Flipping at the "T"
77
Member
242 days
em_me posted 28 weeks ago.
when i played water polo we did that since you aren't allowed to touch the walls. i don't like doing an actual flip turn with out hitting the wall but i like to do a couple strokes head up freestyle and then pull up my knees and turn around using a quick breast stroke kick to get me going. to me its a move i am more likely to use in open water (such as when you run up on some one an need to adjust to get around them). plus if you get really quick at it you can actually turn pretty quick and not lose as much momentum. its almost like a pivot move in basketball. i wouldn't do it the whole swim session but maybe do it for a couple hundred and see how you like.
143
Member
263 days
DannoE posted 28 weeks ago.
I've thought about it for the same reasons you mentioned, but I like to take my splits while I swim and wouldn't know how to compare without the flipturns. I'm oddly lucky becuase my pool doesn't use lane-ropes, so it tends to get rough when lots of folks are swimming, but I usually just account for the change in distance by swimming farther. A better solution would be to swim long-course, but unfortunately, there's not a long-course pool anywhere nearby.
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..."
264
Member
712 days
dollfin04 posted 28 weeks ago.
I use this in my training...and I agree it does take a lot of extra effort!
5318
Member
1998 days
kylie posted 28 weeks ago.
The problem with it is you can build some bad form habits -- streamline is important, and other than that start how often in an open water swim are you completely changing your direction?
I'm waiting to here Ironmom's take though :)
Miles of Life --- Powered by MarkyV
1041
Member
838 days
TryScott posted 28 weeks ago.
I'm scared of gators, I'm too much of a baby to get stung by jelly fish, and pools are for the swim team. I want an endless pool. Don't laugh, I'm more likely to get an endless pool than getting my own super speedway. :)
755
Member
910 days
Socket posted 28 weeks ago.
I always felt like I was cheating by pushing off the wall since I can't do that in open water. After reading that article, I tried not pushing off and it felt like a more honest workout.
491
Member
859 days
stewarba posted 28 weeks ago.
kylie wrote:
The problem with it is you can build some bad form habits -- streamline is important, and other than that start how often in an open water swim are you completely changing your direction?I'm waiting to here Ironmom's take though :)
I hadn't thought about the possible impact to form and something that I should mention that the article pointed out was to be careful with the actual turn because there could be resultant injury to the shoulder from the sudden shift in direction. You have the draft of water that will suddenly be coming at you with no extra help from your push off the wall to get you past it.
How often do I completely change directions in an open water swim? That depends on how many buoys mark the race course. ;-)
Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body!
5318
Member
1998 days
kylie posted 28 weeks ago.
but a buoy you go around... you don't just switch right where you are -- it's a different degree of direction change. If you completely switched in a tri you might hit those behind you ;)
Miles of Life --- Powered by MarkyV
491
Member
859 days
stewarba posted 28 weeks ago.
LOL - You've never seen me do it - just kiding.
Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body!
I generally always feel prepared for the swim, just to be disappointed by my results. I don't get the opportunity to practice open water swimming and am inevitably shocked by how much harder it is compared to lap swimming. I was reading this month’s Triathlete and there was an article by Sara Mclarty that mentioned flipping at the T's instead of at the wall. I was amazed at how much more energy I expended to regain momentum without the little push at the wall. 500 meters felt like 1500. Definitely something I plan on using more often in my swim workouts
Anyone else try this or use this technique?
Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body!