ESPN

The Power of the Flip Turn

Soon after winning three gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics, Dana Vollmer took a hiatus from swimming. She gave birth to a son in 2015 and then returned to the pool. Now she's posting some of the fastest times of her career. How does she plan to follow up her London performance at the Rio Games? By taking a turn for the better.

by By Alyssa RoenigkPhotography by Ric Frazier
video
The technique behind swimming's flip turn

A look at one of the key techniques in freestyle swimming: the flip turn. Olympic gold-medalist and former world-record holder Dana Vollmer shows how to do the maneuver.

"You can win a race on your turns, and you can lose a race there too."Dana Vollmer
The Flip Turn
Photo 1 of 4

Five strokes out, I look at the wall and judge whether I need to make modifications to my strokes. Two strokes out, I take my final breath. I don't breathe on my final stroke so I can keep my speed. I use my last stroke to tuck into a ball.

The Flip Turn
Photo 2 of 4

You can win a race on your turns, and you can lose a race there, too. On my final stroke, I want my body to be in a straight line coming into the wall. I don't want my core to be too loose or too rigid. I dip my head and chest, tuck into a ball and use the water to help me flip. I don't muscle my body around.

The Flip Turn
Photo 3 of 4

When I come out of the flip, I turn into a basketball player taking a jump shot. I want my feet to land on the wall as if I were about to jump off the floor. I don't want them to be too close together or too far apart. I want to have as much power as possible as I jump off the wall.

The Flip Turn
Photo 4 of 4

I'm still on my back and then turn over my right shoulder. Some swimmers like to be able to flip to both sides so they can see their competition. I like to stay in my own world. After I turn, I start my dolphin kicks to get to the surface.


More Stories