Turns - Air Control Flip Turn

Many swimmers, especially ones still learning, can tend to allow too much air to escape during the flip turn.  This is done to make sure no water goes UP the nose, but it also has a detrimental effect on your pushoff.

Why Do It:
While it’s good to get around quickly on a flip turn, we have to remember that, without focus, we could be making a great underwater dolphin tougher.

How to Do It:
1.  Start to experiment with HOW you hold or release air through your nose.  Go under water and hold your breath.
2. Go under water and start to allow just a little bit of air to release through your nose.
3.  Go under water and blast out air from your nose.
4. Now go through some flip turns thinking about the same thing.  BLAST the air out… allow just a bit to release… then see if you can get around without any air escaping.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
This is an additional thought process for swimmers, but one that can help you hold just a bit more air as you push off into the underwater dolphin.  Humming through the turn is an option or, as our young swimmer shows, using the upper lip to help close the nostrils also helps.  The important thing is to learn how much air you allow to escape when you’re not thinking about it.

While working with developmental swimmers, you’ll always have more fun things to work on in addition to the release of air… like how he’s not using his hands.  Step-by-step this young swimmer continues to improve.