Physical Education

Unit - 7

7.2.4.1.The freestyle flip turn (when swimming the crawl)
There are a couple of options for turning around when you reach the wall during lap swimming. You can simply touch the wall and turn around and start swimming again or you can do a flip turn. The flip turn is essentially a somersault in the water where you flip and turn and use your legs to power-kick off the wall. The flip turn, when completed properly, is fast, efficient, and time-saving. If you've ever watched Olympic swimming, you see the swimmers gracefully execute their flip turns. Here are the basics.

• Start the somersault before reaching the wall by tucking the chin and pulling the knees into a tuck position.
• Blow out air to avoid inhaling water.
• Straighten out the body-tuck halfway through the flip and extend the legs toward the wall.
• You will be on your back at this point.
• Push off the wall.
• Roll over onto the belly and glide toward the surface of the water.
• Hold the glide until you break the surface of the water, and then start stroking immediately.