Flip Turns – Summer Review

Flip Turns – Summer Review

Although open water swimming and triathlons do not require the use of flip-turns, it is important to use them in the pool setting for a couple of reasons.
  1. Flip-turns add a challenging aerobic component to a workout. It’s like getting two workouts, for the price of one! Each flip-turn is its own mini-workout, aiding you in increasing lung capacity.
  2. Flip-turns minimize the amount of time spent on the wall between laps. The quicker the transition, the more similar it is to swimming in a long distance open water/triathlon swim.
  3. Lastly, flip-turns are fun! Really!!!! Doing flip-turns throughout the entire swim workout increases core strength, something that is essential to proper swimming form/technique. So get out there and flip-turn away! A great way to add them gradually is to commit to a flip every 4th lap as a beginner method. Then commit to every 3rd lap until you are feeling comfortable. Keep adding turns as your lung capacity and comfort improves.
Must SEE Links!
Flip-turn progression:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yjfsaWj7G4

Basic concepts of the flip-turn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EL3v1saCQw
Workouts
Total Yardage= 2,050
Focus: Flip-turns
 
3 x 150 FREE :30 rest (flip-turns!!)
50 Free breathing 3, 5, 7
50 catch-up drill & fingertip drag drill together
50 Free breathing 3, 5, 7
 
3 x 100 FREE  :35 rest
75 free, 25 swim of “6 strokes, then flip” drill (see video)
 
4 x 25 kick :15 rest
FREE kick for 10 seconds, then 1 butterfly kick (repeat until done)
* Think: I must do 1 buttterfly kick before I do a flip-turn.
 
6 x 100 FREE  :40 rest (flip-turns!!)
            #1,3,5….50 sprint, 50 easy
#2,4,6….75 moderate, 25 sprint
 
2 x 200 FREE w/ buoy & ankle band :15 rest
 
200 EZ
 
Dryland (abs/core)=
1-     15 V-ups
2-     30 trunk twists (flat hands on each touch)
3-     :30 sec Superman
4-     15 Left/15 Right threading the needle
5-     30 crunches
 
 
Total Yardage= 1,950
Focus: Open water swimming
 
Associated video links:
 
4 x 100 FREE :15 rest
75 FREE, 25 Backstroke kick w/ streamline
 
1:00 vertical kick drill
 
2 x 200 FREE  :45 rest (no flip-turns, no touching walls)
*Go through x 2 to complete 200 FREE
– 25 FREE swim
– 25 Tarzan drill (freestyle with head out of water)
– 25 FREE swim (spotting/looking up every 7 strokes)
– 25 Tarzan drill
 
4 x 50 FREE kick :20 rest
* w/ no kickboard, hands straight ahead and shoulder-width apart, use sculling to breathe (see video link)
5 x 50 FREE w/ fins :30 rest (flip-turns!!)
            * SPRINT all of them!
2 x 200 Free w/ buoy, ankle band & paddles
4 x 25 underwater
200 EZ
 
Dryland=
1-     15 dips
2-     30 sit-ups
3-     15 push-ups
4-     :30 sec Superman
5-     15 squats
6-     :30 flutter kick
 
 
Total Yardage= 1,900
Focus: Open water swimming
 
4 x 200 :20 rest
#1, 3…
100 FREE kick, 100 FREE swim
#2, 4….
(75 FREE swim, 25 swim “5 strokes FREE, 5 strokes BACKSTROKE” drill) x 2
 
4 x 100 FREE :25 rest
– 50 swim, 50 kick (no board, kick in streamline position, turn onto back to breathe)
 
3 x 100 :30 rest (no flip-turns, no touching walls)
            #1,3…7 strokes FREE swim, 2 BREASTSTROKE arms/kick
#2…FREE catch-up drill & fingertip drag drill together
 
4 x 50 FREE kick w/ fins :35 rest
            * SPRINT ALL OF THEM!
 
1:00 vertical kick drill
 
200 EZ
 
Dryland=
1-     :30 sec 8-point plank
2-     30 trunk twists (flat hands on each touch)
3-     :30 sec Superman
4-     15 Left/15 Right threading the needle
5-     :30 flutter kick
 
 
Total Yardage= 1,875
Focus: Speeeed!!
 
Associated video links:
 
3 x 100 FREE swim :20 rest
            #1…w/ fins
            #2…w/ fins & paddles
            #3…w/ fins, paddles, pull buoy & ankle band
 
2 x 200 FREE :20 rest
50 swim, 50 kick w/ no kickboard, hands straight ahead and shoulder-width apart, use sculling to breathe (see video link)
 
3 x 100 FREE :25 rest
            (25 moderate, 25 sprint) x 2
 
3 x 75 moderate pace swim :25 rest
            50 FREE, 25 STROKE (your choice)
 
2 x 100 FREE :25 rest
            #1…50 moderate, 25 easy, 25 sprint
            #2….50 moderate, 25 sprint, 25 easy
 
2 x 75 FREE SPRINT :30 rest
50 swim, 25 kick w/ no kickboard, hands straight ahead and shoulder-width apart, use sculling to breathe (see video link)
 
4 x 25 FREE w/ fins :35 rest
            * SPRINT all of them
           
200 EZ
 
Dryland (some soccer moves to improve hip strength)
1-     15 burpees
2-     30 knee touches
(stand and lift one leg up at a time for knee to touch on palm of hand located just below chest height)
3-     15 Left/15 Right threading the needle
4-     30 toe touches (straight ahead, in front of body, alternating legs)