Flip Turn Sets

Flip Turn Circuit 1

(3 rounds through)

3 stationary flips

3 jump flips

2 flip turns with tennis balls

1 turn (in and out)

Purpose and Focus Points

This circuit helps you work on tight flips. 

Start off with surface flip turns, just working on the turn itself. Next add some speed and athleticism to your turn by jumping into your flip. Then challenge your ability to quickly tuck and rotate yourself through the turn without your hands as you hold tennis balls. This will require you to perform the skills you’ve been working on with the two previous drills. Finally, finish with a regular turn going in and out of the wall. Focus on an excellent, tight flip turn.

Flip Turn Circuit 2

(3 rounds through)

10 bottom jumps

2 hands on deck

10 bottom jumps

1 turn and glide

Purpose and Focus Points

This circuit will help you with the two most important aspects of your flip turn: tight flips and pushing off the wall properly.

Bottom jumps emphasize pushing off the wall in a great streamlined position. Your goal is to get used to jumping straight up and down with great alignment and body position. If you fall out of line, you’ll quickly notice that you struggle to land in the same place. The hands-on-deck drill will help you work on tucking tightly, so you’ll be in the best position to push off the wall effectively. 

In the final piece of the circuit, you’ll have to flip fast and tight and then do a strong, straight push to maximize your glide.

Flip Turn Circuit 3

(3 rounds through)

2 hands on deck with tennis balls

2 flip turns with tennis balls (in and out)

1 swim with mid-pool flip into fast finish

1 turn (in and out)

Purpose and Focus Points

This circuit emphasizes tight turns with an aggressive tuck of your knees to your chest. You won’t be able to use your hands for most of it, so you really have to work to bring your knees to your chest.

Start with hands on deck with tennis balls and then transition to full flip turns with tennis balls. Although you won’t go as far off the wall, you’ll have to navigate a full turn without using your hands. Then open your hands back up and do mid-pool flip into fast finish to work on your transition out of a turn. Finally, put it all together with a great flip turn.

Flip Turn Circuit 4

(3 rounds through)

12 bottom jumps with quarter/half/full turns

50 freestyle, glide until your head passes the cone*

12 bottom jumps with quarter/half/full turns

100 freestyle, glide until your head passes the cone*

* - Choose appropriate distance for you

Purpose and Focus Points

This circuit helps you focus on doing a great push off the wall with a great streamlined position.

Start the circuit by reinforcing those skills with bottom jumps but add a twist with each jump. This is more difficult than just jumping, but it’s what’s required with every flip turn.

To challenge your ability to do these skills while swimming, do a 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle with a minimal gliding distance (about 3 to 5 yards/meters). This will require you to do a great push and hold your bodyline. If you don’t, you’ll struggle to reach the target distance with speed—or you might not make it at all.