Performing flip turns for each stroke

Extra Topic

When it comes to flip turns in the swimming world, they become the most important part of your race.  If a flip turn not performed correctly, does not meet good technique then you will lose time and most likely lose your race.  According to ehow.com, the flip turn will shave time off of your race and help you burn extra calories along the way.  Take the extra time to learn how to do each flip turn for each stroke, because you will need to perform them perfectly. 

The butterfly and breaststroke flip turns stay exactly the same, the only difference between them: the stroke swum into the wall.  The most important thing in a flip turn: to make sure that both hands touch the wall equally!  If they do not, an official can disqualify you from your event for swimming the stroke illegally.  Once your hands touch the wall, take your non-dominant arm and push your elbow outwards towards the other side of the pool.  Your arm should look like a sideways “V.”  While your non-dominant arm pulls backwards, your dominant hand should come up to your ear and finish back around into the water.  Both your hands should finish over your head, while you swim outwards towards the other wall.  On the team, we call this motion “Elbow your brother or sister, and call your mother.”  We call this move that because, the motion resembles elbowing your sibling and calling your mother when the turn finishes.  Remember to keep in mind that only the butterfly and breaststroke turns differ and not the turn.     

Freestyle and backstroke turns stay virtually the same, but the approach differs.  Let us start with backstroke.  With backstroke, of course you start on your back.  The flags above the lanes will help you.  First, start at the flags and count how many strokes it takes until you touch the wall.  Once you know this, the flip turn becomes easier.  Take the number of strokes, and subtract one.  Take your new count and take that many strokes to the wall.  Next, take your last stroke by flipping over onto your stomach.  Make sure that when you flip over onto your stomach and take a stroke that you only take one stroke!  If you take more than one stroke, an official can disqualify you.  At first, you might be too close or too far away from the wall, so take some time to play around with it.  When you take your last stroke, make sure to stay on your stomach.  Next, take your leading arm and pull it into your stomach and flip.  Keep your head tucked into your chest this should cause your whole body to flip over, and your feet should hit the wall.  At this point, you should be sitting in a chair sideways.  Next, push off of the wall towards the opposite wall.  Make sure that your arms stay above your head and that you stay on your back that way, you can start right into your stroke again.  For freestyle, you do the exact same flip turn, except you go in on your stomach and come out on your stomach.

Ehow.com also says that flip turns become a fundamental part of competitive swimming.  So when performing your flip turns, make sure that you follow all of the steps.  If any part of the turn looks incorrect, an official can disqualify you for an illegal flip turn.  So, make sure to follow all directions and focus on each part of the flip turn.



Freestyle and Backstroke flip turns- Wikipedia