Best way...

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave King said:

What is the best way for a beginner to learn to do flip-
turns? I am a casual lap swimmer, but I would like to
incorporate flip-turns for fun and to make me look like a
real swimmer (I'm not shy about admitting that).

There are many good answers on the web. My favorite used to
be at Shane Gould's site, but seems to have disappeared.

Before you work on any of them, how are you at simply doing
summersaults in the shallow end? Just stick your arms out
sideways, ball yourself up, and tumble heals over head
again and again like an 8-year-old. How many can you do
without stopping?

Ross

Dave King said:

What is the best way for a beginner to learn to do flip-
turns? I am a casual lap swimmer, but I would like to
incorporate flip-turns for fun and to make me look like a
real swimmer (I'm not shy about admitting that).

Any advice?

DK

personal.psu.eduTri&SwimWebStuOpen ↗
ff/FlipTurns.html

"Dave King" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is the best way for a beginner to learn to do flip-
turns? I am a casual lap swimmer, but I would like to
incorporate flip-turns for fun and to make me look like a
real swimmer (I'm not shy about admitting that).

Any advice?

Honestly, the best way was for me to just do them. I still
don't do them perfectly, but they're much better than the
first 15 I did.

I was surprised once I tried a few how easily they came. I'm
sure mine aren't as good as the rest of the folks in the
pool, but they work.

a.

In message <[email hidden]>,
diablo <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message -"]news:[email hidden]-
berlin.de...

I think the side you pick has something to do

Quoted message said:

with which arm you intend to start stroking with once you
are going back

the

Quoted message said:

original direction.

not really, as you should be holding a tight streamline
until prone anyway. my advice on what has been said already
is that you shouldn't try to adjust your body position so
its prone on the wall, as most beginners do. whatever
position your body is in when the feet make contact, push
off. that will soon show you if your flip-action needs to
be tweaked. the rotation to the prone position should be
done in the glide from the wall into the transition and
breakout.

a second problem with beginners is that you approach the
wall too slowly, and as soon as you initiate your flip,
you'll sink while tucked, (if you're attenuating your body
position this will be worsened further). get up a good head
of steam once your comfortable with somersaulting near the
wall, and commit..then as soon as the feet make contact
push off and see what happens....

...probably a big mess for the first ten minutes, but
practice is the only way to do it, even with a coach
standing over you.

Just one extra hint. When approaching the turn it is EVEN
MORE IMPORTANT than usual to have a good body position with
hips and legs high in the water. I find that the easiest
way is to identify a point on the bottom of the pool at
each end. Then I simply keep looking down at that point as
I swim over it. This forces the head into a lower position
than usual and the legs and hips begin to feel like they
want to flip over. At this point I tuck my head right under
("look for your knees" was want an experienced turner
taught me years ago). If you want to turn quickly then you
should bend your knees and tuck up tight at this point to
rotate faster. On the other hand if you want to soak all
the people resting in the next lane then hold your legs
straight and make a big splash!

The "spotting point" that you choose on the bottom will
determine the correct distance from the wall. Note that it
will probably be a different distance out from the wall
depending on water depth so shallow and deep ends will not
be the same. I got caught out the other week when I visited
a pool with a much deeper deep end than usual and turned
short a few times.

--
Richard Cant

Quoted message said:

Dave King said:

What is the best way for a beginner to learn to do flip-
turns? I am a casual lap swimmer, but I would like to
incorporate flip-turns for fun and to make me look like
a real swimmer (I'm not shy about admitting that).

Any advice?

DK

While you are practicing this remember to keep breathing out
thru your nose the entire time (or you'll regret it). I just
would walk back about 8 steps and swim to the end of the
pool and practice the turn, and do it over and over again.
One thing is, you need to decide how you want your body to
be coming out of the turn. I have seen people come out on
their right side, left side, and upside down. I think the
side you pick has something to do with which arm you intend
to start stroking with once you are going back the original
direction.

Pat in TX

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

I think the side you pick has something to do

Quoted message said:

with which arm you intend to start stroking with once you
are going back

the

Quoted message said:

original direction.

not really, as you should be holding a tight streamline
until prone anyway. my advice on what has been said already
is that you shouldn't try to adjust your body position so
its prone on the wall, as most beginners do. whatever
position your body is in when the feet make contact, push
off. that will soon show you if your flip-action needs to be
tweaked. the rotation to the prone position should be done
in the glide from the wall into the transition and breakout.

a second problem with beginners is that you approach the
wall too slowly, and as soon as you initiate your flip,
you'll sink while tucked, (if you're attenuating your body
position this will be worsened further). get up a good head
of steam once your comfortable with somersaulting near the
wall, and commit..then as soon as the feet make contact push
off and see what happens....

...probably a big mess for the first ten minutes, but
practice is the only way to do it, even with a coach
standing over you.

Should Flip-Turns feel like 'extra work'?

I hated them as a kid and would like to outgrow that
attitude. Pushing off from the side up high feels like a
'fresh start' that I look forward to at the end of the 25
yards. Flip-turns feel like extra work so am I doing them
wrong? What are the benefits of flip-turns?

In message <[email hidden]>,
Mary <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Should Flip-Turns feel like 'extra work'?

I hated them as a kid and would like to outgrow that
attitude. Pushing off from the side up high feels like a
'fresh start' that I look forward to at the end of the 25
yards. Flip-turns feel like extra work so am I doing them
wrong? What are the benefits of flip-turns?

If you do them right they should provide an opportunity to
relax slightly - true you don't get a breath - but if your
body position and speed coming into the wall are good then
very little effort should be needed until you start to push
off. Of course if your legs are deep coming into the wall
then it won't feel good and it will take effort.

--
Richard Cant

they're faster and make you look good.

"Mary" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Should Flip-Turns feel like 'extra work'?

I hated them as a kid and would like to outgrow that
attitude. Pushing off from the side up high feels like a
'fresh start' that I look forward to at the end of the 25
yards. Flip-turns feel like extra work so am I doing them
wrong? What are the benefits of flip-turns?