A tumble turn or flip turn is one of the turns in swimming, used to reverse the direction in which the person is

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

. It is done when the swimmer reaches the end of the

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming and associated activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built abo ...

but still has one or more lengths to swim. The technique's development is credited, by the International Swimming Hall of Fame, to Al Vande Weghe at the AAU Nationals in 1934. Previously this entry erroneously credited the invention of the flip turn to

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...

swim coach Tex Robertson while he was training Adolph Kiefer for the 1936 Olympics. Flip turns are usually only used during freestyle and

backstroke Backstroke or back crawl is one of the four Swimming (sport), swimming styles used in competitive events regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the back. This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disa ...

races. In

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

and

breaststroke Breaststroke is a human swimming, swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and ...

races, regulations require swimmers to touch the end of the pool with both hands simultaneously before turning back for another length. While they legally can flip turn during butterfly and breaststroke races, it is more common to turn left or right to begin the next lap. This style of turning is called an open turn. If the event is

medley swimming Medley swimming is a combination of four different swimming (sport), swimming strokes (Freestyle swimming, freestyle (usually front crawl), backstroke, breaststroke, Butterfly stroke, butterfly) into one race. This race is either swum by one sw ...

turns vary based on the combination order of what stroke the swimmer is changing from and to. According to the USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Regulations, in order of the strokes the turns are to be: #

Butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

is a two-hand touch open turn. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past vertical towards the back when the swimmer leaves the wall. #

Backstroke Backstroke or back crawl is one of the four Swimming (sport), swimming styles used in competitive events regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the back. This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disa ...

the swimmer must first touch on their back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner. #

Breaststroke Breaststroke is a human swimming, swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and ...

to freestyle is two hand touch open turn. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner.

References

External links

Amateur Swimming Association
(ASA), Swimming Teaching and Coaching, Level 1, Hogarth L.'' (1998).
USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Regulations
*Leisure Press, Swimming into the 21st Century - Colwin C. Mayfield, Swim Even Faster, Maglischo E W, (Edit.1993). *Pelham Books, Coaching the Young Swimmer, Wilke K, Madsen O, (1992/3). *Wolfe Medical Publications, Athletic Ability and the Anatomy of Motion, Wirhed R, (1984).
Joe Gardner Executes Perfect Breaststroke Flip Turn at Big Tens
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