How to Flip-Turn When Swimming the Backstroke

Learning to change directions quickly is fundamental to competitive swimming.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Swimsuits
• Swimming Goggles
• Swimsuits

1. Approach the wall swimming the backstroke (many pools have flags hanging 5 yards from the wall to help you gauge your distance from it).

2. Lean your head back and draw your knees up toward your chest.

3. Tuck your body and keep rolling into a back flip in the water until you have turned completely over and are facing down.

4. Extend your body and push off the wall with your feet.

5. Streamline your body, extending your arms above your head with your shoulders up against your ears.

6. Begin kicking immediately.

7. Roll over onto your back and then begin stroking as you break the surface of the water.

Tips & Warnings

• Blow air out through your nose throughout the flip-turn to avoid getting water up there.
• Be sure you have flipped a full 180 degrees before you push off the wall. You don't want to push off into the bottom of the pool.
• Take a quick look for swimmers behind you before you push off the wall.
• If you're in doubt about the legality of a particular move in competition, clear the technique with league officials before attempting it.
• If you have any condition that would impair or limit your ability to engage in physical activity, please consult a physician before attempting this activity. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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on 8/8/2006 If it takes five strokes for you to get into the wall, on the fourth stroke flip onto your stomach. Take one freestyle stroke, and then do a freestyle flip turn, and come out of the wall on your back.

on 6/30/2006 On the fourth stroke, flip onto your stomach, take one freestyle stroke, and then do a freestyle flip turn, and come out of the wall on your back.

on 11/22/2005 For me it takes five strokes after the flag, so I take a breath on four, flip over and flip and push off, it usually trhows off the timing if you try to sneak in a breath at flip so try to take a the breath early.

on 11/22/2005 You can avoid hitting your head on the wall and also flip over to your stomach at the correct time and distance from the wall by counting your strokes from the flags.

on 11/22/2005 The international rules of backstroke swimming now allow the athlete to turn onto his front before flipping a forward tumble turn, which will bring the swimmer onto his back for the take-off from the wall.