The most common question asked during swim season is, how do you do those flip turn things? I have been asked by swimmers and non-swimmers multiple times. It is one of the hardest things that a swimmer has to describe. Sometimes they just do it, other times it is just something that they can’t do. I have thought long and hard about this and how I would try to explain this. This is a topic that also has been brought up with other swimmers on our team. There is really no “right answer” to this question, but in my years of experience I know that there are multiple answers.
There are two different types of turns, open and flip turns. The most common type is a flip turn. This turn is used with both freestyle and backstroke. The hardest part of this flip turn is flipping fast and getting far off the wall. When you are coming close to the wall there’s a cross on the bottom of the pool. When you see that, you need to start on your turn. The first step is to make sure that you finish your stroke with one arm and pull you arm towards your waist. You need to tuck your chin to your chest with such force that you body can quickly follow your head. When you are completely flipped over you need to make sure that both of your feet slam into the wall almost straight on, and push with all of the energy that you have. And when you push off you put your arms right behind your ears, straight up with one hand on top of the other hand, this is called streamline. Then you do a couple dolphin kicks and come up to the surface of the water and keep going with your stroke.
The second type of flip turn, an open turn, is a turn that is used with butterfly and breaststroke. This turn took me a long time personally to get right. It is a turn that is more difficult and involves a few more steps. So when you are going into the wall you go all the way into the wall without going underwater. You start by placing both of your hands on the wall, if you don’t get both of your hands on the wall you will be disqualified. Then you pull your feet up with your knees to your chest. With your arms you start by slamming your elbow of one of your arms straight back. And then as you push off on your side the other arm goes right past your ear. And then when you’re in streamline position, depending on the stroke, you either do a few dolphin kicks or you would do a pull out, which I will explain later on, and go right back into your stroke.
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