns was essentially useless. I was flipping way too far away from the wall to reach it with my feet for a push off. I’d set soft foamy kick boards at the edges just in case it’d happen again. It was quite a while until I got brave enough to flip close enough to get a push.  My timing/spacing still isn’t perfect. Consequently, since then, when I go into an unfamiliar pool (or a pool I haven’t been in for quite some time) my first few laps are gauging where I can safely flip from and NOT have a similar accident. Slow, methodical approaches to the wall where I look at the bottom lane line, the floating lane lines, and the end wall, and I make mental notes, and determine where to safely, but effectively flip. — Dan

This is definitely something that can happen to swimmers over time, especially if you have had changes to your workouts, equipment, goggles, pool or actually hit your heels recently.
 If flip turns are important to your swim training or racing, then working on overcoming that fear should be a part of your training just like doing laps is a part of your training.
Start at the basics of counting strokes into the wall/bottom T and do a tight turn without actually moving your feet towards the wall to build up some confidence. You could also try underwater turns, which greatly slow your momentum. 
Keep us posted!

Thank you! Flip turns were never a problem till a month ago. I actually love them.

I was in the pool by myself this weekend convinced to improve the situation and got the opposite effect. I started with middle of the pool flips and doing ok, then I tried to turn somewhere in the shallow end and literally freaked out, like I would hit the bottom of the pool. I initiated the somersault and aborted it with a backwards jerk movement. After that I fell so anxious and agitated for hours.

I'll go with open turns for a while and will build a mental mindset where it's not a big deal and then try to bring them back.

Thanks Dan! As a matter of facts I did hit my heels in my 20s too, so maybe some old fear resurfaced.

It's a strange feeling though almost like the wall is too close and will hit my face. Completely irrational.

I probably need to start with taking a mental break and not obsess with it. After all I don't compete in pool (just open water) and can enjoy my workout still.

Thanks Kyle! As I mentioned above my eeekend attempts to gain confidence failed miserably . I'll take a little break from flips and start trying again in a week or so. Ill definitely give an update.

Guido