Breaking Down the Freestyle Flipturn
Approach The Flip Push Off Breakout
A couple of ideas we will be talking about for the turn:
Momentum: Use your speed to help carry you in and out of the turn. If I throw a ball soft against a wall it comes back slow.. If I throw it hard it comes back further and faster.
Tight Tucks: A ball rotates faster than a stick when thrown. Heels to your bottom, chin to your
chest, eyes for your waist. Tight Tuck!!!
“Throw your Toes”: When your feet are on top of your flip turn point your toes “throwing the toes” towards the wall! Try having your toes touch the water before your heels. This helps keep your momentum going while your feet are on top of the turn.
Streamline: The fastest, most compact turn is negated by coming off the wall not doing a streamline.
Approach
Before performing the turn realize momentum is going to carry you into the wall even while you are turning. Put your hand extended away from your body on the wall. Take a big step back in the water. This gives you an idea of where to flip. Use this as a starting point.
When approaching the wall look for where “the side of the pool meets the bottom of the pool”. This will help keep your body inline going into the turn and not swimming up hill into the wall.
When beginning the turn have your 2nd to last hand hit the water and pull through to your hips. Then when your last hand hits the water begin pulling towards your hips. These last two strokes are important, don’t short stroke them.
When the last hand hit gets by your chest “Submerge”. Lean forward on your chest 2-3 inches while keeping your body line. This will feel like your hips are rising higher than your upper half of your body.
The Flip
As soon as your submerge, begin to put your chin on your chest and have your eyes looking for your waist.
At the same time your heels pull into your bottom and knees to your chest. Tight Tucks!
Your hands should point towards your feet and other end of pool. You want your palms up facing the surface of the water.
Throw your toes toward the wall
The Push Off “On your Back”
Your feet should hit the wall between your knees and bottom. Bent at 90 Degrees. Your feet should be shoulder length apart.
At the same time your feet touch or slightly before, hands begin to push up and rotate into the streamline. Keep your elbows tucked in while performing this part.
Once hands are in streamline and feet on the wall, push off while tightening up your stomach muscles.
Breakout
Once you have left the wall snap your hips towards the bottom of the pull.
Swimmers should Dolphin or Fr kick to the surface. ( Anywhere from 6-10 Kicks)
If Dolphin kicking transition into Flutter kicks before breaking the surface.
Release your bottom hand and begin to catch and pull water back.
The shoulder and head should break the surface as the pulling hand passes the shoulder.
Do not breath for 2-3 strokes off the walls.
Swimmers should kick throughout the streamline and breakout face. Fast compact kicks.
