Turns in swimming

Turns in swimming are used to reverse the direction in which they are swimming. They are usually done when the swimmer reaches the end of the swimming pool but still has one or more lengths to swim.

• Open turn: is where the swimmer touches the wall, with one or two hands depending on the requirement for the stroke, not grabbing and brings legs to the wall in a tuck-like position, then turning on the wall to face the opposite end of the pool and pushes off in a streamline to begin a new lap. Butterfly and breaststroke swimmers must touch with two hands, then one arm is typically dropped into the water to begin the turn while the other comes past the head to complete the turnaround from the wall and then the swimmer will push off into a streamline. See also Butterfly stroke#Turn and finish.^[1]

• Tumble turn , flip turn, or turntable turn: the swimmer swims to the end wall, tucks, does a forward flip, and pushes off in streamline. While typically only done in backstroke and freestyle modalities, it is legal in all events provided that in butterfly and breastroke both hands touch the wall simultaneously and immeditately prior to the turn. See also Front crawl#Racing: turn and finish.^[2]

• Backwards flip turn , bucket turn , or suicide turn: a turn used in the individual medley when changing from backstroke to breaststroke. The turn involves a touch on the wall in backstroke, followed by a back flip which puts you in position to push off into breaststroke.

See also

• Swimming innovation

References

1. ^ "BBC Sport. Olympics: Swimming Guide - Breaststroke/butterfly turns"
2. ^ "BBC Sport. Olympics: Swimming Guide - Tumble Turn"