Let's be clear, I have NO idea what I'm doing in the pool. I'm surprised I haven't drowned long before this. It's true. My butt drags, I struggle to keep my buoy in the water, I can only breathe on my right side - basically a Hot Mess. And yet, yet I am a huge hit at my pool. (no, I'm not, not even a little bit) Minor celebrity some might say. (no one would ever say that) But people stop me all the time and ask for swimming tips. I attribute this to two things.
1. Clearly they've never ever seen anyone swim before and
2. They are thrown off by my pretty intimidating glitter rainbow throw up suit. Truth. (not truth)
Tonight though, tonight was Flip Turn Night. Knowing full well I'd lose all swim credibility once my fellow swimmers witnessed the hilarity of me trying to master the flip turn, I arrived ready to tackle this trick.
Looking less than confident pre-swim.
(breaking the no camera rule in the locker room)
You Tube is my best friend for how-tos. Flip turns, no exception. I watched this one from my buddy Lance's group, LiveStrong and this one from TTS. Watched about 80 times each.
I warmed up for a few hundred yards then headed to the "deep" end to practice. The deep end is four feet at best, but I didn't want to hit my head in the shallowest end. Or any end for that matter. Turns out, I am a Viking at the standing flip. If there was a competition on standing still and then rolling forward, I would totally not drown. Doing the same thing while moving forward? Not so much. I can flip, but I cannot find the wall with my feet. Or I can, but then I end up on the bottom of the pool. Lots of coughing, sputtering and just being honest here, lots of snot. (don't ever drink the pool water folks)
I can't tell you how many times I bonked my shoulders on the bottom of the pool, scraped my knuckles, inhaled water, rammed into the ropes, etc. Which, aren't ropes at all but really hard, heavy scratchy plastic things that hurt when you scrape them. With repetition, I managed to finally get going in a straight line most of the time, but then I'm on my back and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get back on my stomach.
So, some progress. I'm flipping just fine, but not really turning. I'll get there. Eventually. I'm sure it was an entertaining sight! Hey, everyone is new at some point. I just started swimming this year. While I'm slow and awkward, I'm determined. I'll figure this out.
Yeah baby, check out those goggle eyes!
Also, my poor suit is so saggy baggy.
Swimmers, any tips for mastering the flip turn?
haaa hahhaha adorable! :D
ReplyDeleteI haven't bothered with learning the flip-turn..
I'm glad you have such celebrity status at your pool! ha
ReplyDeleteI kind of learned to flip turn in college in my swimming class but I was always too out of breath to really execute it more than once before I'd be gasping for air.
Girl, I am so intimidated by the flip turns! I haven't tried them yet, but I have watched copious amounts of youtube videos showing them. I will eventually conquer them...guess I have to try one first!
ReplyDeleteLast week while swimming I had the thought I should try a flip turn. Mind you, this was without the research of Youtube that you have done, rather just a "hey, let's see if I can do this!".
ReplyDeleteUm, yeah, you can imagine how well THAT went.
I think I'll take a look at these videos tonight...
Practice makes perfect, and I admire your tenacity. I have no depth perception, and since I'd rather not give myself a concussion by under judging my distance from the wall, I don't flip turn. But they look so nice when everyone else does them.
ReplyDeleteHaha I love this! When I was a kid I was obsessed with all things Olympics (still am, not a kid anymore though, anyways) and I just had to learn how to flip turn so I spent an entire summer teaching myself in my grandparent's pool (this was before youtube) I'm not sure if I could still do it and I'm pretty sure I wasn't any good then either but I did kinda sorta figure it out. Good luck and you're right, everyone is a beginner at some point!
ReplyDeleteCome here. It took me a year to learn but now I can do it. I will help you.
ReplyDeleteLots of practice is the big secret. Another tip is to practice as close to the speed you normally swim since it's all about timing when to start the turn. Last thing I would add is that watching videos is great but know that your natural movement might not match that. For me, I come out on my side instead of on my back and then rotating as I push off the wall. Don't know why...just the way I move. I also think it's easier to practice flip turns with a pull buoy. I think it forces you to keep your legs together in their movements. Good luck and keep on swimming!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Whit, thank you so much! I'll keep practicing- eventually I'll get it, right? :o)
DeleteFlip turns look so graceful and I'm so jealous of the smooth swimmers I see at the pool. I'm still too scared to try so good for you for going for it! I'm gonna check out those videos! Keep practicing and you'll get it.
ReplyDeleteFlip turns look so graceful but I'm still too scared to try that move. Good for you for going for it! Just keep practicing and you'll get it!
ReplyDeleteThat whole swimming thing is a mystery to me...... Laying poolside with an umbrella drink is about as close as I come :o)
ReplyDeleteI still can't swim so I know what you mean!
ReplyDeleteHooray for flip turns! It does take a while to perfect them, but once you do your swim sets will become smoother and you might find that you get less tired in open water because you aren't used to a small break every 25 yards.
ReplyDeleteAhh TPG. Even with my hubs as my coach, I cannot master the flip turn. Water ends up in my sinuses every. time. So, I have given up the flip turn hope and moved onto the quick wall touch and a push off... much easier. :) I have faith that you will be dominating those flip turns before long!
ReplyDeleteAhh TPG. Even with my hubs as my coach, I cannot master the flip turn. Water ends up in my sinuses every. time. So, I have given up the flip turn hope and moved onto the quick wall touch and a push off... much easier. :) I have faith that you will be dominating those flip turns before long!
ReplyDelete