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Tumble turn

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A Tumble Turn, or "flip turn" is a technique used by swimmers to reverse the direction in which they are swimming. It is usually done when the swimmer reaches the end of the swimming pool but still has one or more lengths to swim.

Technique

Before executing the turn, the swimmer must be in the water face-down and about an arm's length from the edge of the pool. The turn begins with a forward somersault rapidly followed by the exertion of the feet against the side of the pool the swimmer was initially approaching. If the length after the turn is backstroke the swimmer will push off on the back and glide underwater and transition into the stroke. If the length after the turn is front crawl the swimmer will turn his or her body to 90 degrees and push off and glide on their side, rotating to 180 degrees and back onto their front during the underwater glide. Completing the rotation during the glide saves time by reducing body roll during the rotation. Note that in order to execute the turn if initially doing backstroke, the swimmer must first roll over such that he/she is in the water face-down. Tumble Turns are only permitted during front crawl and backstroke races. In butterfly and breaststroke races, regulations require swimmers to touch the end of the pool with BOTH hands simultaneously before turning back for another length, rendering the turn impractical.

Advantages

The Tumble Turn is often used in competitive swimming because it allows all your momentum into the wall to be transferred into speed into the next length. It is not a pre-requisite to be in swimming, but it is highly recommended as it is much, much faster and it will give you an extra boost. Another reason is that most people in competitive swimming already know how to do, so touching the wall would prove to be a very large disadvantage.

Teaching Tumbleturns

Tumble Turns may be taught as follows:

1. Somersault - this is the first step in learning to Tumble Turn. Novice swimmers should practice this until they can fluently somersault, and arrive at the starting position at completion of the turn.

2. Practice somersault at a wall - swimmers can swim to the wall and then Tumble Turn at arms-length away from the wall.

3. Practice somersault and push-off on back (face-up). This is the backstroke tumble turn.

4. Introduce the 90 degree rotation for the front crawl tumble turn.

5. Practice a longitudinal roll onto the front to complete the rotation and resume swimming on the front ready to transition into front crawl.

Note: it is very important to have swimmers fluently doing Step 3 before moving onto Step 4. Otherwise the final two elements of the turn may become combined and result in an incorrect Tumble Turn technique.

References

  • Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), Swimming Teaching and Coaching, Level 1, Hogarth L. (1998).
  • Optimising Swim Turn Performance, Coaches' Information Service
  • Swimming and Triathlon Training, Robin Brew Sports
  • Leisure Press, Swimming into the 21st Century - Colwin C. Mayfield, Swim Even Faster, Maglischo E W, (Edit.1993).
  • Pelham Books, Coaching the Young Swimmer, Wilke K, Madsen O, (1992/3).
  • Wolfe Medical Publications, Athletic Ability and the Anatomy of Motion, Wirhed R, (1984).
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